Messages

38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a vil­lage. And a woman named Martha wel­comed him into her house. 39 And she had a sis­ter called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teach­ing. 40 But Martha was dis­trac­ted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sis­ter has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is neces­sary. Mary has chosen the good por­tion, which will not be taken away from her.”

11:1 Now Jesus was pray­ing in a cer­tain place, and when he fin­ished, one of his dis­ciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his dis­ciples.” 2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say:

5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at mid­night and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a jour­ney, and I have noth­ing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my chil­dren are with me in bed. I can­not get up and give you any­thing’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him any­thing because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For every­one who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a ser­pent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scor­pion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your chil­dren, how much more will the heav­enly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

14 Now he was cast­ing out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelze­bul, the prince of demons,” 16 while oth­ers, to test him, kept seek­ing from him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, know­ing their thoughts, said to them, “Every king­dom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided house­hold falls. 18 And if Satan also is divided against him­self, how will his king­dom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelze­bul. 19 And if I cast out demons by Beelze­bul, by whom do your sons cast them out? There­fore they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by the fin­ger of God that I cast out demons, then the king­dom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; 22 but when one stronger than he attacks him and over­comes him, he takes away his armor in which he trus­ted and divides his spoil. 23 Who­ever is not with me is against me, and who­ever does not gather with me scatters.

24 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a per­son, it passes through water­less places seek­ing rest, and find­ing none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings seven other spir­its more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that per­son is worse than the first.”

27 As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” 28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (ESV)