21. When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe.
22. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils.
23. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
24. “When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching for rest but, finding none, it says, ‘I shall return to my home from which I came.’
25. But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order.
26. Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that person is worse than the first.”
27. While he was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.”
28. He replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”
29. While still more people gathered in the crowd, he said to them, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.
30. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
31. At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here.
32. At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.
33. “No one who lights a lamp hides it away or places it [under a bushel basket], but on a lampstand so that those who enter might see the light.
34. The lamp of the body is your eye. When your eye is sound, then your whole body is filled with light, but when it is bad, then your body is in darkness.
35. Take care, then, that the light in you not become darkness.
36. If your whole body is full of light, and no part of it is in darkness, then it will be as full of light as a lamp illuminating you with its brightness.”
37. After he had spoken, a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home. He entered and reclined at table to eat.
38. The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal.
39. The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil.