MAT 12:26 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT And if Satan casts out Satan, he has been divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

UST Suppose that Satan enabled people to force out his own demons. In that case, he would be fighting against himself. So, he would soon cease to rule over the demons!

BSB If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then {can} his kingdom stand?

BLB And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

AICNT And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?

OEB So, if Satan drives Satan out, he must be divided against himself; and how, then, can his kingdom last?

WEBBE If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

WMBB (Same as above)

NET So if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

LSV and if Satan casts out Satan, against himself he was divided, how then does his kingdom stand?

FBV If Satan drives out Satan, then he's divided against himself—so how could his kingdom stand?

TCNT So if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

T4T Similarly, if Satan were expelling his own demons [MTY], it would be as though he was fighting against himself. ◄His kingdom would not continue!/How could his kingdom continue?► [RHQ] His rule over them would certainly not last!

LEB And if Satan expels Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

BBE And if Satan sends out Satan, he makes war against himself; how then will he keep his kingdom?

Moff and if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself;
⇔ how then can his realm stand?

Wymth And if Satan is expelling Satan, he has begun to make war on himself: how therefore shall his kingdom last?

ASV and if Satan casteth out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?

DRA And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself: how then shall his kingdom stand?

YLT and if the Adversary doth cast out the Adversary, against himself he was divided, how then doth his kingdom stand?

Drby And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom subsist?

RV and if Satan casteth out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?

SLT And if Satan casts out Satan, he was divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?

Wbstr And if Satan casteth out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?

KJB-1769 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

KJB-1611 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is diuided against himselfe; how shall then his kingdome stand?
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps And if Satan cast out Satan, then is he deuided agaynst him selfe: howe shall then his kingdome endure?
(And if Satan cast out Satan, then is he divided against himself: how shall then his kingdom endure?)

Gnva So if Satan cast out Satan, he is deuided against himself: how shall then his kingdom endure?
(So if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself: how shall then his kingdom endure? )

Cvdl So yf one Sathan cast out another, the is he at variaunce within him self: how maye then his kyngdome endure?
(So if one Satan cast out another, the is he at variance within him self: how may then his kingdom endure?)

TNT So if satan cast out satan the is he devyded agenst him sylfe. How shall then his kyngdome endure?
(So if satan cast out satan the is he divided agenst himself. How shall then his kingdom endure? )

Wycl And if Satanas castith out Satanas, he is departid ayens him silf; therfor hou schal his kingdom stonde?
(And if Satan castith out Satan, he is departed against himself; therefore how shall his kingdom stand?)

Luth So denn ein Satan den andern austreibt, so muß er mit sich selbst uneins sein; wie mag denn sein Reich bestehen?
(So because/than a Satan the change austreibt, so must he with itself/yourself/themselves himself/itself disagree be; as/like likes because/than be kingdom consist?)

ClVg Et si Satanas Satanam ejicit, adversus se divisus est: quomodo ergo stabit regnum ejus?[fn]
(And when/but_if Satan Satanam eyicit, against himself divided it_is: how therefore will_stand kingdom his? )

12.26 Et omnis civitas. Eadem ratio est civitatis et domus, quæ regni. Civitas Jerusalem semper gloriosa, postquam in Christum et in Apostolos exarsit, facta divisione, excidio cecidit.

12.26 And everyone city. Eadem ratio it_is of_the_city and home, which of_the_kingdom. City Yerusalem always gloriosa, after in/into/on Christ/Messiah and in/into/on Apostolos exarsit, facts divisione, excidio fell.

UGNT καὶ εἰ ὁ Σατανᾶς τὸν Σατανᾶν ἐκβάλλει, ἐφ’ ἑαυτὸν ἐμερίσθη. πῶς οὖν σταθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ?
(kai ei ho Satanas ton Satanan ekballei, ef’ heauton emeristhaʸ. pōs oun stathaʸsetai haʸ basileia autou?)

SBL-GNT καὶ εἰ ὁ Σατανᾶς τὸν Σατανᾶν ἐκβάλλει, ἐφʼ ἑαυτὸν ἐμερίσθη· πῶς οὖν σταθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ;
(kai ei ho Satanas ton Satanan ekballei, efʼ heauton emeristhaʸ; pōs oun stathaʸsetai haʸ basileia autou;)

RP-GNT Καὶ εἰ ὁ Σατανᾶς τὸν Σατανᾶν ἐκβάλλει, ἐφ' ἑαυτὸν ἐμερίσθη· πῶς οὖν σταθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ;
(Kai ei ho Satanas ton Satanan ekballei, ef' heauton emeristhaʸ; pōs oun stathaʸsetai haʸ basileia autou;)

TC-GNT Καὶ εἰ ὁ Σατανᾶς τὸν Σατανᾶν ἐκβάλλει, ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ἐμερίσθη· πῶς οὖν σταθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ;
(Kai ei ho Satanas ton Satanan ekballei, ef heauton emeristhaʸ; pōs oun stathaʸsetai haʸ basileia autou; )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, orange:accents differ, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 12:22–32: Jesus showed that he did not use Satan’s power

In this section, Jesus healed a man whom demons had been controlling. The Pharisees said that he did it by the power of Satan. Doing something by the power of Satan is sorcery. Sorcery was punishable by death in the Jewish law. Jesus explained to them why it could not be true that he cast out demons by the power of Satan. He also warned them that they must not look at something he had done by the Holy Spirit’s power and say that Satan gave him the power to do it. This is blaspheming the Holy Spirit (12:31).

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

The Pharisees accuse Jesus of working with Satan

Jesus’ power is greater than Satan’s power

The power of Jesus comes from the Holy Spirit, not from Satan

There are parallel passages for this section in Mark 3:22–30 and Luke 11:14–23.

12:26a

If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself.

If Satan expels his own demons, he is fighting against himself.
If Satan forces one of his own demons out of a person, then his kingdom is divided and is fighting against itself.

If Satan drives out Satan: Notice that the word Satan occurs two times. Scholars agree that in the second occurrence of Satan, the word Satan is used to represent one or more of the demons over which he rules. There are two ways to interpret the first occurrence of Satan:

It is literal and refers to Satan himself. According to this interpretation, Jesus was saying that “if Satan casts out one of his own demons….” In this sense, Satan casts out Satan. So 12:26a is another example (like a kingdom, city, or house) of something that cannot stand if it is divided against itself. The application of these examples begins in 12:27. Here is an example of this interpretation:
if Satan forces out himself (NCV) (BSB, NCV, CEV)
It is figurative and represents one or more of Satan’s demons. According to this interpretation, the first occurrence of Satan has the same meaning as the second occurrence of Satan. Jesus was saying that “if one group in Satan’s kingdom fights against another group…” So, in 12:26a Jesus began to apply the principle that something divided against itself cannot stand. For example:
So if one group is fighting another in Satan’s kingdom (GNT)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). It is better to consider 12:26a as another example parallel with the examples of a kingdom, city, and house. Most English versions are literal and it is not possible to tell which interpretation they follow.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

if Satan forces out himself (NCV)

if Satan casts out one of his evil spirits

if the prince of evil spirits expels his own evil spirits

he is divided against himself: The phrase divided against himself has the same meaning as the phrase “divided against itself” in the examples above (12:25b–c).

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

he is fighting against himself (NLT96)

he is divided and fighting against himself (NLT)

his kingdom is divided and fighting against itself

12:26b

How then can his kingdom stand?

Will his kingdom remain? Of course not!
Then his kingdom will certainly be ruined/destroyed.

How then can his kingdom stand?: This is a rhetorical question. Jesus used this rhetorical question to emphasize that Satan’s kingdom would certainly fall if it were divided.

Here are some other ways to translate this emphasis:

As a rhetorical question. For example:
How will his kingdom stand? It will not.
Would his kingdom continue? Of course not!
As a statement. For example:
His kingdom would certainly not stand/remain.
His own kingdom will not survive. (NLT)

Translate this emphasis in a way that is natural in your language.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-condition-contrary

εἰ ὁ Σατανᾶς τὸν Σατανᾶν ἐκβάλλει, ἐφ’ ἑαυτὸν ἐμερίσθη

if ¬the Satan (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί εἰ ὁ Σατανᾶς τόν Σατανᾶν ἐκβάλλει ἐφʼ ἑαυτόν ἐμερίσθη πῶς Οὖν σταθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ)

Jesus is making a conditional statement that sounds hypothetical, but he is already convinced that the condition is not true. He has concluded that Satan is not divided against himself, because Satan has not been divided against himself. Use a natural form in your language for introducing a condition that the speaker believes is not true. Alternate translation: [were Satan to cast out Satan, he would have been divided against himself]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

ὁ Σατανᾶς τὸν Σατανᾶν ἐκβάλλει

¬the Satan (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί εἰ ὁ Σατανᾶς τόν Σατανᾶν ἐκβάλλει ἐφʼ ἑαυτόν ἐμερίσθη πῶς Οὖν σταθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ)

In both places, Satan represents people who act by the power of Satan. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression from your language or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [Satan’s followers cast out Satan’s followers] or [those who act by Satan’s power cast out others who also act by Satan’s power]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἐφ’ ἑαυτὸν ἐμερίσθη

against (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί εἰ ὁ Σατανᾶς τόν Σατανᾶν ἐκβάλλει ἐφʼ ἑαυτόν ἐμερίσθη πῶς Οὖν σταθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ)

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [he has attacked himself]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

πῶς οὖν σταθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ

how (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί εἰ ὁ Σατανᾶς τόν Σατανᾶν ἐκβάλλει ἐφʼ ἑαυτόν ἐμερίσθη πῶς Οὖν σταθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ)

Jesus is using the question form to show that Satan’s kingdom will not stand if he is divided against himself. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement or an exclamation. Alternate translation: [His kingdom, then, will not stand.] or [His kingdom will certainly not stand!]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

σταθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ

˓will_be_being˒_established the kingdom ˱of˲_him

Here, the word stand means that the kingdom would exist for a long time. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable phrase or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [will his kingdom continue to exist] or [will his kingdom remain]

Parallel MAT 12:26

Section 12:22–32: Jesus showed that he did not use Satan’s power

12:26a

12:26b