Matthew 12 25

Matthew 12:25 kjv

And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

Matthew 12:25 nkjv

But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.

Matthew 12:25 niv

Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.

Matthew 12:25 esv

Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.

Matthew 12:25 nlt

Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, "Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart.

Matthew 12 verses

Matthew 12 25 Meaning

Matthew 12:25 presents Jesus' irrefutable logical argument in response to the Pharisees' malicious accusation that He cast out demons by the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons. Jesus declares a fundamental truth: any entity, whether a kingdom, a city, or even a house, that experiences internal division or conflict will inevitably be destroyed and fail. His point is that Satan's kingdom cannot be divided against itself, causing its own ruin. Therefore, Jesus casting out demons, if it were by Satan's power, would mean Satan is fighting himself, an absurd proposition that contradicts the very nature of an organized evil. This statement underscores the principle that disunity leads to collapse, applicable to all realms.

Matthew 12 25 Context

Matthew chapter 12 details increasing conflict between Jesus and the religious authorities, particularly the Pharisees. Just prior to verse 25, Jesus performs a remarkable miracle: He heals a man who was demon-possessed, blind, and mute (12:22). This miracle prompts the crowds to wonder if Jesus might be the Messiah, the Son of David. However, the Pharisees, unable to deny the undeniable power displayed, attribute Jesus' exorcism to Beelzebul, the "prince of devils" (12:24). This was a deliberate and malicious misinterpretation, attempting to delegitimize Jesus' divine power by accusing Him of collusion with evil.

Jesus, knowing their wicked thoughts and intentions (12:25a), launches into a series of logical refutations. The argument presented in 12:25 is the first and foundational part of His response. He then extends this reasoning to an illustration of an opponent raiding a strong man's house (12:29) and concludes with the dire warning against blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (12:31-32), highlighting the Pharisees' dangerous spiritual condition due to their hardened hearts and wilful rejection of divine truth. Historically, this escalating conflict reflects the growing opposition that would eventually lead to Jesus' crucifixion, underscoring the spiritual blindness of the Jewish leadership.

Matthew 12 25 Word analysis

• And Jesus knew their thoughts (ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἰδὼς τὰς ἐνθυμήσεις αὐτῶν - ho de Iēsous eidōs tas enthymēseis autōn):

  • "knew" (εἰδὼς - eidōs): A participle form of oida, implying an intuitive, full knowledge, not gained from observation but inherent. It highlights Jesus' divine omniscience, His ability to penetrate beyond spoken words to the inner reasonings and wicked intentions of the Pharisees, revealing their hardened hearts and not just their outward accusations. This underscores His authority as God.
  • "thoughts" (ἐνθυμήσεις - enthymēseis): Refers not merely to spoken words but to deep-seated reflections, reasonings, or secret intentions, often associated with negative or malevolent motives in the New Testament. The Pharisees' "thoughts" were rooted in envy and resistance to God's work, not a genuine theological debate.

• Every kingdom (Πᾶσα βασιλεία - Pasa basileia):

  • "Every" (Πᾶσα - Pasa): Emphasizes the universality of the principle; it applies without exception.
  • "kingdom" (βασιλεία - basileia): Refers to a sovereign rule, a realm, or an established power. Here, it metaphorically includes not only political entities but also the spiritual "kingdoms" of God and Satan.

• divided against itself (μερισθεῖσα καθ' ἑαυτῆς - meristheisa kath' heautēs):

  • "divided" (μερισθεῖσα - meristheisa): From merizo, meaning to separate, distribute, or internally cleave. It implies factionalism and internal discord.
  • "against itself" (καθ' ἑαυτῆς - kath' heautēs): Signifies that the conflict originates internally, not from an external attack. It's self-destructive strife.

• is brought to desolation (ἐρημοῦται - erēmoutai):

  • "desolation" (ἐρημοῦται - erēmoutai): From eremoo, meaning to lay waste, make desolate, or ruin. This indicates the inevitable end result of internal division: destruction, ruin, and barrenness, losing all its strength and purpose. The passive voice suggests an unavoidable consequence.

• and every city or house (καὶ πᾶσα πόλις ἢ οἰκία - kai pasa polis ē oikia):

  • "city" (πόλις - polis): A broader community, representing societal organization beyond a mere kingdom.
  • "house" (οἰκία - oikia): The most intimate unit – a household, a family, or metaphorically, an individual's inner being or a local congregation. This expands the principle to the most basic levels of human interaction and organization.

• shall not stand (οὐ σταθήσεται - ou stathēsetai):

  • "shall not stand" (οὐ σταθήσεται - ou stathēsetai): A firm and inevitable negation. Stasomai means to stand, remain firm, endure. The future passive suggests it will not be able to maintain itself or endure, highlighting ultimate collapse and lack of stability.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "Jesus knew their thoughts": This phrase immediately establishes Jesus' divine authority and supernatural perception. He isn't merely responding to a verbal challenge but directly addressing the wickedness of their hearts and minds, proving His omniscient nature before even uttering a word of argument.
  • "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand": This forms a powerful rhetorical parallelism, a form of a fortiori (from stronger to weaker) or reductio ad absurdum argument. It applies a universal, self-evident truth (internal division leads to ruin) to demonstrate the illogical nature of the Pharisees' accusation. If Satan's kingdom (a "kingdom" against God) is organized for evil, it cannot possibly survive by fighting itself. If Satan were casting out Satan, his kingdom would literally be falling apart. The escalating examples from kingdom to city to house underscore the undeniable and pervasive nature of this principle across all scales of organization.

Matthew 12 25 Bonus section

• Reductio Ad Absurdum: Jesus employs a rhetorical strategy known as reductio ad absurdum (reduction to absurdity). He takes the premise of the Pharisees' argument (Jesus casts out demons by Satan) to its logical, self-defeating conclusion, thereby demonstrating its inherent falsehood.
• Implications for Israel: Beyond the immediate context of Jesus' ministry, this principle implicitly warned the Jewish nation and its leadership. Their increasing division, factionalism (Sadducees vs. Pharisees, Zealots vs. Romans), and rejection of their Messiah (Jesus) constituted a "house divided," which would ultimately lead to its historical desolation in AD 70.
• The Church's Call to Unity: This verse provides a timeless theological principle relevant to the Christian Church. Divisions (theological, relational, or procedural) weaken the Church's testimony, hinder its mission, and open it up to external attack. Paul's pleas for unity (e.g., in 1 Cor 1:10) directly resonate with this principle established by Christ.
• Individual Spiritual Life: On an individual level, a "house divided" can also represent a heart or life fragmented by conflicting loyalties, hypocrisy, or internal spiritual battles without resolve. Such a person struggles to "stand" firm in faith or produce consistent fruit.

Matthew 12 25 Commentary

Matthew 12:25 encapsulates a foundational principle articulated by Jesus, serving as a pivotal rebuttal to the Pharisees' charge. His response is not an emotional reaction but a demonstration of divine wisdom through flawless logic. By asserting that "every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation," Jesus exposed the absurdity of their accusation. If He were casting out demons by the power of Satan (Beelzebul), it would mean Satan's kingdom was engaging in self-destructive civil war, which is irrational; a kingdom seeking to expand its power would not willingly diminish itself from within. This universal law of consequences applies to all organized structures, from vast empires (kingdoms), to local communities (cities), down to intimate families or individuals (houses). Unity is paramount for stability and strength, while internal division inevitably leads to weakness and collapse.

This principle is profound: Satan's realm is organized in its rebellion against God, demonstrating a functional, albeit evil, coherence. Jesus' ministry, therefore, could only be an invasion and defeat of this realm, not an internal contradiction within it. This clearly indicates that Jesus' power came from God, the Holy Spirit, which directly challenged and destroyed the works of the devil. The Pharisees, by making this accusation, were attributing the Holy Spirit's work to the prince of demons, leading directly into Jesus' subsequent warning about the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. For the church and individual believers, this verse also serves as a critical reminder of the destructive nature of disunity, factions, and internal strife, emphasizing the need for unity in spirit and purpose for effective ministry and enduring faithfulness.