Luke 11:17-23 So He, seeing and knowing the results of their thoughts and imaginations (what had gone through their minds), said to them, "Every government (reign; kingdom) being divided in two, or into parts, upon itself is being progressively brought to desolation (made to be an uninhabited wilderness or a desert), and house is one after another falling upon house.

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹⁷ So He, seeing and knowing the results of their thoughts and imaginations (what had gone through their minds), said to them, "Every government (reign; kingdom) being divided in two, or into parts, upon itself is being progressively brought to desolation (made to be an uninhabited wilderness or a desert), and house is one after another falling upon house. ¹⁸ So if the adversary (satan) is (or: were) divided in two, into parts, upon itself (or: himself), how will its (or: his) reign (government; kingdom) continue standing (or: being firm and enduring) – since you folks continue saying [that] I continue, in union with Beelzebul, to cast out the demons (= animistic influences)? ¹⁹ "Now if I, Myself – in union with Beelzebul – am constantly expelling the demons, in union with whom are your sons normally expelling [them]? Because of this, they will proceed being your judges (or: critics). ²⁰ "Yet if I, Myself – in union with ‘God's finger’ [Ex. 31:18] – continue casting out the demons (Hellenistic concept and term: = animistic influences), consequently God's reign (sovereign influence and activity; imperial rule; government; kingdom) really makes progress and has advanced to be beforehand upon you folks (or: has really made its way to and has overtaken you, so as to have arrived; or: outstrips [to be now] upon you people). ²¹ "Whenever the strong person – being one that has fully armed and completely equipped himself – may habitually watch over, guard and protect his own courtyard, his possessions and the things that sustain him continue being in peace. ²² "Yet as soon as (or: if ever) a person stronger than him, after coming upon [him], can conquer (or: may overcome) him, he progressively lifts up and carries off his full armament (all the armor and weaponry) upon which he had trusted and placed his confidence – and now progressively distributes his spoils (booty). ²³ "The person not continuing in being with Me is down on Me (or: The one not existing accompanied by Me exists being out of line and out of step with Me, and is thus against what is Mine) – and the person not habitually gathering or presently leading [folks] together with Me is constantly scattering and dispersing.