Luke 11:17But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. A house divided against itself falls.
The setting
Galilee, ~30 AD. Jesus has just cast out a demon. Religious leaders accuse Him of using Satan's power. Modern-day Israel/Palestine.
The emotion here: frustrated but patient with willful blindness
The original word
merizō (μερίζω) — to divide by force, tear apart what should be unified
Why it matters
Beelzebul was originally a Philistine god, later became a Jewish name for Satan
Read with care
What most readers miss in Luke 11:17
Jesus is using basic logic to expose their absurd accusation
Common misconceptionPeople quote this about politics, but Jesus was defending His ministry against accusations of using demonic power. It's about the impossibility of evil defeating itself.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Luke 11:17
Bible Genome reading
Luke 11:17 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Luke 11:17 comes from the book of Luke, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Jesus. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 40% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include unity, logic. Notable phrases: kingdom divided against itself; house divided falls.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does Luke 11:17 mean to you, today?
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