Discovery BoxMatthew 12:22-24 
ContextJesus and Beelzebul
12:22 Then they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. Jesus 1 healed him so that he could speak and see. 2 12:23 All the crowds were amazed and said, “Could this one be the Son of David?” 12:24 But when the Pharisees 3 heard this they said, “He does not cast out demons except by the power of Beelzebul, 4 the ruler 5 of demons!”
1 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
2 tn Grk “demoniac, and he healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw.”
3 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
4 tn Grk “except by Beelzebul.”
sn Beelzebul is another name for Satan. So some people recognized Jesus’ work as supernatural, but called it diabolical.
5 tn Or “prince.”
