Luke 11:17

17 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall.

Luke 11:17 in Other Translations

KJV
17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them,Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.
ESV
17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls.
NLT
17 He knew their thoughts, so he said, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A family splintered by feuding will fall apart.
MSG
17 Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, "Any country in civil war for very long is wasted. A constantly squabbling family falls to pieces.
CSB
17 Knowing their thoughts, He told them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and a house divided against itself falls.

Luke 11:17 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 11:17

But he knowing their thoughts
Being God omniscient,

said unto them;
the following parables, as they are called in ( Mark 3:23 ) or proverbial expressions, very pertinent to the purpose, and sufficient to set aside the base calumnies of the Pharisees:

every kingdom divided against itself, is brought to desolation;
in process of time, division will end in destruction; and as it does in the kingdoms of the world, of which there have been fatal instances, so it would in the kingdom of Satan, was there in it a division, which the calumny of the Pharisees supposes:

and an house divided against an house, falleth.
The Persic version renders it, "an house divided from the foundation, falls"; the sense is, a family, in which one part is opposed to the other, issues in the ruin of both; (See Gill on Matthew 12:25), (See Gill on Mark 3:24), (See Gill on Mark 3:25).

Luke 11:17 In-Context

15 But some of them said, “By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.”
16 Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.
17 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall.
18 If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul.
19 Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.

Cross References 1

Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.