Luke 11:14

Luke 11:14, in plain English

Jesus frees a man from a demon that had stolen his ability to speak, and suddenly the man can talk again. The crowd is stunned -- but not everyone is happy about it.

Why it's here

You'd think everyone would celebrate, but miracles have a way of dividing people. Some were amazed, but others immediately started looking for reasons to discredit Jesus.

Who's speaking

Luke describes a powerful miracle that sets the stage for a fierce debate about where Jesus' power really comes from.

Where it sits in the story

A man who couldn't speak is suddenly free, and it should be a moment of pure joy. But instead, it sparks one of the biggest controversies of Jesus' ministry.

The scholarly reading

Jesus exorcises a kōphon daimonion (mute demon), restoring the man's speech. The crowd's amazement (ethaumasan) indicates the dramatic, visible nature of the healing, which becomes a catalyst for theological controversy.

Language and setting

Muteness attributed to demonic activity was understood in the ancient Jewish worldview as spiritual bondage. The healing demonstrates Jesus' authority over evil spirits and validates His messianic claims.

Voice

Luke narrates the exorcism that triggers a major confrontation about the source of Jesus' power.

Significance

This miracle becomes a pivotal moment as it forces everyone to take a position: Is Jesus working by God's power or by demonic power? The controversy that follows is one of the most intense in Luke's Gospel.

12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

13So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

14One day Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. And when the demon was gone, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowds were amazed,

15but some of them said, “It is by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons, that He drives out demons.”

16And others tested Him by demanding a sign from heaven.

Read all of Luke 11 — The disciples ask for a prayer, and Jesus gives them words that have echoed for two thousand years. Then he warns against empty religion.