Matthew 12
1 About that time Jesus passed on the Sabbath through the wheatfields; and His disciples became hungry, and began to gather ears of wheat and eat them.
At that time Jesus walked through the wheatfields one Sabbath Day; and his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck some ears of wheat and to eat them.
2 But the Pharisees saw it and said to Him, "Look! your disciples are doing what the Law forbids them to do on the Sabbath."
But the Pharisees, when they perceived it, said to him. "Look! Your disciples are doing what it is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!"
3 "Have you never read," He replied, "what David did when he and his men were hungry?
"Have you not read," answered Jesus, "what David did when he was hungry, and his men, too?
4 how he entered the House of God and ate the Presented Loaves, which it was not lawful for him or his men to eat, nor for any except the priests?
"How he went into the House of God, and there they ate the loaves of the Presence, which neither he nor his men were permitted to eat, but the priests only?
5 And have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the Temple break the Sabbath without incurring guilt?
"Have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the Temple break the Sabbath and are guiltless?
6 But I tell you that there is here that which is greater than the Temple.
"But I tell you that One is here who is greater than the temple.
7 And if you knew what this means, 'It is mercy I desire, not sacrifice', you would not have condemned those who are without guilt.
"And if you knew what this means, "It is mercy I desire, not sacrifice,
8 For the Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath."
"you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath."
9 Departing thence He went to their synagogue,
As he passed along he went into their synagogue, and there he saw a man with a withered hand.
10 where there was a man with a shrivelled arm. And they questioned Him, "Is it right to cure people on the Sabbath?" Their intention was to bring a charge against Him.
And in order to get a charge against him they asked him, "Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath?" (So that they might have something to accuse him.)
11 "Which of you is there," He replied, "who, if he has but a single sheep and it falls into a hole on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out?
"Is there a man of you," he replied, "who has but a single sheep, who will not lay hold of it and lift it out, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath Day?
12 Is not a man, however, far superior to a sheep? Therefore it is right to do good on the Sabbath."
"And how much more is a man worth than a sheep? Therefore it is right to do good on the Sabbath."
13 Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your arm." And he stretched it out, and it was restored quite sound like the other.
Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand."
14 But the Pharisees after leaving the synagogue consulted together against Him, how they might destroy Him.
The man stretched it out, and it had become sound like the other. But when the Pharisees came out, they consulted together how they might destroy him.
15 Aware of this, Jesus departed elsewhere; and a great number of people followed Him, all of whom He cured.
So when Jesus knew it, he withdrew from that place, and numbers of people followed him.
16 But He gave them strict injunctions not to blaze abroad His doings,
He cured them all; but he strictly forbade them to blaze abroad his doings,
17 that those words of the Prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled,
that the word spoken through Isaiah, the prophet, might be fulfilled.
18 "This is My servant whom I have chosen, My dearly loved One in whom My soul takes pleasure. I will put My spirit upon Him, and He will announce justice to the nations.
Behold my servant whom I have chosen, My beloved, in whom my soul delights; I will breathe my spirit upon him, and he shall announce justice to the Gentiles
19 He will not wrangle or raise His voice, nor will His voice be heard in the broadways.
He will not strive nor cry aloud, Nor shall anyone hear is voice in the streets
20 A crushed reed He will not utterly break, nor will He quench the still smouldering wick, until He has led on Justice to victory.
The bruised reed will not break; The dimly burning wick will not quench; Till he has led justice on to victory.
21 And on His name shall the nations rest their hopes."
And in his name shall the Gentiles hope.
22 At that time a demoniac was brought to Him, blind and dumb; and He cured him, so that the dumb man could speak and see.
Then they brought to him a blind and deaf demoniac; and he healed him, so that the dumb both spoke and saw.
23 And the crowds of people were all filled with amazement and said, "Can this be the Son of David?"
And all the crowds were amazed, and he began to say, "Can this be the Son of David?"
24 The Pharisees heard it and said, "This man only expels demons by the power of Baal-zebul, the Prince of demons."
When the Pharisees heard it they said, "It is only by the aid of Beelzebub, the Prince of the demons, that this fellow is driving out demons."
25 Knowing their thoughts He said to them, "Every kingdom in which civil war has raged suffers desolation; and every city or house in which there is internal strife will be brought low.
Because Jesus knew what was in their minds, he said to them. "Any kingdom divided against itself will become desolate; and any city or household divided against himself will not stand.
26 And if Satan is expelling Satan, he has begun to make war on himself: how therefore shall his kingdom last?
"So if Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?
27 And if it is by Baal-zebul's power that I expel the demons, by whose power do your disciples expel them? They therefore shall be your judges.
"And if I am casting out demons in the power of Beelzebub, in whose power do your sons cast them out? So they themselves shall be your judges.
28 But if it is by the power of the Spirit of God that I expel the demons, it is evident that the Kingdom of God has come upon you.
"But if it is in the power of the Spirit of God is already upon you.
29 Again, how can any one enter the house of a strong man and carry off his goods, unless first of all he masters and secures the strong man: then he will ransack his house.
"Or how can any one enter the strong man’s house and carry off his goods without first binding the strong man? Then he can rob his house.
30 "The man who is not with me is against me, and he who is not gathering with me is scattering abroad.
"He who is not with me is against me; and he who is not gathering with me, scatters.
31 This is why I tell you that men may find forgiveness for every other sin and impious word, but that for impious speaking against the Holy Spirit they shall find no forgiveness.
"Therefore I tell you that every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men; but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven.
32 And whoever shall speak against the Son of Man may obtain forgiveness; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, neither in this nor in the coming age shall he obtain forgiveness." (aiōn g165)
"And if any man say a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in that which is to come. (aiōn g165)
33 "Either grant the tree to be wholesome and its fruit wholesome, or the tree poisonous and its fruit poisonous; for the tree is known by its fruit.
"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree corrupt and its fruit corrupt; for by its fruit the tree is known.
34 O vipers' brood, how can you speak what is good when you are evil? For it is from the overflow of the heart that the mouth speaks.
"You generation of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. "When the time of fruit drew near, he sent his slaves to the vine-dressers seized to get his fruit.
35 A good man from his good store produces good things, and a bad man from his bad store produces bad things.
"A good man out of his good treasure brings forth good; and from his evil treasure a bad man brings out evil.
36 But I tell you that for every careless word that men shall speak they will be held accountable on the day of Judgement.
"I tell you that for every careless word that men speak they shall give account on the day of judgment.
37 For each of you by his words shall be justified, or by his words shall be condemned."
"For by your words you will each be justified, and by your words be condemned."
38 Then He was accosted by some of the Scribes and of the Pharisees who said, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign given by you."
Then some of the Scribes and Pharisees accosted him. "Teacher," they said, "we want to see some sign from you."
39 "Wicked and faithless generation!" He replied, "they clamour for a sign, but none shall be given to them except the sign of the Prophet Jonah.
In reply Jesus told them. "An evil and faithless generation seeks a sign, and no sign will be given them except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
40 For just as Jonah was three days in the sea-monster's belly, so will the Son of Man be three days in the heart of the earth.
"For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the sea- monster’s belly, so the Son of man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
41 There will stand up men of Nineveh at the Judgement together with the present generation, and will condemn it; because they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and mark! there is One greater than Jonah here.
"The men of Nineveh will stand up in the Judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented under the preaching of Jonah, and lo! a greater than Jonah is here!
42 The Queen of the south will awake at the Judgement together with the present generation, and will condemn it; because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and mark! there is One greater than Solomon here.
"The Queen of the South will rise in the judgment with this generation, and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon; and lo! a greater than Solomon is here!
43 "No sooner however has the foul spirit gone out of the man, then he roams about in places where there is no water, seeking rest but finding none.
"Whenever an unclean spirit leaves a man, it wanders through waterless places, seeking rest but finding none.
44 Then he says, 'I will return to my house that I left;' and he comes and finds it unoccupied, swept clean, and in good order.
"Then it says, "‘I will go back to my house which I left’; and on arrival finds it empty, swept, and garnished.
45 Then he goes and brings back with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they come in and dwell there; and in the end that man's condition becomes worse than it was at first. So will it be also with the present wicked generation."
"Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits worse than itself; and they enter in and dwell there. And the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it be with this wicked generation."
46 While He was still addressing the people His mother and His brothers were standing on the edge of the crowd desiring to speak to Him.
While he was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers were standing outside, desiring to speak to him.
47 So some one told Him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and desire to speak to you."
So some one told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, and wanting to speak to you."
48 "Who is my mother?" He said to the man; "and who are my brothers?"
But he answered the man who told him, "Who is my mother and who are my brothers?"
49 And pointing to His disciples He added, "See here are my mother and my brothers.
And stretching his hand toward his disciples, he said,
50 To obey my Father who is in Heaven--that is to be my brother and my sister and my mother."
"Behold my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven, is my brother and sister and mother."
