Matthew 12
1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.
Around that time Jesus was walking through fields of grain on the Sabbath day. His disciples were hungry so they started to pick ears of grain and eat them.
2 But when the Pharisees saw [it], they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.
When the Pharisees saw this they said to Jesus, “Look at your disciples—they're doing what isn't allowed on the Sabbath!”
3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;
But Jesus told them, “Haven't you read what David did when he and his men were hungry?
4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?
He went into the house of God, and he and his men ate the sacred bread that they weren't allowed to eat since it's only for the priests.
5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
Haven't you read in the law that on the Sabbath day the priests in the Temple break the Sabbath but are not considered guilty?
6 But I say unto you, That in this place is [one] greater than the temple.
However, I tell you that someone is here who is greater than the Temple!
7 But if ye had known what [this] meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
If you'd known the meaning of this Scripture, ‘I want mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you wouldn't have condemned an innocent man.
8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
For the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:
Then Jesus left and went into their synagogue.
10 And, behold, there was a man which had [his] hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
A man was there with a crippled hand. “Does the law allow healing on the Sabbath?” they asked him, looking for a reason to accuse him.
11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift [it] out?
“Suppose you have a sheep and it falls into a hole in the ground on the Sabbath. Don't you grab hold of it and pull it out?” Jesus asked them.
12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
“Don't you think a human being is worth much more than a sheep? So yes, you are allowed to do good on the Sabbath.”
13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched [it] forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.
Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” The man held out his hand, and it was healed, just as healthy as the other hand.
14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.
But the Pharisees went out and plotted how to kill Jesus.
15 But when Jesus knew [it], he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;
Knowing this, Jesus left, with large crowds following him. He healed all of them,
16 And charged them that they should not make him known:
but instructed them not to tell people who he was.
17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
This fulfilled what Isaiah the prophet said:
18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.
“This is my servant whom I've chosen, The one I love, who pleases me. I will put my Spirit on him, And he will tell the foreigners what's right.
19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.
He won't argue, he won't shout out, And nobody will hear his voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.
He won't break a damaged reed, And he won't extinguish a smoking wick, Until he has proved that his judgment is right,
21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.
And foreigners will put their hope in him.”
22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
Then a man was brought to Jesus who was demon-possessed and blind and dumb. Jesus healed him, so that the dumb man could speak and see.
23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?
All the crowds were amazed, and asked, “Could this really be the son of David?”
24 But when the Pharisees heard [it], they said, This [fellow] doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
But when the Pharisees heard this, they replied, “This man can only throw out demons through the power of Beelzebub, the chief of demons!”
25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
Knowing what they were thinking, Jesus told them, “Any kingdom that is divided against itself will be destroyed. No town or household that is divided against itself can stand.
26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
If Satan drives out Satan, then he's divided against himself—so how could his kingdom stand?
27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast [them] out? therefore they shall be your judges.
If I'm throwing out demons in the name of Beelzebub, in whose name are your people throwing out demons? Your own people prove you're wrong!
28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
But if I'm throwing out demons through the power of the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you!
29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
Can you enter a strong man's house and take his belongings unless you tie him up first? If you do that then you can take everything in his house.
30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
Those who are not with me are against me, and those who do not gather together with me do the opposite: they are scattering.
31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy [against] the [Holy] Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
That's why I'm telling you that every sin and blasphemy you commit will be forgiven, except blasphemy against the Spirit which won't be forgiven.
32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the [world] to come. (aiōn g165)
Those who say something against the Son of man will be forgiven, but those who say something against the Holy Spirit won't be forgiven, neither in this life nor the next. (aiōn g165)
33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by [his] fruit.
Either decide that the tree is good, and its fruit is good, or decide that the tree is bad and its fruit is bad—for the tree is known by its fruit.
34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
You viper's brood, how can you who are evil say anything good? For your mouth simply says what your mind is busy thinking about.
35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
A good person brings out good from their store of good things, and an evil person brings out evil from their store of evil things.
36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
I tell you, people will have to account for every careless thing they say on the Day of Judgment.
37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
For what you say will either vindicate you or condemn you.”
38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
Then some of the religious teachers and Pharisees came to him and said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign.”
39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
“Evil people who don't trust in God are the ones who look for a miraculous sign. The only sign they will be given is the sign of the prophet Jonah,” Jesus told them.
40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
“In the same way Jonah was in the belly of a huge fish for three days and three nights, the Son of man will lie in the earth for three days and three nights.
41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas [is] here.
The people of Nineveh will rise in the judgment together with this generation and they will condemn it because they repented in response to Jonah's message—and as you see, there's someone greater than Jonah here!
42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon [is] here.
The Queen of the South will be raised in the judgment together with this generation and will condemn it because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon—and as you see, there's someone greater than Solomon here!
43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
When an evil spirit leaves someone, it wanders through deserted places looking for rest, and finds nowhere to stay.
44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth [it] empty, swept, and garnished.
So it says, ‘I'll go back to the place I left,’ and when it returns it finds the place empty, all clean and tidy.
45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last [state] of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits even more evil than it is, and it enters and lives there. So the person ends up worse than they were at the beginning. That's the way it will be with this evil generation.”
46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, [his] mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
While he was speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers arrived and stood outside, wanting to talk to him.
47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
Someone came and told him, “Look, your mother and brothers are outside, wanting to talk to you.”
48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
“Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Jesus asked.
49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
He pointed at his disciples, and said, “Look, they are my mother and my brothers!
50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
For those who do the will of my heavenly Father, they are my brother, sister, and mother!”
