Matthew 12
1 About the same time Jesus walked through the cornfields one Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and began to pick some ears of wheat and eat them.
At that season Jesus went on the sabbath day through the cornfields; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck ears of corn, and to eat.
2 But, when the Pharisees saw this, they said, ‘Look! Your disciples are doing what it is not allowable to do on a Sabbath!’
But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which it is not lawful to do upon the sabbath.
3 ‘Haven’t you read,’ replied Jesus, ‘what David did, when he and his companions were hungry –
But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;
4 how he went into the house of God, and how they ate the consecrated bread, through it was not allowable for him or his companions to eat it, but only for the priests?
how be entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which it was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them that were with him, but only for the priests?
5 And haven’t you read in the law that, on the Sabbath, the priest in the Temple break the Sabbath and yet are not guilty?
Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are guiltless?
6 Here, however, I tell you, there is something greater than the Temple!
But I say unto you, that one greater than the temple is here.
7 Had you learned the meaning of the words – “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,” you would not have condemned those who are not guilty.
But if ye had known what this meaneth, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
8 For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.’
For the Son of man is lord of the sabbath.
9 Passing on, Jesus went into their synagogue,
And he departed thence, and went into their synagogue:
10 and there he saw a man with a withered hand. Some people asked Jesus whether it was allowable to work a cure on the Sabbath – so that they might have a charge to bring against him.
and behold, a man having a withered hand. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? that they might accuse him.
11 But Jesus said to them, ‘Which of you, if he had only one sheep, and that sheep fell into a pit on the Sabbath, would not lay hold of it and pull it out?
And he said unto them, What man shall there be of you, that shall have one sheep, and if this fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
12 How much more precious a person is than a sheep! Therefore it is allowable to do good on the Sabbath.’
How much then is a man of more value than a sheep! Wherefore it is lawful to do good on the sabbath day.
13 Then he said to the man. ‘Stretch out your hand.’ The man stretched it out; and it had become as sound as the other.
Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, as the other.
14 On coming out, the Pharisees plotted against Jesus, to put him to death.
But the Pharisees went out, and took counsel against him, how they might destroy him.
15 Jesus, however, became aware of it, and went away from that place. A number of people followed him, and he cured them all;
And Jesus perceiving [it] withdrew from thence: and many followed him; and he healed them all,
16 but he warned them not to make him known,
and charged them that they should not make him known:
17 in fulfilment of these words in the prophet Isaiah –
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying,
18 “Here is my chosen servant, who I love and who pleases me! I will breathe my spirit on him, and he will announce a time of judgment to the Gentiles.
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 declare judgment to the Gentiles.
19 He will not contend, nor cry aloud, Neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets;
He shall not strive, nor cry aloud; Neither shall any one hear his voice in the streets.
20 a bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not quench, until he has brought the judgment to a victorious issue,
A bruised reed shall he not break, And smoking flax shall he not quench, Till he send forth judgment unto victory.
21 and on his name will the Gentiles rest their hopes.”
And in his name shall the Gentiles hope.
22 Then some people brought to Jesus a possessed man, who was blind and dumb; and he cured him, so that the man who had been dumb both talked and saw.
Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the dumb man spake and saw.
23 At this all the people were astounded. ‘Is it possible that this is the son of David?’ they exclaimed.
And all the multitudes were amazed, and said, Is this the son of David?
24 But the Pharisees heard of it and said, ‘He drives out demons only by the help of Beelzebul the chief of the demons.’
But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This man doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
25 Jesus, however, was aware of what was passing in their minds, and said to them, ‘Any kingdom divided against itself becomes a desolation, and any town or household divided against itself will not last.
And knowing their thoughts he said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
26 So, if Satan drives Satan out, he must be divided against himself; and how, then, can his kingdom last?
and if Satan casteth out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?
27 And, if it is by Beelzebul’s help that I drive out demons, by whose help is it that your own sons drive them out? Therefore they will themselves be your judges.
And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.
28 But, if it is by the help of the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God must already be upon you.
But if I by the Spirit of God cast out devils, then is the kingdom of God come upon you.
29 How, again, can anyone get into a strong man’s house and carry off his goods, without first securing him? Not until then will he plunder his house.
Or how can one enter into the house of the strong [man], and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong [man]? and then he will spoil his house.
30 Anyone who is not with me is against me, and the person who does not help me to gather is scattering.
He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.
31 Therefore, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and slander; but slander against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
Therefore I say unto you, Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.
32 Whoever speaks against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in the present age, or in the age to come. (aiōn g165)
And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in that which is to come. (aiōn g165)
33 ‘You must assume either that both tree and fruit are good, or that both tree and fruit are worthless; since it is by its fruits that a tree is known.
Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by its fruit.
34 You children of snakes! How can you, evil as you are, say anything good? For what fills the heart will rise to the lips.
Ye offspring of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
35 A good person, from his good stores, produces good things; while an evil person, from his evil stores, produces evil things.
The good man out of his good treasure bringeth forth good things: and the evil man out of his evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
36 I tell you that for every careless thing that people say, they must answer on the “day of judgment.”
And I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
37 For it is by your words that you will be acquitted, and by your words that you will be condemned.’
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
38 At this point, some teachers of the Law and Pharisees spoke up. ‘Teacher,’ they said, ‘we want to see some sign from you.’
Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
39 ‘It is a wicked and unfaithful generation,’ answered Jesus, ‘that is asking for a sign, and no sign will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
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 Jonah the prophet:
40 For, just as Jonah was inside the sea-monster three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
for as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
41 At the judgment, the people of Nineveh will stand up with this generation, and will condemn it, because they repented at Jonah’s proclamation; and here is more than a Jonah!
The men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here.
42 At the judgment the Queen of the South will rise up with the present generation, and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon; and here is more than a Solomon!
The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
43 No sooner does a foul spirit leave a person, than it passes through places where there is no water, in search of rest, and does not find it.
But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of the man, passeth through waterless places, seeking rest, and findeth it not.
44 Then it says “I will go back to the home which I left”; but, on coming there, it finds it unoccupied, and swept, and put in order.
Then he saith, I will return into my house whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in, and make their home there; and the last state of that man proves to be worse than the first. So, too, will it be with this wicked generation.’
Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this evil generation.
46 While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers were standing outside, asking to speak to him.
While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, seeking to speak to him.
47 Someone told him this, and Jesus replied,
And one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, seeking to speak to thee.
48 ‘Who is my mother? And who are my brothers?’
But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
49 Then, stretching out his hands towards his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers!
And he stretched forth his hand towards his disciples, and said, Behold, my mother and my brethren!
50 For anyone who does the will of my Father who is in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.’
For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.
