Matthew 12
1 At that time, Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the grain fields. His disciples were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.
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.
2 But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, “Behold, your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”
But, when the Pharisees saw this, they said, ‘Look! Your disciples are doing what it is not allowable to do on a Sabbath!’
3 But he said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him:
‘Haven’t you read,’ replied Jesus, ‘what David did, when he and his companions were hungry –
4 how he entered into God’s house and ate the show bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?
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?
5 Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?
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?
6 But I tell you that one greater than the temple is here.
Here, however, I tell you, there is something greater than the Temple!
7 But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you wouldn’t have condemned the guiltless.
Had you learned the meaning of the words – “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,” you would not have condemned those who are not guilty.
8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.’
9 He departed from there and went into their synagogue.
Passing on, Jesus went into their synagogue,
10 And behold, there was a man with a withered hand. They asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?” so that they might accuse him.
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.
11 He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if this one falls into a pit on the Sabbath day, won’t he grab on to it and lift it out?
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?
12 Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day.”
How much more precious a person is than a sheep! Therefore it is allowable to do good on the Sabbath.’
13 Then he told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out; and it was restored whole, just like the other.
Then he said to the man. ‘Stretch out your hand.’ The man stretched it out; and it had become as sound as the other.
14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how they might destroy him.
On coming out, the Pharisees plotted against Jesus, to put him to death.
15 Jesus, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Great multitudes followed him; and he healed them all,
Jesus, however, became aware of it, and went away from that place. A number of people followed him, and he cured them all;
16 and commanded them that they should not make him known,
but he warned them not to make him known,
17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
in fulfilment of these words in the prophet Isaiah –
18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit on him. He will proclaim justice to the nations.
“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.
19 He will not strive, nor shout, neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
He will not contend, nor cry aloud, Neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets;
20 He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a smoking flax, until he leads justice to victory.
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,
21 In his name, the nations will hope.”
and on his name will the Gentiles rest their hopes.”
22 Then one possessed by a demon, blind and mute, was brought to him; and he healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.
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.
23 All the multitudes were amazed, and said, “Can this be the son of David?”
At this all the people were astounded. ‘Is it possible that this is the son of David?’ they exclaimed.
24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “This man does not cast out demons except by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.”
But the Pharisees heard of it and said, ‘He drives out demons only by the help of Beelzebul the chief of the demons.’
25 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.
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.
26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
So, if Satan drives Satan out, he must be divided against himself; and how, then, can his kingdom last?
27 If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.
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.
28 But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then God’s Kingdom has come upon you.
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.
29 Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man and plunder his goods, unless he first bind the strong man? Then he will plunder his house.
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.
30 “He who is not with me is against me, and he who doesn’t gather with me, scatters.
Anyone who is not with me is against me, and the person who does not help me to gather is scattering.
31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.
Therefore, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and slander; but slander against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age, or in that which is to come. (aiōn g165)
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)
33 “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.
‘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.
34 You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
You children of snakes! How can you, evil as you are, say anything good? For what fills the heart will rise to the lips.
35 The good man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil things.
A good person, from his good stores, produces good things; while an evil person, from his evil stores, produces evil things.
36 I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
I tell you that for every careless thing that people say, they must answer on the “day of judgment.”
37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
For it is by your words that you will be acquitted, and by your words that you will be condemned.’
38 Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
At this point, some teachers of the Law and Pharisees spoke up. ‘Teacher,’ they said, ‘we want to see some sign from you.’
39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet.
‘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.
40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the huge fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
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.
41 The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, someone greater than Jonah is here.
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!
42 The Queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, someone greater than Solomon is here.
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!
43 “When an unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest, and doesn’t find it.
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.
44 Then he says, ‘I will return into my house from which I came;’ and when he has come back, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.
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.
45 Then he goes and takes with himself seven other spirits more evil than he is, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first. Even so will it be also to this evil generation.”
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.’
46 While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.
While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers were standing outside, asking to speak to him.
47 One said to him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, seeking to speak to you.”
Someone told him this, and Jesus replied,
48 But he answered him who spoke to him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”
‘Who is my mother? And who are my brothers?’
49 He stretched out his hand toward his disciples, and said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers!
Then, stretching out his hands towards his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers!
50 For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
For anyone who does the will of my Father who is in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.’
