Matthew 12
1 At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the sabbath, and his disciples were hungry and began to pluck ears, and to eat.
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.
2 But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, Behold, thy disciples do what is not permitted to do upon the sabbath.
But the Pharisees saw it and said to Him, "Look! your disciples are doing what the Law forbids them to do on the Sabbath."
3 But he said to them, Have ye not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those with him,
"Have you never read," He replied, "what David did when he and his men were hungry?
4 how he entered into the house of God, and ate the loaves of the presentation, which was not permitted for him to eat, nor for those with him, except only for the priests?
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?
5 Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are guiltless?
And have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the Temple break the Sabbath without incurring guilt?
6 But I say to you, that a greater than the temple is here.
But I tell you that there is here that which is greater than the Temple.
7 But if ye had known what this means, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the innocent.
And if you knew what this means, 'It is mercy I desire, not sacrifice', you would not have condemned those who are without guilt.
8 For the Son of man is Lord of the sabbath.
For the Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath."
9 And having departed from there, he went into their synagogue.
Departing thence He went to their synagogue,
10 And behold, there was a man having a withered hand. And they interrogated him, asking if it is permitted to heal on the sabbath, so that they might accuse him.
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.
11 And he said to them, What man of you will there be, who will have one sheep, and if this falls into a pit on the sabbath, will he not grasp it, and lift it out?
"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?
12 How much therefore a man is superior to a sheep. So then it is permitted to do good on the sabbath.
Is not a man, however, far superior to a sheep? Therefore it is right to do good on the Sabbath."
13 Then he says to the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it forth, and it was restored whole, as the other.
Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your arm." And he stretched it out, and it was restored quite sound like the other.
14 But when they went out, the Pharisees held a consultation against him, how they might destroy him.
But the Pharisees after leaving the synagogue consulted together against Him, how they might destroy Him.
15 And having known it Jesus withdrew from there, and many multitudes followed him, and he healed them all.
Aware of this, Jesus departed elsewhere; and a great number of people followed Him, all of whom He cured.
16 And he chided them so that they would not make him known,
But He gave them strict injunctions not to blaze abroad His doings,
17 so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which says,
that those words of the Prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled,
18 Behold, my Boy whom I chose, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will declare justice to the Gentiles.
"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.
19 He will not quarrel, nor will he shout, nor will any man hear his voice in the thoroughfares.
He will not wrangle or raise His voice, nor will His voice be heard in the broadways.
20 A bruised reed he will not break, and smoldering flax he will not quench, until he sends forth justice for victory.
A crushed reed He will not utterly break, nor will He quench the still smouldering wick, until He has led on Justice to victory.
21 And in his name Gentiles will hope.
And on His name shall the nations rest their hopes."
22 Then a blind and mute man being demon possessed, was brought to him. And he healed him, so as for the blind and mute man both to speak and to see.
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.
23 And all the multitudes were amazed, and said, Is this not the son of David?
And the crowds of people were all filled with amazement and said, "Can this be the Son of David?"
24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebub the ruler of the demons.
The Pharisees heard it and said, "This man only expels demons by the power of Baal-zebul, the Prince of demons."
25 And having known their thoughts Jesus said to them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to ruin, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.
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.
26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
And if Satan is expelling Satan, he has begun to make war on himself: how therefore shall his kingdom last?
27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Because of this they will be your judges.
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.
28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come near you.
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.
29 Or how can any man enter into the house of the strong man, and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.
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.
30 He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.
"The man who is not with me is against me, and he who is not gathering with me is scattering abroad.
31 Because of this I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven to men, but the blasphemy of the Spirit will not be forgiven men.
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.
32 And 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, neither in the present age, nor in the one that is coming. (aiōn g165)
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)
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.
"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.
34 Ye offspring of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
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.
35 The good man out of his good treasure brings forth good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth evil things.
A good man from his good store produces good things, and a bad man from his bad store produces bad things.
36 But I say to you, that every idle word, whatever men may speak, they will render account about it in the day of judgment.
But I tell you that for every careless word that men shall speak they will be held accountable on the day of Judgement.
37 For from thy words thou will be justified, and from thy words thou will be condemned.
For each of you by his words shall be justified, or by his words shall be condemned."
38 Then some of the scholars and Pharisees answered, saying, Teacher, we want to see a sign from thee.
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."
39 But having answered, he said to them, An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.
"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.
40 For as Jonah was in the belly of the sea-creature three days and three nights, so the Son of man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.
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.
41 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, a greater than Jonah is here.
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.
42 The queen of the south will rise up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
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.
43 But when the unclean spirit goes forth out of the man, it passes through waterless places, seeking rest, and finds it not.
"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.
44 Then it says, I will return into my house from where I came out. And when it comes, it finds it empty, swept, and put in order.
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.
45 Then it goes, and takes with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and having enter in, they dwell there. And the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. So it will also be to this evil generation.
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."
46 While he was still speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers had stood outside, seeking to speak to him.
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.
47 And some man said to him, Behold, thy mother and thy brothers stand outside, seeking to speak to thee.
So some one told Him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and desire to speak to you."
48 But having answered, he said to the man who told him, Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?
"Who is my mother?" He said to the man; "and who are my brothers?"
49 And having stretched forth his hand towards his disciples, he said, Behold, my mother and my brothers.
And pointing to His disciples He added, "See here are my mother and my brothers.
50 For whoever does the will of my Father in the heavens, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.
To obey my Father who is in Heaven--that is to be my brother and my sister and my mother."
