< Matthew 12 >

1 At that time Jesus went through the fields on the Sabbath day; and his disciples, being in need of food, were taking the heads of grain.
At that time Jesus went on the Sabbaths through the grainfields, and His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck ears, and to eat,
2 But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, See, your disciples do that which it is not right to do on the Sabbath.
and the Pharisees having seen, said to Him, “Behold, Your disciples do that which it is not lawful to do on a Sabbath.”
3 But he said to them, Have you no knowledge of what David did when he had need of food, and those who were with him?
And He said to them, “Did you not read what David did when he was hungry, himself and those with him—
4 How he went into the house of God and took for food the holy bread which it was not right for him or for those who were with him to take, but only for the priests?
how he went into the house of God, and ate the Bread of the Presentation, which it is not lawful to him to eat, nor to those with him, except to the priests alone?
5 Or is it not said in the law, how the Sabbath is broken by the priests in the Temple and they do no wrong?
Or did you not read in the Law that on the Sabbaths the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are blameless?
6 But I say to you that a greater thing than the Temple is here.
And I say to you that [One] greater than the temple is here;
7 But if these words had been in your minds, My desire is for mercy and not for offerings, you would not have been judging those who have done no wrong.
and if you had known what [this] is: Kindness I will, and not sacrifice—you had not condemned the blameless,
8 For the Son of man is lord of the Sabbath.
for the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
9 And he went from there into their Synagogue:
And having departed from there, He went to their synagogue,
10 And there was a man with a dead hand. And they put a question to him, saying, Is it right to make a man well on the Sabbath day? so that they might have something against him.
and behold, there was a man having the hand withered, and they questioned Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbaths?” That they might accuse Him.
11 And he said to them, Which of you, having a sheep, if it gets into a hole on the Sabbath day, will not put out a helping hand and get it back?
And He said to them, “What man will be of you who will have one sheep, and if this may fall on the Sabbaths into a ditch, will not lay hold on it and raise [it]?
12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! For this reason it is right to do good on the Sabbath day.
How much better, therefore, is a man than a sheep? So that it is lawful on the Sabbaths to do good.”
13 Then said he to the man, Put out your hand. And he put it out, and it was made as well as the other.
Then He says to the man, “Stretch forth your hand,” and he stretched [it] forth, and it was restored whole as the other.
14 But the Pharisees went out and made designs against him, how they might put him to death.
And the Pharisees having gone forth, held a consultation against Him, how they might destroy Him,
15 And Jesus, having knowledge of this, went away from there, and a great number went after him; and he made them all well,
and Jesus having known, withdrew from there, and there followed Him great multitudes, and He healed them all,
16 Ordering them not to give people word of him:
and charged them that they might not make Him apparent,
17 So that what was said by Isaiah the prophet might come true,
that it might be fulfilled that was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
18 See my servant, the man of my selection, my loved one in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my Spirit on him, and he will make my decision clear to the Gentiles.
“Behold, My Servant, whom I chose, My Beloved, in whom My soul delighted, I will put My Spirit on Him, And He will declare judgment to the nations;
19 His coming will not be with fighting or loud cries; and his voice will not be lifted up in the streets.
He will not strive nor cry, Nor will any hear His voice in the broad places;
20 The crushed stem will not be broken by him; and the feebly burning light will he not put out, till he has made righteousness overcome all.
A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench, Until He may put forth judgment to victory,
21 And in his name will the Gentiles put their hope.
And in His Name will nations hope.”
22 Then they took to him one with an evil spirit, who was blind and had no power of talking: and he made him well so that he had the power of talking and seeing.
Then was brought to Him a demoniac, blind and mute, and He healed him, so that the blind and mute both spoke and saw.
23 And all the people were surprised and said, Is not this the Son of David?
And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Is this the Son of David?”
24 But the Pharisees, hearing of it, said, This man only sends evil spirits out of men by Beelzebub, the ruler of evil spirits.
But the Pharisees having heard, said, “This One does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebul, ruler of the demons.”
25 And having knowledge of their thoughts he said to them, Every kingdom having division in itself is made waste, and every town or house having division in itself will come to destruction.
And Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom having been divided against itself is desolated, and no city or house having been divided against itself stands,
26 And if Satan sends out Satan, he makes war against himself; how then will he keep his kingdom?
and if Satan casts out Satan, against himself he was divided, how then does his kingdom stand?
27 And if I by Beelzebub send evil spirits out of men, by whom do your sons send them out? So let them be your judges.
And if I, by Beelzebul, cast out the demons, your sons—by whom do they cast out? Because of this they will be your judges.
28 But if I by the Spirit of God send out evil spirits, then is the kingdom of God come on you.
But if I, by the Spirit of God, cast out the demons, then the Kingdom of God has already come to you.
29 Or how may one go into a strong man's house and take his goods, if he does not first put cords round the strong man? and then he may take his goods.
Or how is one able to go into the house of the strong man, and to snatch his goods, if first he may not bind the strong man? And then his house he will plunder.
30 Whoever is not with me is against me; and he who does not take part with me in getting people together, is driving them away.
He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who is not gathering with Me, scatters.
31 So I say to you, Every sin and every evil word against God will have forgiveness; but for evil words against the Spirit there will be no forgiveness.
Because of this I say to you, all sin and slander will be forgiven to men, but the slander of the Spirit will not be forgiven to men.
32 And whoever says a word against the Son of man, will have forgiveness; but whoever says a word against the Holy Spirit, will not have forgiveness in this life or in that which is to come. (aiōn g165)
And whoever may speak a word against the Son of Man it will be forgiven to him, but whoever may speak against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in that which is coming. (aiōn g165)
33 Make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for by its fruit you will get knowledge of the tree.
Either make the tree good, and its fruit good, or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad, for from the fruit is the tree known.
34 You offspring of snakes, how are you, being evil, able to say good things? because out of the heart's store come the words of the mouth.
Brood of vipers! How are you able to speak good things—being evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
35 The good man out of his good store gives good things; and the evil man out of his evil store gives evil things.
The good man out of the good treasure of the heart puts forth the good things, and the evil man out of the evil treasure puts forth evil things.
36 And I say to you that in the day when they are judged, men will have to give an account of every foolish word they have said.
And I say to you that every idle word that men may speak, they will give for it a reckoning in [the] day of judgment;
37 For by your words will your righteousness be seen, and by your words you will be judged.
for from your words you will be declared righteous, and from your words you will be declared unrighteous.”
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees, hearing this, said to him, Master, we are looking for a sign from you.
Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we will to see a sign from You.”
39 But he, answering, said to them, An evil and false generation is looking for a sign; and no sign will be given to it but the sign of the prophet Jonah:
And He answering said to them, “A generation, evil and adulterous, seeks a sign, and a sign will not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet;
40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the stomach of the great fish, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
for as Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.
41 The men of Nineveh will come up in the day of judging and give their decision against this generation: because they were turned from their sins at the preaching of Jonah; and now a greater than Jonah is here.
Men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, for they converted at the proclamation of Jonah, and behold, [One] greater than Jonah [is] here!
42 The queen of the South will come up in the day of judging and give her decision against this generation: for she came from the ends of the earth to give ear to the wisdom of Solomon; and now a greater than Solomon is here.
A 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, [One] greater than Solomon [is] here!
43 But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of a man, goes through dry places looking for rest, and getting it not.
And when the unclean spirit may go forth from the man, it walks through dry places seeking rest and does not find;
44 Then he says, I will go back into my house from which I came out; and when he comes, he sees that there is no one in it, but that it has been made fair and clean.
then it says, I will return to my house from where I came forth; and having come, it finds [it] unoccupied, swept, and adorned:
45 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits worse than himself, and they go in and make it their living-place: and the last condition of that man is worse than the first. Even so will it be with this evil generation.
then it goes, and takes with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and having gone in they dwell there, and the last of that man becomes worse than the first; so will it also be to this evil generation.”
46 While he was still talking to the people, his mother and his brothers came, desiring to have talk with him.
And while He was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers had stood outside, seeking to speak to Him,
47 And one said to him, See, your mother and your brothers are outside, desiring to have talk with you.
and one said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers stand outside, seeking to speak to You.”
48 But he in answer said to him who gave the news, Who is my mother and who are my brothers?
And He answering said to him who spoke to Him, “Who is My mother? And who are My brothers?”
49 And he put out his hand to his disciples and said, See, my mother and my brothers!
And having stretched forth His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold, My mother and My brothers!
50 For whoever does the pleasure of my Father in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.
For whoever may do the will of My Father who is in the heavens, He is My brother, and sister, and mother.”

< Matthew 12 >