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.
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, See, your disciples do that which it is not right 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, Have you no knowledge of what David did when he had need of food, 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 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 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 is it not said in the law, how the Sabbath is broken by the priests in the Temple and they do no wrong?
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 say to you that a greater thing than the Temple is here.
Here, however, I tell you, there is something greater than the Temple!
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.
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 And he went from there into their Synagogue:
Passing on, Jesus went into 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 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 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?
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 is a man than a sheep! For this reason it is right 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 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 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 made designs against him, how they might put him to death.
On coming out, the Pharisees plotted against Jesus, to put him to death.
15 And Jesus, having knowledge of this, went away from there, and a great number went after him; and he made them all well,
Jesus, however, became aware of it, and went away from that place. A number of people followed him, and he cured them all;
16 Ordering them not to give people word of him:
but he warned them not to make him known,
17 So that what was said by Isaiah the prophet might come true,
in fulfillment of these words in the prophet Isaiah –
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.
‘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 His coming will not be with fighting or loud cries; and his voice will not be lifted up in the streets.
He will not contend, nor cry aloud, Neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets;
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 a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he has brought the judgment to a victorious issue,
21 And in his name will the Gentiles put their hope.
and on his name will the Gentiles rest their hopes.’
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 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 And all the people were surprised and said, Is not this 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 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 heard of it and said, “He drives out demons only by the help of Beelzebul the chief 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.
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 And if Satan sends out Satan, he makes war against himself; how then will he keep his kingdom?
So, if Satan drives Satan out, he must be divided against himself; and how, then, can his kingdom last?
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 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 send out evil spirits, then is the kingdom of God come on 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 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.
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 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.
Anyone who is not with me is against me, and the person who does not help me to gather is scattering.
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.
Therefore, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and slander; but slander against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
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)
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 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.
“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 snakes, how are you, being evil, able to say good things? because out of the heart's store come the words of the mouth.
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 store gives good things; and the evil man out of his evil store gives evil things.
A good person, from his good stores, produces good things; while an evil person, from his evil stores, produces 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.
I tell you that for every careless thing that people say, they must answer on the ‘day of judgment.’
37 For by your words will your righteousness be seen, and by your words you will be judged.
For it is by your words that you will be acquitted, and by your words that you will be condemned.”
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees, hearing this, said to him, Master, we are looking for 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, 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:
“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 stomach of the great 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 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.
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 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.
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 But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of a man, goes through dry places looking for rest, and getting it not.
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 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 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 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 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 still talking to the people, his mother and his brothers came, desiring to have talk with him.
While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers were standing outside, asking to speak to him.
47 And one said to him, See, your mother and your brothers are outside, desiring to have talk with you.
Someone told him this, and Jesus replied,
48 But he in answer said to him who gave the news, Who is my mother and who are my brothers?
“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!
Then, stretching out his hands towards his disciples, he said, “Here are 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 anyone who does the will of my Father who is in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
