Matthew 12
1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath through the cornfields; and his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck the 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, seeing [it], said to him, Behold, thy disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on 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, and they that were 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 shewbread, which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those with him, but for the priests only?
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 sabbaths the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
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 unto you, that there is here what is greater than the temple.
But I tell you that there is here that which is greater than the Temple.
7 But if ye had known what is: I will have mercy and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
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, going away from thence, he came into their synagogue.
Departing thence He went to their synagogue,
10 And behold, there was a man having his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath? 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 But he said to them, What man shall there be of you who has one sheep, and if this fall into a pit on the sabbath, will not lay hold of it and raise [it] up?
"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 better then is a man than a sheep! So that it is lawful to do well 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 out thy hand. And he stretched [it] out, and it was restored sound 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 the Pharisees, having gone out, took counsel against him, how they might destroy him.
But the Pharisees after leaving the synagogue consulted together against Him, how they might destroy Him.
15 But Jesus knowing [it], withdrew thence, and great crowds 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 charged them strictly that they should not make him publicly known:
But He gave them strict injunctions not to blaze abroad His doings,
17 that that might be fulfilled which was spoken through Esaias the prophet, saying,
that those words of the Prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled,
18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved, in whom my soul has found its delight. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he shall shew forth judgment to the nations.
"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 shall not strive or cry out, nor shall any one hear his voice in the streets;
He will not wrangle or raise His voice, nor will His voice be heard in the broadways.
20 a bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, until he bring forth judgment unto 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 on his name shall [the] nations hope.
And on His name shall the nations rest their hopes."
22 Then was brought to him one possessed by a demon, blind and dumb, and he healed him, so that the dumb [man] spake and saw.
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 crowds were amazed and said, Is this [man] 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 the Pharisees, having heard [it], said, This [man] does not cast out demons, but by Beelzebub, prince of demons.
The Pharisees heard it and said, "This man only expels demons by the power of Baal-zebul, the Prince of demons."
25 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not subsist.
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 shall his kingdom subsist?
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, your sons, by whom do they cast [them] out? For this reason they shall 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 by [the] Spirit of God cast out demons, then indeed the kingdom of God is come upon 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 one enter into the house of the strong [man] and plunder his goods, unless first he bind 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 that is not with me is against me, and he that gathers not 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 For this reason I say unto you, Every sin and injurious speaking shall be forgiven to men, but speaking injuriously of the Spirit shall not be forgiven to 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 whosoever shall have spoken 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 age nor in the coming [one]. (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 from the fruit the tree is known.
"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 Offspring of vipers! how can ye speak good things, being wicked? For 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 the good treasure brings forth good things; and the wicked man out of the wicked treasure brings forth wicked 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 unto you, that every idle word which men shall say, they shall render an account of it in judgment-day:
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 by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
For each of you by his words shall be justified, or by his words shall be condemned."
38 Then answered him some of the scribes and Pharisees, saying, Teacher, we desire 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 he, answering, said to them, A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and a sign shall not be given to it save the sign of Jonas 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 even as Jonas was in the belly of the great fish three days and three nights, thus shall the Son of man 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 Ninevites shall stand up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and behold, more than Jonas [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 A 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, more 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 has gone out of the man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and does not find [it].
"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 he says, I will return to my house whence I came out; and having come, he finds [it] unoccupied, swept, and adorned.
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 he goes and takes with himself seven other spirits worse than himself, and entering in, they dwell there; and the last condition of that man becomes worse than the first. Thus shall it be to this wicked generation also.
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 But while he was yet speaking to the crowds, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, 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 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren are standing without, 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 he answering said to him that spoke to him, Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?
"Who is my mother?" He said to the man; "and who are my brothers?"
49 And, stretching out his hand to his disciples, he said, Behold my mother and my brethren;
And pointing to His disciples He added, "See here are my mother and my brothers.
50 for whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is 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."
