Matthew 12
1 At that time, as Jesus was walking through the corn on Sabbath, his disciples being hungry, began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat them.
At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and eat them.
2 The Pharisees observing this, said to him, Lo! your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.
When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Behold, yoʋr disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”
3 He answered, Have you not read what David did, and his attendants, when they were hungry;
He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him,
4 how he entered the tabernacle of God, and eat the loaves of the presence, which was not lawful for him, or his attendants, to eat but solely for the priests?
how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which was not lawful for him or those who were with him to eat, but only for the priests?
5 Or have you not learnt from the law, that the priests in the temple violate the rest to be observed on Sabbaths, and are blameless?
Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and yet are guiltless?
6 Now I affirm, that something greater than the temple is here.
But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.
7 But had you know what this means, "I desire humanity and not sacrifice," you would not have condemned the guiltless;
But if you had known what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.
8 for the Son of Man is master of the Sabbath.
For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
9 Leaving that place, he went into their synagogue,
Then he departed from there and went into their synagogue.
10 and found a man there whose hand was blasted. They asked Jesus, with a design to accuse him, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?
And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. In order to accuse Jesus, the Pharisees asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”
11 He answered, What man is there amongst you, who having one sheep, if it fall into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
He said to them, “What man among you who has a sheep that falls into a pit on the Sabbath will not take hold of it and lift it out?
12 And does not a mean greatly excel a sheep? It is lawful, therefore, to do good on the Sabbath.
Of how much more value is a person than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
13 Then he said to the man, Stretch out your hand. And as he stretched it out, it became sound like the other.
Then he said to the man, “Stretch out yoʋr hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored, becoming as sound as the other.
14 But the Pharisees went out, and concerted against Jesus to destroy him.
But the Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus as to how they might destroy him.
15 Jesus knowing this, departed; and being followed by a vast multitude, healed all their sick,
Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from there. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them all
16 enjoining them not to make him known.
and warned them not to make him known.
17 Thus the word of the Prophet Isaiah was verified,
This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
18 "Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul delights; I will cause my Spirit to abide upon him, and he shall give laws to the nations;
“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will declare justice to the Gentiles.
19 he will not contend, nor clamor, nor cause his voice to be heard in the streets.
He will not quarrel or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed he will not break; and a dimly burning taper he will not quench, till he render his laws victorious.
A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not extinguish, until he brings justice to victory.
21 Nations also shall trust in his name."
And in his name the Gentiles will hope.”
22 Then was brought to him a demoniac, dumb, and blind, and he cured him, so that he both spoke and saw.
Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and Jesus healed him, so that the man who was blind and mute could speak and see.
23 And all the people said with amazement, Is this the son of David?
All the crowds were amazed and said, “Can this be the Son of David?”
24 But the Pharisees hearing them, said, This man expels demons only by Beelzebub, prince of the demons.
But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the ruler of demons, that this man casts out demons.”
25 But Jesus, knowing their surmises, said to them, By intestine dissensions any kingdom may be desolated; and no city or family, where such dissensions are, can subsist.
Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.
26 Now if Satan expel Satan, his kingdom is torn by intestine dissensions; how can it then subsist?
So if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
27 Besides, if I expel demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons expel them? Wherefore they shall be your judges.
And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.
28 But if I expel demons by the Spirit of God, the Reign of God has overtaken you.
But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
29 For how can one enter the strong one's house, and plunder his goods, unless he first overpower the strong one? Then indeed he may plunder his house.
Or how can anyone enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods unless he first binds the strong man? Then he will plunder his house.
30 He who is not for me, is against me; and he who gathers not with me, scatters.
Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
31 Wherefore I say to you, though every other sin and detraction in men is pardonable, their detraction from the Spirit is unpardonable:
Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but they will not be forgiven for blasphemy against the Spirit.
32 for whosoever shall inveigh against the Son of Man may obtain pardon; but whosoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, shall never be pardoned, either in the present state or the future. (aiōn g165)
Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, neither in the present age nor in the age to come. (aiōn g165)
33 Either call the tree good, and its fruit good; or call the tree bad, and its fruit bad: for we distinguish the tree by its fruit.
“A tree is known by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will also be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will also be bad.
34 Offspring of vipers! how can you that are evil speak good things, since it is out of the fullness of the heart that the mouth speaks.
You brood of vipers, how can you speak good things, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
35 The good man, out of his good treasure, produces good things; the bad man, out of his bad treasure, produces bad things.
The good person brings good things out of his good treasure, and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasure.
36 Be assured, however, that of every pernicious word which men shall utter, they shall give an account on the day of judgment.
But I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give an account for every idle word they speak.
37 For by your words you shall be acquitted, and by your words you shall be condemned.
For by yoʋr words yoʋ will be justified, and by yoʋr words yoʋ will be condemned.”
38 Then some of the Scribes and Pharisees interposed, saying, Rabbi, we desire to see a sign for you.
Then some of the scribes and Pharisees responded, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from yoʋ.”
39 He answering, said to them, An evil and adulterous race demands a sign; but no sign shall be given it, but the sign of the Prophet Jonah.
But Jesus answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to 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, the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the bosom of the earth.
For just as Jonah was in the belly of the great sea creature for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
41 The Ninevites will stand up in the judgment against this race, and cause it to be condemned, because they reformed when they were warned by Jonah; and behold here something greater than Jonah.
The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
42 The Queen of the South country will arise in the judgment against this race, and cause it to be condemned; because she came from the extremities of the earth to hear the wise discourses of Solomon; and behold here something greater than Solomon.
The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
43 An unclean spirit, when he is gone out of a man, wanders over the parched deserts in search of a resting-place. And not finding any,
“When an unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it goes through waterless places seeking rest, but does not find any.
44 he says, I will return to my house whence I came; and being come, he finds it empty, swept, and garnished.
Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept, and put in order.
45 Then he goes, and brings with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and having entered, they dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first: thus will it fare with this evil race.
Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and dwell there, and the last state of that person becomes worse than the first. So will it be with this evil generation also.”
46 While he discoursed to the people, his mother and brothers were without, desiring to speak with him.
While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.
47 And one said to him, Your mother and your brothers are without, desiring to speak with you.
Then someone said to him, “Behold, yoʋr mother and yoʋr brothers are standing outside, asking to speak to yoʋ.”
48 He answering, said to him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brothers?
But he replied to the one who spoke to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”
49 The stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, Behold my mother and my brothers.
And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers!
50 For whosoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, is my brother, and sister, and mother.
For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
