Matthew 12
1 At that time, Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the grain fields. His disciples were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.
About the same time Jesus walked through the corn-fields 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, "Look, your disciples do what is not lawful 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 not read what David did, when he and his companions were hungry;
“Have not you read,” replied Jesus, “what David did, when he and his companions were hungry —
4 how he entered into the house of God, and they ate the show bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for those who were with him, 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 have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are blameless?
And have not 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 tell you that something greater than the temple is here.
Here, however, I tell you, there is something greater than the Temple!
7 But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent.
And 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 departed from there and went into their synagogue.
Passing on, Jesus went into their Synagogue,
10 And look, there was a man with a withered hand. They asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?" that they might accuse 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 one of you who has one sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out?
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 then is a person than a sheep. Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."
And how much more precious a man is than a sheep! Therefore it is allowable to do good on the Sabbath.”
13 Then he told the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and it was restored whole, just like 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 conspired against him, how they might destroy him.
On coming out, the Pharisees plotted against Jesus, to put him to death.
15 But Jesus, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them all,
Jesus, however, became aware of it, and went away from that place. A number of people followed him, and he cured them all;
16 and commanded them that they should not make him known.
but he warned them not to make him known,
17 This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
in fulfilment of these words in the Prophet Isaiah —
18 "Look, my servant whom I have chosen; my beloved in whom my soul delights. I will put my Spirit on him; and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
‘Behold! the Servant of my Choice, My Beloved, in whom my heart delights! I will breathe my spirit upon him, and he shall announce a time of judgment to the Gentiles.
19 He will not quarrel, nor shout; nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
He shall not contend, nor cry aloud, Neither shall any one hear his voice in the streets;
20 He won't break a bruised reed. And he won't put out a smoldering wick, until he leads justice to victory.
a bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not quench, Till he has brought the judgment to a victorious issue,
21 And in his name the coastlands will hope."
and on his name shall the Gentiles rest their hopes.”
22 Then one possessed by a demon, blind and mute, was brought to him and he healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw.
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 crowds were amazed, and said, "Can this be 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 when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "This man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons."
But the Pharisees heard of it and said: “He drives out demons only by the help of Baal-zebub the chief of the demons.”
25 And knowing their thoughts, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.
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 casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
So, if Satan drives Satan out, he must be divided against himself; and how, then, can his kingdom last?
27 If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.
And, if it is by Baal-zebub’s help that I drive out demons, by whose help is it that your own sons drive them out? Therefore they shall themselves be your judges.
28 But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon 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 can one enter into the house of the strong man, and carry off his possessions, unless he first bind the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.
How, again, can any one get into a strong man’s house and carry off his goods, without first securing him? And not till then will he plunder his house.
30 "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.
He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not help me to gather is scattering.
31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
Therefore, I tell you, men will be forgiven every sin and slander; but slander against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
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 this age, nor 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 "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.
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 vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
You brood of vipers! how can you, evil as you are, say anything good? For what fills the heart will rise to the lips.
35 The good person out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings out evil things.
A good man, from his good stores, produces good things; while an evil man, from his evil stores, produces evil things.
36 But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
I tell you that for every careless thing that men say, they must answer on the ‘Day of Judgment.’
37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
For it is by your words that you will be acquitted, and by your words that you will be condemned.”
38 Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you."
At this point, some Teachers of the Law and Pharisees interposed. “Teacher,” they said, “we want to see some sign from you.”
39 But he answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given it but the sign of Jonah the prophet.
“It is a wicked and unfaithful generation,” answered Jesus, “that is asking for a sign, and no sign shall be given it except the sign of the Prophet Jonah.
40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly 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 shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
41 The people of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and look, something greater than Jonah is here.
At the Judgment, the men 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 rise up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and look, someone 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 very 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 the person, passes through waterless places, seeking rest, and does not find it.
No sooner does a foul spirit leave a man, 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 return into my house from which I came out,' and when he has come back, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.
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 himself seven other spirits more evil than he is, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that person becomes worse than the first. Even so will it be also to 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 yet speaking to the crowds, look, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.
While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers were standing outside, asking to speak to him.
47 Then one said to him, "Look, your mother and your brothers stand outside, seeking to speak to you."
Someone told him this, and Jesus replied:
48 But he answered him who spoke to him, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?"
“Who is my mother? and who are my brothers?”
49 And he stretched out his hand towards his disciples, and said, "Look, 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 will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother."
For any one who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
