< Matthew 12 >
1 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.
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, when the Pharisees saw this, they said, “Look! Your disciples are doing what it is not allowable to do on a 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 “Haven’t you read,” replied Jesus, “what David did, when he and his companions were hungry –
"Have you never read," He replied, "what David did when he and his men were hungry?
4 how he went into the house of God, and how they ate the consecrated bread, though it was not allowable for him or his companions to eat it, but only for the priests?
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 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?
And have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the Temple break the Sabbath without incurring guilt?
6 Here, however, I tell you, there is something greater than the Temple!
But I tell you that there is here that which is greater than the Temple.
7 Had you learned the meaning of the words – ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned those who are not guilty.
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 Passing on, Jesus went into their synagogue,
Departing thence He went to their synagogue,
10 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.
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 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?
"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 more precious a person is than a sheep! Therefore it is allowable to do good 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 said to the man. “Stretch out your hand.” The man stretched it out; and it had become as 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 On coming out, the Pharisees plotted against Jesus, to put him to death.
But the Pharisees after leaving the synagogue consulted together against Him, how they might destroy Him.
15 Jesus, however, became aware of it, and went away from that place. A number of people followed him, and he cured them all;
Aware of this, Jesus departed elsewhere; and a great number of people followed Him, all of whom He cured.
16 but he warned them not to make him known,
But He gave them strict injunctions not to blaze abroad His doings,
17 in fulfillment of these words in the prophet Isaiah –
that those words of the Prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled,
18 ‘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.
"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 will not contend, nor cry aloud, Neither will anyone 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 he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he has brought the judgment to a victorious issue,
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 will the Gentiles rest their hopes.’
And on His name shall the nations rest their hopes."
22 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.
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 At this all the people were astounded. “Is it possible that this is the son of David?” they exclaimed.
And the crowds of people were all filled with amazement and said, "Can this be the Son of David?"
24 But the Pharisees heard of it and said, “He drives out demons only by the help of Beelzebul the chief of the demons.”
The Pharisees heard it and said, "This man only expels demons by the power of Baal-zebul, the Prince of demons."
25 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.
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 So, if Satan drives Satan out, he must be divided against himself; and how, then, can his kingdom last?
And if Satan is expelling Satan, he has begun to make war on himself: how therefore shall his kingdom last?
27 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 Anyone who is not with me is against me, and the person who does not help me to gather is scattering.
"The man who is not with me is against me, and he who is not gathering with me is scattering abroad.
31 Therefore, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and slander; but slander against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
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 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 )
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 )
33 “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.
"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 You children of snakes! How can you, evil as you are, say anything good? For what fills the heart will rise to the lips.
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 A good person, from his good stores, produces good things; while an evil person, from his evil stores, produces evil things.
A good man from his good store produces good things, and a bad man from his bad store produces bad things.
36 I tell you that for every careless thing that people say, they must answer on the ‘day of judgment.’
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 it is by your words that you will be acquitted, and by your words that you will be condemned.”
For each of you by his words shall be justified, or by his words shall be condemned."
38 At this point, some teachers of the Law and Pharisees spoke up. “Teacher,” they said, “we want to see some sign from you.”
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 “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.
"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, 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.
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 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!
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 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!
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 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.
"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 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.
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 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.”
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 While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers were standing outside, asking 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 Someone told him this, and Jesus replied,
So some one told Him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and desire to speak to you."
48 “Who is my mother? And who are my brothers?”
"Who is my mother?" He said to the man; "and who are my brothers?"
49 Then, stretching out his hands towards his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!
And pointing to His disciples He added, "See here are my mother and my brothers.
50 For anyone who does the will of my Father who is in heaven 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."