Matthew 12
1 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.
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.
2 But the Pharisees saw it and said to Him, "Look! your disciples are doing what the Law forbids them to do on the Sabbath."
But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, “Behold, your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”
3 "Have you never read," He replied, "what David did when he and his men were hungry?
But he said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him:
4 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?
how he entered into God’s house and ate the show bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?
5 And have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the Temple break the Sabbath without incurring guilt?
Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?
6 But I tell you that there is here that which is greater than the Temple.
But I tell you that one greater than the temple is here.
7 And if you knew what this means, 'It is mercy I desire, not sacrifice', you would not have condemned those who are without guilt.
But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you wouldn’t have condemned the guiltless.
8 For the Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath."
For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
9 Departing thence He went to their synagogue,
He departed from there and went into their synagogue.
10 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.
And behold, there was a man with a withered hand. They asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?” so that they might accuse him.
11 "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?
He said to them, “What man is there amongst you who has one sheep, and if this one falls into a pit on the Sabbath day, won’t he grab on to it and lift it out?
12 Is not a man, however, far superior to a sheep? Therefore it is right to do good on the Sabbath."
Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day.”
13 Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your arm." And he stretched it out, and it was restored quite sound like the other.
Then he told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out; and it was restored whole, just like the other.
14 But the Pharisees after leaving the synagogue consulted together against Him, how they might destroy Him.
But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how they might destroy him.
15 Aware of this, Jesus departed elsewhere; and a great number of people followed Him, all of whom He cured.
Jesus, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Great multitudes followed him; and he healed them all,
16 But He gave them strict injunctions not to blaze abroad His doings,
and commanded them that they should not make him known,
17 that those words of the Prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled,
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
18 "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.
“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit on him. He will proclaim justice to the nations.
19 He will not wrangle or raise His voice, nor will His voice be heard in the broadways.
He will not strive, nor shout, neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
20 A crushed reed He will not utterly break, nor will He quench the still smouldering wick, until He has led on Justice to victory.
He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a smoking flax, until he leads justice to victory.
21 And on His name shall the nations rest their hopes."
In his name, the nations will hope.”
22 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.
Then one possessed by a demon, blind and mute, was brought to him; and he healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.
23 And the crowds of people were all filled with amazement and said, "Can this be the Son of David?"
All the multitudes were amazed, and said, “Can this be the son of David?”
24 The Pharisees heard it and said, "This man only expels demons by the power of Baal-zebul, the Prince of demons."
But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “This man does not cast out demons except by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.”
25 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.
Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.
26 And if Satan is expelling Satan, he has begun to make war on himself: how therefore shall his kingdom last?
If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
27 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.
If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.
28 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.
But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then God’s Kingdom has come upon you.
29 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.
Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man and plunder his goods, unless he first bind the strong man? Then he will plunder his house.
30 "The man who is not with me is against me, and he who is not gathering with me is scattering abroad.
“He who is not with me is against me, and he who doesn’t gather with me, scatters.
31 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.
Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.
32 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)
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, either in this age, or in that which is to come. (aiōn g165)
33 "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.
“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.
34 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.
You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
35 A good man from his good store produces good things, and a bad man from his bad store produces bad things.
The good man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil things.
36 But I tell you that for every careless word that men shall speak they will be held accountable on the day of Judgement.
I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgement.
37 For each of you by his words shall be justified, or by his words shall be condemned."
For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
38 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."
Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
39 "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.
But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet.
40 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.
For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the huge fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
41 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.
The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgement with this generation and will condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, someone greater than Jonah is here.
42 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.
The Queen of the South will rise up in the judgement with this generation and will condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, someone greater than Solomon is here.
43 "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.
“When an unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest, and doesn’t find it.
44 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.
Then he says, ‘I will return into my house from which I came;’ and when he has come back, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.
45 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."
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 man becomes worse than the first. Even so will it be also to this evil generation.”
46 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.
While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.
47 So some one told Him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and desire to speak to you."
One said to him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, seeking to speak to you.”
48 "Who is my mother?" He said to the man; "and who are my brothers?"
But he answered him who spoke to him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”
49 And pointing to His disciples He added, "See here are my mother and my brothers.
He stretched out his hand towards his disciples, and said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers!
50 To obey my Father who is in Heaven--that is to be my brother and my sister and my mother."
For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
