Matthew 12

1 At that season Jesus went on the sabbath day through the grainfields; and his disciples were hungry and began to pluck ears and to eat.2 But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which it is not lawful to do upon the sabbath.3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was hungry, and they that were with him;4 how he entered into the house of God, and ate the showbread, which it was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them that were with him, but only for the priests?5 Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are guiltless?6 But I say unto you, that one greater than the temple is here.7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.8 For the Son of man is lord of the sabbath.

9 And he departed thence, and went into their synagogue:10 and behold, a man having a withered hand. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? that they might accuse him.11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be of you, that shall have one sheep, and if this fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?12 How much then is a man of more value than a sheep! Wherefore it is lawful to do good on the sabbath day.13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, as the other.14 But the Pharisees went out, and took counsel against him, how they might destroy him.

15 And Jesus perceiving it withdrew from thence: and many followed him; and he healed them all,16 and charged them that they should not make him known:17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,

18 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 shall declare judgment to the Gentiles.

19 He shall not strive, nor cry aloud; Neither shall any one hear his voice in the streets.

20 A bruised reed shall he not break, And smoking flax shall he not quench, Till he send forth judgment unto victory.

21 And in his name shall the Gentiles hope.

22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a demon, blind and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the dumb man spake and saw.23 And all the multitudes were amazed, and said, Can this be the son of David?24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This man doth not cast out demons, but by Beelzebub the prince of the demons.25 And knowing their thoughts he said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:26 and if Satan casteth out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.28 But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then is the kingdom of God come upon you.29 Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.30 He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.31 Therefore I say unto you, Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.32 And whosoever shall speak 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 world, nor in that which is to come.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.34 Ye offspring of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.35 The good man out of his good treasure bringeth forth good things: and the evil man out of his evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.36 And I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

38 Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, Teacher, we would see a sign from thee.39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given it but the sign of Jonah the prophet:40 for as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.41 The men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here.42 The 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, a greater than Solomon is here.43 But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of the man, passeth through waterless places, seeking rest, and findeth it not.44 Then he saith, I will return into my house whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this evil generation.

46 While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, seeking to speak to him.47 And one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, seeking to speak to thee.48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?49 And he stretched forth his hand towards his disciples, and said, Behold, my mother and my brethren!50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.

Matthew 12

Lord of the Sabbath

1 At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on a Sabbath. Hist disciples were hungry, and they began to pick heads of wheatt and eat them.2 But when the Phariseess saw this they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is against the law to do on the Sabbath.”3 Het said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry –4 how he entered the house of God and they ates the sacred bread,ts which was against the laws for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests?s5 Or have you not read in the law that the priests in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are not guilty?6 It tell you that something greater than the temple is here.7 Ift you had known what this means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice,’s you would not have condemned the innocent.

8 For the Son of Man is lordts of the Sabbath.”
9 Thent Jesust left that place and entered their synagogue.s10 At man was there who had a withereds hand. And they asked Jesus,t “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”s so that they could accuse him.11 He said to them, “Would not any one of you, if he had one sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, take hold of it and lift it out?12 How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and it was restored,s as healthy as the other.

14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted against him, as to how they could assassinatet him.

God’s Special Servant

15 Now when Jesus learned of this, he went away from there. Greatt crowdss followed him, and he healed them all.16 But he sternly warned them not to make him known.

17 This fulfilled what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet:t

18 “Here istmy servant whom I have chosen,
the one I love, in whom I take great delight.t
I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.

19 He will not quarrel or cry out,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.

20 He will not break a bruised reed or extinguish a smoldering wick,
until he brings justice to victory.

21 And in his name the Gentilestwill hope.”s

Jesus and Beelzebul

22 Then they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. Jesust healed him so that he could speak and see.t23 All the crowds were amazed and said, “Could this one be the Son of David?”24 But when the Phariseess heard this they said, “He does not cast out demons except by the power of Beelzebul,ts the rulert of demons!”25 Now when Jesuss realized what they were thinking, he said to them,s “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed,t and no town or house divided against itself will stand.26 So ift Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sonss cast themt out? For this reason they will be your judges.28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of Gods has already overtakent you.29 Howt else can someone enter a strong man’ss house and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can thoroughly plunder the house.s30 Whoever is not with me is against me,s and whoever does not gather with me scatters.s31 For this reason I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy,t but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven.t But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven,ts either in this age or in the age to come.

Trees and Their Fruit

33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree badt and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit.34 Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say anything good, since you are evil? For the mouth speaks from what fills the heart.35 The good persont brings good things out of hist good treasury,s and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury.36 It tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak.

37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

The Sign of Jonah

38 Then some of the experts in the lawt along with some Phariseests answered him,t “Teacher, we want to see a signs from you.”39 But he answered them,t “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 just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fishtfor three days and three nights,s so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.41 The peoplet of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to themt – and now,t something greater than Jonah is here!

42 The queen of the Souths will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon – and now,t something greater than Solomon is here!

The Return of the Unclean Spirit

43 “Whent an unclean spirits goes out of a person,t it passes through waterless placess looking for rest butt does not find it.44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’t When it returns,t it finds the houset empty, swept clean, and put in order.s

45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, sot the last state of that person is worse than the first. It will be that way for this evil generation as well!”

Jesus’ True Family

46 While Jesust was still speaking to the crowds,t his mother and brotherss came andt stood outside, askingt to speak to him.47 s Someonet told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside wantingt to speak to you.”48 To the one who had said this, Jesust replied,t “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?”49 And pointingt toward his disciples he said, “Heret are my mother and my brothers!

50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven ist my brother and sister and mother.”