Matthew 12

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

1 At that time Jesus was walking through some fields of grain on a Sabbath day. His followers were hungry, so they began to pick the grain and eat it.

2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Jesus, “Look! Your followers are doing what is unlawful to do on the Sabbath day.”
3 Jesus answered, “Have you not read what David did when he and the people with him were hungry? 4 He went into God’s house, and he and those with him ate the holy bread, which was lawful only for priests to eat. 5 And have you not read in the law of Moses that on every Sabbath day the priests in the Temple break this law about the Sabbath day? But the priests are not wrong for doing that. 6 I tell you that there is something here that is greater than the Temple. 7 The Scripture says, ‘I want kindness more than I want animal sacrifices.’ 

8 “So the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath day.”

Jesus Heals a Man’s Hand

9 Jesus left there and went into their synagogue,10 where there was a man with a crippled hand. They were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they asked him, “Is it right to heal on the Sabbath day?” 11 Jesus answered, “If any of you has a sheep, and it falls into a ditch on the Sabbath day, you will help it out of the ditch.

12 Surely a human being is more important than a sheep. So it is lawful to do good things on the Sabbath day.”
13 Then Jesus said to the man with the crippled hand, “Hold out your hand.” The man held out his hand, and it became well again, like the other hand.

14 But the Pharisees left and made plans to kill Jesus.

Jesus Is God’s Chosen Servant

15 Jesus knew what the Pharisees were doing, so he left that place. Many people followed him, and he healed all who were sick.16 But Jesus warned the people not to tell who he was.

17 He did these things to bring about what Isaiah the prophet had said:

18 “Here is my servant whom I have chosen. I love him, and I am pleased with him.
I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will tell of my justice to all people.

19 He will not argue or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets.

20 He will not break a crushed blade of grass or put out even a weak flame
until he makes justice win the victory.

21 In him will the non-Jewish people find hope.” t

Jesus’ Power Is from God

22 Then some people brought to Jesus a man who was blind and could not talk, because he had a demon. Jesus healed the man so that he could talk and see.

23 All the people were amazed and said, “Perhaps this man is the Son of David!”

24 When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “Jesus uses the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons, to force demons out of people.”
25 Jesus knew what the Pharisees were thinking, so he said to them, “Every kingdom that is divided against itself will be destroyed. And any city or family that is divided against itself will not continue. 26 And if Satan forces out himself, then Satan is divided against himself, and his kingdom will not continue. 27 You say that I use the power of Beelzebul to force out demons. If that is true, then what power do your people use to force out demons? So they will be your judges.

28 But if I use the power of God’s Spirit to force out demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you.

29 “If anyone wants to enter a strong person’s house and steal his things, he must first tie up the strong person. Then he can steal the things from the house.
30 “Whoever is not with me is against me. Whoever does not work with me is working against me. 31 So I tell you, people can be forgiven for every sin and everything they say against God. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

32 Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, now or in the future.

People Know You by Your Words

33 “If you want good fruit, you must make the tree good. If your tree is not good, it will have bad fruit. A tree is known by the kind of fruit it produces. 34 You snakes! You are evil people, so how can you say anything good? The mouth speaks the things that are in the heart. 35 Good people have good things in their hearts, and so they say good things. But evil people have evil in their hearts, so they say evil things. 36 And I tell you that on the Judgment Day people will be responsible for every careless thing they have said.

37 The words you have said will be used to judge you. Some of your words will prove you right, but some of your words will prove you guilty.”

The People Ask for a Miracle

38 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law answered Jesus, saying, “Teacher, we want to see you work a miracle as a sign.”
39 Jesus answered, “Evil and sinful people are the ones who want to see a miracle for a sign. But no sign will be given to them, except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 Jonah was in the stomach of the big fish for three days and three nights. In the same way, the Son of Man will be in the grave three days and three nights. 41 On the Judgment Day the people from Nineveh 42 On the Judgment Day, the Queen of the South 

People Today Are Full of Evil

43 “When an evil spirit comes out of a person, it travels through dry places, looking for a place to rest, but it doesn’t find it. 44 So the spirit says, ‘I will go back to the house I left.’ When the spirit comes back, it finds the house still empty, swept clean, and made neat.

45 Then the evil spirit goes out and brings seven other spirits even more evil than it is, and they go in and live there. So the person has even more trouble than before. It is the same way with the evil people who live today.”

Jesus’ True Family

46 While Jesus was talking to the people, his mother and brothers stood outside, trying to find a way to talk to him.47 Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, and they want to talk to you.” 48 He answered, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”49 Then he pointed to his followers and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 50 My true brother and sister and mother are those who do what my Father in heaven wants.”

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.