Mattityahu 12
12
1At that time Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach went on Shabbos through the grainfields. And his talmidim were hungry and began to pick the heads of wheat and to eat them.
2But the Perushim, seeing this, said to Moshiach: Hinei! Your talmidim are doing what is asur on Shabbos!
3But Moshiach said to them, Have you not read what Dovid HaMelech did when he and those with him were hungry,
4how he entered into the Beis Hashem and ate the Lechem HaPanim (the Bread of the Presence), which was not mutar (permissible) for him to eat nor the ones with him, but only the kohanim?
5Or have you not read in the Torah that on Shabbos the kohanim are mechallel Shabbos in the Beis Hamikdash and yet are blameless?#12:5 Num 28:9-10
6But I say to you that something greater than the Beis Hamikdash is here.
7But if you'd had daas what this means, CHESED CHAFATZTI VLO ZEVACH#12:7 Hos 6:6 (I desire mercy and not sacrifice), you would not have condemned the innocent.
8For the Bar Enosh (Moshiach) is Adon HaShabbos.
9And having gone from there, he went into their shul.
10And hinei! There was a man with a withered hand. And they questioned Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, asking, Is it mutar (permissible) to bring refuah (healing) on Shabbos? They did this in order to bring accusation against him.
11But Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, What man will there be among you, who owns a keves (lamb), and if it falls into a pit on Shabbos, will not take hold of it and lift it out?
12Therefore, how much more valuable is a man than a keves. For this reason, it is mutar (permissible) on Shabbos to do HaTov.
13Then Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach says to the man, Stretch out your hand. And the man stretched out his hand. And it was restored to health, as sound as the other hand.
14But the Perushim went out and took counsel against Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach so that they might destroy him.
15But Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, having da'as of this, departed from there. And many multitudes followed Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, and he brought refuah to them all.
16And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach warned them that they should not make him manifest.
17This was to fulfill what was spoken through Yeshayah HaNavi, saying,
18HEN AVDI ETMACH BO, BECHIRI RATZTAH NAFSHI, NATATI RUCHI ALAV, MISHPAT LAGOYIM YOTZI, (Here is my Servant, whom I uphold, my Chosen One in whom my Soul delights, I will put my Spirit on him, he will bring Justice to the Nations),
19LO YITZAK VLO YISSAH VLO YASHMIA BACHUTZ KOLO (He will not shout nor cry out nor raise the sound of his voice in the street.)
20KANEH RATZUTZ LO YISHBOR UFISHTAH CHEHAH LO YECHABENAH LE-EMET YOTZI MISHPAT (A bruised reed he will not break nor a smoldering wick will he snuff out) until Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach leads mishpat (justice) to victory.
21And in his Name, HAGOYIM will put their tikvah (hope).#12:18-21 Isa 42:1-4; Isa 11:10 TARGUM HA-SHIVIM
22Then a man, blind and mute, who was possessed by shedim, was brought to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, and he brought refuah to him, so that the mute man was able to speak and to see.
23And all the multitudes were amazed and they were saying, Surely this is not the Ben Dovid,#12:23 Moshiach is he?
24But, having heard this, the Perushim said, This one does not cast out shedim except by Baal-zibbul, the Sar HaShedim (the Prince of Demons).
25But having daas of their thoughts, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, Every malchut that is divided against itself is made desolate, and every ir (city) and bais (house) that is divided against itself will not stand.
26And if HaSatan casts out HaSatan, he is divided against himself. How, therefore, will the Malchut HaSatan stand?
27And if by Baal-zibbul I cast out the shedim, by whom do your banim (sons) cast them out? Therefore, they will be your shofetim (judges).
28But if by the Ruach Hakodesh I#12:28 Moshiach cast out the shedim, then upon you the Malchut Hashem has arrived.
29Or how is someone able to enter the Bayit HaGibbor and confiscate his furnishings unless he binds the Gibbor first. Then he will plunder the Bayit HaGibbor.
30The one not with me#12:30 Moshiach is against me.#12:30 anti-Moshiach And the one not gathering with me scatters.
31Therefore, I say to you, every chet (sin) and gidduf (blasphemy) will be forgiven men, but whoever commits Chillul Hashem against the Ruach Hakodesh will not be forgiven.
32And whoever speaks a word against the Bar Enosh#12:32 Moshiach will be granted selicha (forgiveness), but whoever speaks against the Ruach Hakodesh, selicha will not be granted him either in the Olam Hazeh or in the Olam Habah.
33Either make the etz (tree) tov (good) and its pri (fruit) will be tov, or make the etz nishchat (corrupt) and its pri will be rah; for by its pri the etz is known.
34You banim of nechashim (sons of snakes), how are you able to speak tovot (good things), for out of the abundance of the lev (heart) the mouth speaks.
35The ish tov (good man) out of the good otzar (treasure) brings forth good; and the ish rah out of the evil otzar brings forth evil.
36But I say to you, that for every careless lashon horah (evil speech) that men speak, they will be called to account on the Yom HaDin (the Day of Judgment).
37For by your devarim you will be pronounced tzodek (righteous), and by your devarim you will be charged with guilt.
38Then some of the Sofrim and Perushim answered Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, saying, Rabbi, we desire to see an ot (miraculous sign) from you.
39But Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach answered them, Dor rah umnaef (an evil and adulterous generation) seeks for an ot (miraculous sign), but no ot will be given it except the ot of Yonah HaNavi.
40For just as Yonah was in the belly of the great fish SHLOSHAH YAMIM USHLOSHAH LAILAH#12:40 Jon 1:17 (three days and three nights), so will be the Bar Enosh (Moshiach) in the heart of the earth SHLOSHAH YAMIM USHLOSHAH LAILOT (three days and three nights).
41The men of Nineveh will stand up at the Yom HaDin with this generation and they will condemn it, for the men of Nineveh made teshuva at the darshenen (preaching) of Yonah, and, hinei, something much greater than Yonah is here.
42The Queen of the South will be made to stand up alive at the Yom HaDin with this generation and will condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the chochmah of Sh'lomo and, hinei, something much greater than Sh'lomo is here.
43Now when the ruach hatameh (unclean spirit) goes out from the man, it goes through dry places seeking a manoach (resting place) and it does not find one.
44Then it says, Into my haunt I will return from where I came out. And having come out, it finds the bais standing empty, having been swept and having been put beseder (in order).
45Then it goes and takes along with itself seven other ruchot more evil than itself and, having entered the residence, it sets up house there, and the last state of that man has become worse than the first. Thus it will be with this evil generation also.
46While he was still speaking to the multitudes, hinei, Moshiachʼs Em and achim stood outside, seeking to speak with him.
47And someone said to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, Hinei! Your Em and your achim have stood outside seeking to speak with you.
48And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said in reply to the one speaking with him, Who is my Em and who are my achim?
49And stretching out his hand upon his talmidim, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, Hinei, my Em and my achim.
50For whoever does the ratzon (will) of Avi shbaShomayim,#12:50 see Mt 6:10; 26:39 he is my ach (brother) and achot (sister) and Em (Mother).
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Mattityahu 12: TOJB2011
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THE ORTHODOX JEWISH BIBLE
FOURTH EDITION © Artists For Israel Intl Inc., 2002-2011, 2021.
Matthew 12
12
In Charge of the Sabbath
1-2One Sabbath, Jesus was strolling with his disciples through a field of ripe grain. Hungry, the disciples were pulling off the heads of grain and munching on them. Some Pharisees reported them to Jesus: “Your disciples are breaking the Sabbath rules!”
3-5Jesus said, “Really? Didn’t you ever read what David and his companions did when they were hungry, how they entered the sanctuary and ate fresh bread off the altar, bread that no one but priests were allowed to eat? And didn’t you ever read in God’s Law that priests carrying out their Temple duties break Sabbath rules all the time and it’s not held against them?
6-8“There is far more at stake here than religion. If you had any idea what this Scripture meant—‘I prefer a flexible heart to an inflexible ritual’—you wouldn’t be nitpicking like this. The Son of Man is no yes-man to the Sabbath; he’s in charge.”
9-10When Jesus left the field, he entered their meeting place. There was a man there with a crippled hand. They said to Jesus, “Is it legal to heal on the Sabbath?” They were baiting him.
11-14He replied, “Is there a person here who, finding one of your lambs fallen into a ravine, wouldn’t, even though it was a Sabbath, pull it out? Surely kindness to people is as legal as kindness to animals!” Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” He held it out and it was healed. The Pharisees walked out furious, sputtering about how they were going to ruin Jesus.
In Charge of Everything
15-21Jesus, knowing they were out to get him, moved on. A lot of people followed him, and he healed them all. He also cautioned them to keep it quiet, following guidelines set down by Isaiah:
Look well at my handpicked servant;
I love him so much, take such delight in him.
I’ve placed my Spirit on him;
he’ll decree justice to the nations.
But he won’t yell, won’t raise his voice;
there’ll be no commotion in the streets.
He won’t walk over anyone’s feelings,
won’t push you into a corner.
Before you know it, his justice will triumph;
the mere sound of his name will signal hope, even
among far-off unbelievers.
No Neutral Ground
22-23Next a poor demon-afflicted wretch, both blind and deaf, was set down before him. Jesus healed him, gave him his sight and hearing. The people who saw it were impressed—“This has to be the Son of David!”
24But the Pharisees, when they heard the report, were cynical. “Black magic,” they said. “Some devil trick he’s pulled from his sleeve.”
25-27Jesus confronted their slander. “A judge who gives opposite verdicts on the same person cancels himself out; a family that’s in a constant squabble disintegrates; if Satan banishes Satan, is there any Satan left? If you’re slinging devil mud at me, calling me a devil kicking out devils, doesn’t the same mud stick to your own exorcists?
28-29“But if it’s by God’s power that I am sending the evil spirits packing, then God’s kingdom is here for sure. How in the world do you think it’s possible in broad daylight to enter the house of an awake, able-bodied man and walk off with his possessions unless you tie him up first? Tie him up, though, and you can clean him out.
30“This is war, and there is no neutral ground. If you’re not on my side, you’re the enemy; if you’re not helping, you’re making things worse.
31-32“There’s nothing done or said that can’t be forgiven. But if you deliberately persist in your slanders against God’s Spirit, you are repudiating the very One who forgives. If you reject the Son of Man out of some misunderstanding, the Holy Spirit can forgive you, but when you reject the Holy Spirit, you’re sawing off the branch on which you’re sitting, severing by your own perversity all connection with the One who forgives.
33“If you grow a healthy tree, you’ll pick healthy fruit. If you grow a diseased tree, you’ll pick worm-eaten fruit. The fruit tells you about the tree.
34-37“You have minds like a snake pit! How do you suppose what you say is worth anything when you are so foul-minded? It’s your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words. A good person produces good deeds and words season after season. An evil person is a blight on the orchard. Let me tell you something: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation.”
Jonah-Evidence
38Later a few religion scholars and Pharisees cornered him. “Teacher, we want to see your credentials. Give us some hard evidence that God is in this. How about a miracle?”
39-40Jesus said, “You’re looking for proof, but you’re looking for the wrong kind. All you want is something to titillate your curiosity, satisfy your lust for miracles. The only proof you’re going to get is what looks like the absence of proof: Jonah-evidence. Like Jonah, three days and nights in the fish’s belly, the Son of Man will be gone three days and nights in a deep grave.
41-42“On Judgment Day, the Ninevites will stand up and give evidence that will condemn this generation, because when Jonah preached to them they changed their lives. A far greater preacher than Jonah is here, and you squabble about ‘proofs.’ On Judgment Day, the Queen of Sheba will come forward and bring evidence that will condemn this generation, because she traveled from a far corner of the earth to listen to wise Solomon. Wisdom far greater than Solomon’s is right in front of you, and you quibble over ‘evidence.’
43-45“When a defiling evil spirit is expelled from someone, it drifts along through the desert looking for an oasis, some unsuspecting soul it can bedevil. When it doesn’t find anyone, it says, ‘I’ll go back to my old haunt.’ On return it finds the person spotlessly clean, but vacant. It then runs out and rounds up seven other spirits more evil than itself and they all move in, whooping it up. That person ends up far worse off than if he’d never gotten cleaned up in the first place.
“That’s what this generation is like: You may think you have cleaned out the junk from your lives and gotten ready for God, but you weren’t hospitable to my kingdom message, and now all the devils are moving back in.”
Obedience Is Thicker than Blood
46-47While he was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers showed up. They were outside trying to get a message to him. Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and brothers are out here, wanting to speak with you.”
48-50Jesus didn’t respond directly, but said, “Who do you think my mother and brothers are?” He then stretched out his hand toward his disciples. “Look closely. These are my mother and brothers. Obedience is thicker than blood. The person who obeys my heavenly Father’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.