Matthew 12
12
Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath Day
1One Sabbath day Jesus was walking through some grainfields. His disciples were hungry, so they began to break off heads of grain and eat them. 2The Pharisees saw this and told Jesus, “Look! Your disciples are doing something that’s against the Law to do on the Sabbath day!”
3Jesus answered, “Haven’t you read about what David did when he and his men were hungry? 4He went into the house of God, and he and his men ate the holy bread that only the priests were supposed to eat. 5Or haven’t you read in the Law how the priests in the temple do their regular work even on the Sabbath day, but they aren’t considered guilty? 6I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7Scripture says, ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.’ If you knew what those words meant, you wouldn’t have accused people who were innocent. 8The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath day.”
9Jesus went on from that place and entered a synagogue. 10A man with a weak and twisted hand was there. The Pharisees wanted to accuse Jesus of doing something wrong, so they asked him, “Does the Law permit healing on the Sabbath day?”
11He answered them, “What if one of your sheep fell into a pit on the Sabbath day? Wouldn’t you grab hold of it and lift it out? 12A person is worth far more than a sheep! So the Law allows us to do good on the Sabbath day.”
13Then Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it became as good as new, just as strong as the other hand. 14But the Pharisees went out and started making plans to kill Jesus.
God’s Chosen Servant
15Jesus knew what the Pharisees were planning, so he left that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed everyone who was sick. 16But he warned them not to tell other people about him. 17This was to make what the prophet Isaiah had said come true:
18“Here is my servant, the one I have chosen.
He’s the one I love, and I’m very pleased with him.
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he’ll announce to the nations that everything is going to be made right.
19He won’t argue or cry out;
no one will hear his voice in the streets.
20He won’t break a bent twig,
and he won’t snuff out a smoldering wick.
He’ll make right win over wrong,
21and the nations will put their hope in him.”
Jesus and the Prince of Demons
22Then they brought Jesus a man who was controlled by demons that kept him from speaking or seeing. Jesus healed the man so that he could speak and see. 23All the people were amazed and asked, “Could this be the Son of David?”
24But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man drives out demons by the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons.”
25Jesus knew what they were thinking, and he said to them, “Every kingdom that fights against itself will be destroyed. Every city or family that is divided against itself will not last. 26If Satan drives out Satan, he’s fighting against himself, so how can his kingdom last? 27You say I drive out demons by the power of Beelzebul. Then by whose power do your own people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is right here with you.
29“Or think about this. You can’t just walk into a strong man’s house and take what he owns. You have to tie him up first, and then you can rob his house.
30“Anyone who isn’t with me is against me, and anyone who doesn’t gather with me scatters. 31And so I tell you, every kind of sin and insult can be forgiven, but saying that the Holy Spirit is evil will not be forgiven. 32Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the one to come.
33“If you make a tree good, its fruit will be good. If you make a tree bad, its fruit will be bad. You can tell a tree by its fruit. 34You nest of vipers! How can you who are bad say anything good? Whatever is in your heart comes out of your mouth. 35Good people say good things out of the good that’s stored up inside them, but bad people say bad things out of what’s stored up inside them. 36I tell you that everyone will have to account on judgment day for every word they’ve spoken that hasn’t done any good. 37You’ll be found guilty or not guilty based on your words.”
The Sign of Jonah
38Some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
39He answered, “It’s a rebellious and unfaithful generation that asks for a sign! But it won’t be given any except for the sign of the prophet Jonah. Just as 40Jonah was in the belly of a huge fish for three days and three nights, the Son of Man will spend three days and three nights in the grave. 41The people of Nineveh will stand up on judgment day with this generation and show that it’s guilty. They turned away from their sins when Jonah preached to them, and now something greater than Jonah is here. 42The Queen of the South will stand up on judgment day with this generation and show that it’s guilty. She came from far away to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.
43“When an evil spirit comes out of a person, it goes through the deserts looking for a place to rest, but it doesn’t find any. 44Then it says, ‘I’ll return to the house I just left.’ When it gets back, it finds the house swept clean and put in order, with no one living in it. 45Then the evil spirit goes and gets seven other spirits that are even worse than it is, and they all go live there. Then the person is worse off than they were before. That’s how it will be with this rebellious generation.”
Jesus’ Mother and Brothers
46While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers came and stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside and they want to speak to you.”
48Jesus replied to him, “Who is my mother? And who are my brothers?” 49Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here is my mother! Here are my brothers! 50Anyone who does what my heavenly Father wants is my brother and sister and mother.”
Currently Selected:
Matthew 12: RAD
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Radiate™ New Testament
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014, 2020 by Biblica, Inc.
Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Matthew 12
12
Sabbath Questions
1 # 12:1 Or On that occasion At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. 2Now when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath!” 3But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions— 4how he entered the house of God, and they ate the #12:4 Lit loaves of presentationconsecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone? 5Or have you not read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple #12:5 Or profaneviolate the Sabbath, and yet are innocent? 6But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here. 7But if you had known what this #12:7 Lit ismeans: ‘I desire #12:7 Or mercycompassion, #12:7 Lit and notrather than sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned #12:7 Plural in the Grthe innocent.
Lord of the Sabbath
8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
9Departing from there, He went into their synagogue. 10And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned #12:10 Lit HimJesus, asking, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might bring charges against Him. 11But He said to them, “What man #12:11 Lit will be from youis there among you who #12:11 Lit will havehas a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? 12How much more valuable then is a person than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do #12:12 Lit wellgood on the Sabbath.” 13Then He *said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!” He stretched it out, and it was restored to #12:13 Lit healthnormal, like the other. 14But the Pharisees went out and #12:14 Lit took counselconspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.
15But Jesus, #12:15 Lit knowingaware of this, withdrew from there. Many followed Him, and He healed them all, 16and warned them not to #12:16 Lit make Him knowntell who He was. 17This happened so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled:
18“Behold, My #12:18 Lit ChildServant whom I #12:18 Lit chosehave chosen;
My Beloved in whom My soul #12:18 Or took pleasuredelights;
I will put My Spirit upon Him,
And He will proclaim #12:18 Or judgmentjustice to the #12:18 Or nationsGentiles.
19“He will not quarrel, nor cry out;
Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.
20“A bent reed He will not break off,
And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish,
Until He #12:20 Or brings forthleads #12:20 Or judgmentjustice to victory.
21“And in His name the #12:21 Or nationsGentiles will hope.”
The Pharisees Rebuked
22Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to speak was brought to #12:22 Lit HimJesus, and He healed him so that the man who was unable to speak talked and #12:22 Lit sawcould see. 23And all the crowds were amazed and were saying, “This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?” 24But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man casts out demons only by #12:24 Or Beezebul; meaning uncertain, perhaps lord prince, referring to SatanBeelzebul the ruler of the demons.”
25And knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26And if Satan is casting out Satan, he #12:26 Lit washas become divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? 27And if by #12:27 See note v 24Beelzebul I cast out the demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore, they will be your judges. 28But if I cast out the demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29Or, how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.
The Unpardonable Sin
30 The one who is not with Me is against Me; and the one who does not gather with Me scatters.
31 “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. 32And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.
Words Reveal Character
33 “Either # 12:33 Lit make assume the tree to be good as well as its fruit good, or # 12:33 Lit make assume the tree to be bad as well as its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. 34You #12:34 Or broodoffspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, express any good things? For the mouth speaks from that which fills the heart. 35The good person brings out of his good treasure good things; and the evil person brings out of his evil treasure evil things. 36But I tell you that for every #12:36 Or uselesscareless word that people #12:36 Lit will speakspeak, they will give an account of it on the day of judgment. 37For #12:37 Or in accordance withby your words you will be justified, and #12:37 Or in accordance withby your words you will be condemned.”
The Desire for Signs
38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a #12:38 I.e., confirming miraclesign from You.” 39But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves a #12:39 I.e., confirming miraclesign; and so no #12:39 I.e., confirming miraclesign will be given to it except the #12:39 I.e., confirming miraclesign of Jonah the prophet; 40for just as Jonah was in the stomach of the sea monster for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. 41The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. 42The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
43 “Now when the unclean spirit comes out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. 44Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. 45Then it goes and brings along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they come in and live there; and the last condition of that person becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation.”
Changed Relationships
46While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him. 47[#12:47 This verse is not found in early mssSomeone said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak to You.”] 48But #12:48 Lit HeJesus replied to the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?” 49And extending His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold: My mother and My brothers! 50For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother, and sister, and mother.”
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE® NASB®
Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977,1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation
A Corporation Not for Profit
La Habra, CA
All Rights Reserved
www.lockman.org