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.”
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Matthew 12
12
Plucking Grain on the Sabbath
1 At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. And his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck off heads of grain and eat them.#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation 2But when#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal the Pharisees saw it,#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation they said to him, “Behold, your disciples are doing what it is not permitted to do on the Sabbath!” 3So he said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those with him, 4how he entered into the house of God and ate the bread of the presentation, which it was not permitted for him or for those with him to eat, but only for the priests? 5Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple violate the sanctity of the Sabbath and are guiltless? 6But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here! 7And if you had known what it means,#Literally “it is” ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”
A Man with a Withered Hand Healed
9And going on from there he came into their synagogue. 10And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand, and they asked him, saying, “Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath?” in order that they could accuse him. 11But he said to them, “What man will there be among you who will have one sheep and if this one fell into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation out? 12Then to what degree is a man worth more than a sheep? So then, it is permitted to do good on the Sabbath.”
13Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand,” and he stretched it#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation out, and it was restored as healthy as the other one. 14But the Pharisees went out and plotted#Literally “taking counsel” against him in order that they could destroy him.
God’s Chosen Servant
15Now Jesus, when he#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“learned”) which is understood as temporal learned of it,#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation withdrew from there, and many#Some manuscripts have “many crowds” followed him, and he healed them all. 16And he warned them that they should not reveal his identity,#Literally “make him known” 17in order that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah would be fulfilled, who said,
18“Behold my servant whom I have chosen,
my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased.
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
19He will not quarrel or cry out,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
20A crushed reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not extinguish,
until he brings justice to victory.
21And in his name the Gentiles#Or “the nations”; the same Greek word (in the plural) can be translated as “nations,” “Gentiles,” or “pagans” will hope.#Verses 18–21 are a quotation from Isa 42:1–4
A House Divided Cannot Stand
22Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to him. And he healed him so that the man who was mute could speak and see. 23And all the crowds were amazed and began saying, “Perhaps this one is the Son of David!” 24But the Pharisees, when they#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal heard it,#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation said, “This man does not expel demons except by Beelzebul the ruler of demons!” 25But knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26And if Satan expels Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27And if I expel demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons expel them?#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation For this reason they will be your judges! 28But if I expel demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you! 29Or how can someone enter into the house of a strong man and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? And then he can thoroughly plunder his house. 30The one who is not with me is against me, and the one who does not gather with me scatters. 31For this reason I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven! 32And 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 the coming one!
Good Trees and Good Fruit or Bad Trees and Bad Fruit
33“Either make the tree good and its fruit is good, or make the tree bad and its fruit is bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 34Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say good things when you#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“are”) which is understood as temporal are evil? For from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35The good person from his#Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun good treasury brings out good things, and the evil person from his#Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun evil treasury brings out evil things. 36But I tell you that every worthless word that they speak, people will give an account for it on the day of judgment! 37For by your words you will be vindicated, and by your words you will be condemned.”
The Sign of Jonah
38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you!” 39But he answered and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation desires a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah! 40For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. 41The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and behold, something#*Here “something” is supplied in the translation because the adjective is neuter gender greater than Jonah is here! 42The queen of the south 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 behold, something#*Here “something” is supplied in the translation because the adjective is neuter gender greater than Solomon is here!
An Unclean Spirit Returns
43“Now whenever an unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it travels through waterless places searching for rest, and does not find it.#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation 44Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came out.’ And when it#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“arrives”) which is understood as temporal arrives it finds the house#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation unoccupied and swept and put in order. 45Then it goes and brings along with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“go in”) has been translated as a finite verb live there. And the last state of that person becomes worse than the first. So it will be for this evil generation also!”
Jesus’ Mother and Brothers
46And#Some manuscripts omit “And” while#*Here “while” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“speaking”) he was still speaking to the crowds, behold, his mother and brothers were standing there outside, desiring to speak to him. 47And someone told him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers are standing there outside desiring to speak to you.” 48But he answered and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb said to the one who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49And stretching out 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.”
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