Matthew 12
12
Working on the Sabbath
1At that time Jesus went through the wheat fields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry so they were picking heads of wheat and eating them. 2When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are breaking the Sabbath law.”
3But he said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and those with him were hungry? 4He went into God’s house and broke the law by eating the bread of the presence, which only the priests were allowed to eat. 5Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple treat the Sabbath as any other day and are still innocent? 6But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7If you had known what this means, I want mercy and not sacrifice,#12.7 Hos 6:6 you wouldn’t have condemned the innocent. 8The Human One#12.8 Or Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
Healing on the Sabbath
9Jesus left that place and went into their synagogue. 10A man with a withered hand was there. Wanting to bring charges against Jesus, they asked, “Does the Law allow a person to heal on the Sabbath?”
11Jesus replied, “Who among you has a sheep that falls into a pit on the Sabbath and will not take hold of it and pull it out? 12How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! So the Law allows a person to do what is good on the Sabbath.” 13Then Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he did and it was made healthy, just like the other one. 14The Pharisees went out and met in order to find a way to destroy Jesus.
Healing the crowd
15Jesus knew what they intended to do, so he went away from there. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them all. 16But he ordered them not to spread the word about him, 17so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled:
18 Look, my Servant whom I chose,
the one I love, in whom I find great pleasure.
I’ll put my Spirit upon him,
and he’ll announce judgment to the Gentiles.
19 He won’t argue or shout,
and nobody will hear his voice in the streets.
20 He won’t break a bent stalk,
and he won’t snuff out a smoldering wick,
until he makes justice win.
21 And the Gentiles will put their hope in his name. # 12.21 Isa 42:1-4
22They brought to Jesus a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to speak. Jesus healed him so that he could both speak and see. 23All the crowds were amazed and said, “This man couldn’t be the Son of David, could he?”
24When the Pharisees heard, they said, “This man throws out demons only by the authority of Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.”
25Because Jesus knew what they were thinking, he replied, “Every kingdom involved in civil war becomes a wasteland. Every city or house torn apart by divisions will collapse. 26If Satan throws out Satan, he is at war with himself. How then can his kingdom endure? 27And if I throw out demons by the authority of Beelzebul, then by whose authority do your followers throw them out? Therefore, they will be your judges. 28But if I throw out demons by the power of God’s Spirit, then God’s kingdom has already overtaken you. 29Can people go into a house that belongs to a strong man and steal his possessions, unless they first tie up the strong man? Then they can rob his house. 30Whoever isn’t with me is against me, and whoever doesn’t gather with me scatters.
Insulting the Holy Spirit
31 “Therefore, I tell you that people will be forgiven for every sin and insult to God. But insulting the Holy Spirit won’t be forgiven. 32And whoever speaks a word against the Human One#12.32 Or Son of Man will be forgiven. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit won’t be forgiven, not in this age or in the age that is coming.
Trees and fruits
33“Either consider the tree good and its fruit good, or consider the tree rotten and its fruit rotten. A tree is known by its fruit. 34Children of snakes! How can you speak good things while you are evil? What fills the heart comes out of the mouth. 35Good people bring out good things from their good treasure. But evil people bring out evil things from their evil treasure. 36I tell you that people will have to answer on Judgment Day for every useless word they speak. 37By your words you will be either judged innocent or condemned as guilty.”
Request for a sign
38At that time some of the legal experts and the Pharisees requested of Jesus, “Teacher, we would like to see a sign from you.”
39But he replied, “An evil and unfaithful generation searches for a sign, but it won’t receive any sign except Jonah’s sign. 40Just as Jonah was in the whale’s belly for three days and three nights,#12.40 Jonah 1:17 so the Human One#12.40 Or Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. 41The citizens of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it as guilty, because they changed their hearts and lives in response to Jonah’s preaching. And look, someone greater than Jonah is here. 42The queen of the South will be raised up by God at the judgment with this generation and condemn it because she came from a distant land to hear Solomon’s wisdom. And look, someone greater than Solomon is here.
Unclean spirit seeking a home
43“When an unclean spirit leaves a person, it wanders through dry places looking for a place to rest. But it doesn’t find any. 44Then it says, ‘I’ll go back to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the place vacant, cleaned up, and decorated. 45Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself. They go in and make their home there. That person is worse off at the end than at the beginning. This is the way it will be also for this evil generation.”
Jesus’ family
46While Jesus was speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers stood outside trying to speak with him. 47Someone said to him, “Look, your mother and brothers are outside wanting to speak with you.”
48Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 49He stretched out his hand toward his disciples and said, “Look, here are my mother and my brothers. 50Whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven is my brother, sister, and mother.”
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Matthew 12: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
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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