Matthew 12
12
A Question about the Sabbath
(Mark 2.23-28; Luke 6.1-5)
1 #
Dt 23.25. One Sabbath, Jesus and his disciples were walking through some wheat fields.#12.1 walking through some wheat fields: It was the custom to let hungry travelers pick grains of wheat. His disciples were hungry and began picking and eating grains of wheat. 2Some Pharisees noticed this and said to Jesus, “Why are your disciples picking grain on the Sabbath? They are not supposed to do this!”
3 #
1 S 21.1-6. Jesus answered:
You surely must have read what David did when he and his followers were hungry. 4#Lv 24.9. He went into the house of God, and then they ate the sacred loaves of bread that only priests are supposed to eat. 5#Nu 28.9,10. Haven't you read in the Law of Moses that the priests are allowed to work in the temple on the Sabbath? But no one says they are guilty of breaking the law of the Sabbath. 6I tell you there is something here greater than the temple. 7#Mt 9.13; Ho 6.6. Don't you know what the Scriptures mean when they say, “Instead of offering sacrifices to me, I want you to be merciful to others?” If you knew what this means, you would not condemn these innocent disciples of mine. 8So the Son of Man is Lord over the Sabbath.
A Man with a Paralyzed Hand
(Mark 3.1-6; Luke 6.6-11)
9Jesus left and went into one of their synagogues, 10where there was a man whose hand was paralyzed. Some Pharisees wanted to accuse Jesus of doing something wrong, so they asked him, “Is it right to heal someone on the Sabbath?”
11 #
Lk 14.5. Jesus answered, “If one of your sheep fell into a ditch on the Sabbath, wouldn't you lift it out? 12People are worth much more than sheep, and so it is right to do good on the Sabbath.” 13Then Jesus told the man, “Hold out your hand.” The man did, and it became as healthy as the other one.
14The Pharisees left and started making plans to kill Jesus.
God's Chosen Servant
15When Jesus found out what was happening, he left there and large crowds followed him. He healed all of their sick, 16but warned them not to tell anyone about him. 17So God's promise came true, just as Isaiah the prophet had said,
18 # Is 42.1-4 (LXX). “Here is my chosen servant!
I love him,
and he pleases me.
I will give him my Spirit,
and he will bring justice
to the nations.
19He won't shout or yell
or call out in the streets.
20He won't break off a bent reed
or put out a dying flame,
but he will make sure
that justice is done.
21All nations will place
their hope in him.”
Jesus and the Ruler of the Demons
(Mark 3.20-30; Luke 11.14-23; 12.10)
22Some people brought to Jesus a man who was blind and could not talk because he had a demon in him. Jesus healed the man, and then he was able to talk and see. 23The crowds were so amazed they asked, “Could Jesus be the Son of David?”#12.23 Could Jesus be the Son of David: Or “Does Jesus think he is the Son of David?” See the note at 9.27.
24 #
Mt 9.34; 10.25. When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “He forces out demons by the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons!”
25Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he said to them:
Any kingdom where people fight each other will end up ruined. And a town or family that fights will soon destroy itself. 26So if Satan fights against himself, how can his kingdom last? 27If I use the power of Beelzebul to force out demons, whose power do your own followers use to force them out? Your followers are the ones who will judge you. 28But when I force out demons by the power of God's Spirit, it proves that God's kingdom has already come to you. 29#Tb 8.3. How can anyone break into a strong man's house and steal his things, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can take everything.
30 #
Mk 9.40. If you are not on my side, you are against me. If you don't gather in the harvest with me, you scatter it. 31-32#Lk 12.10. I tell you any sinful thing you do or say can be forgiven. Even if you speak against the Son of Man, you can be forgiven. But if you speak against the Holy Spirit, you can never be forgiven, either in this life or in the life to come.
A Tree and Its Fruit
(Luke 6.43-45)
33 #
Si 27.6; Mt 7.20; Lk 6.44. A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. You can tell what a tree is like by the fruit it produces. 34#Mt 3.7; 23.33; Lk 3.7; Mt 15.18; Lk 6.45. You are a bunch of evil snakes, so how can you say anything good? Your words show what is in your hearts. 35Good people bring good things out of their hearts, but evil people bring evil things out of their hearts. 36I promise you on the day of judgment, everyone will have to account for every careless word they have spoken. 37On that day they will be told they are either innocent or guilty because of the things they have said.
A Sign from Heaven
(Mark 8.11,12; Luke 11.29-32)
38 #
Mt 16.1; Mk 8.11; Lk 11.16. Some Pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a sign from heaven.”
39 #
Mt 16.4; Mk 8.12. But Jesus replied:
You want a sign because you are evil and won't believe! But the only sign you will get is the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40#Jon 1.17. He was in the stomach of a big fish for three days and nights, just as the Son of Man will be deep in the earth for three days and nights. 41#Jon 3.5. On the day of judgment the people of Nineveh#12.41 Nineveh: During the time of Jonah this city was the capital of the Assyrian Empire, which was Israel's worst enemy. But Jonah was sent there to preach, so that the people would turn to the Lord and be saved. will stand there with you and condemn you. They turned to God when Jonah preached, and yet here is something far greater than Jonah. 42#1 K 10.1-10; 2 Ch 9.1-12. The Queen of the South#12.42 South: Sheba, probably a country in southern Arabia. will also stand there with you and condemn you. She traveled a long way to hear Solomon's wisdom, and yet here is something much greater than Solomon.
Return of an Evil Spirit
(Luke 11.24-26)
43When an evil spirit leaves a person, it travels through the desert, looking for a place to rest. But when the demon doesn't find a place, 44it says, “I will go back to the home I left.” When it gets there and finds the place empty, clean, and neat, 45it goes off and finds seven other evil spirits even worse than itself. They all come and make their home there, and the person ends up in worse shape than before. That's how it will be with you evil people of today.
Jesus' Mother and Brothers
(Mark 3.31-35; Luke 8.19-21)
46While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers came and stood outside because they wanted to talk with him. 47Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside and want to talk with you.”#12.47 with you: Some manuscripts do not have verse 47.
48Jesus answered, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?” 49Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “These are my mother and my brothers! 50Anyone who obeys my Father in heaven is my brother or sister or mother.”
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Matthew 12: CEV
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. 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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