1At that time Jesus went through the cornfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some ears of corn and eat them.2When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, ‘Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.’3He answered, ‘Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?4He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread – which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.5Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent?6I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.7If you had known what these words mean, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice,” you would not have condemned the innocent. (Ho 6:6)8For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.’9Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue,10and a man with a shrivelled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus, they asked him, ‘Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?’11He said to them, ‘If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out?12How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.’13Then he said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other.14But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.
God’s chosen servant
15Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill.16He warned them not to tell others about him.17This was to fulfil what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:18‘Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.19He will not quarrel or cry out; no-one will hear his voice in the streets.20A bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory.21In his name the nations will put their hope.’ (Isa 42:1)
Jesus and Beelzebul
22Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see.23All the people were astonished and said, ‘Could this be the Son of David?’24But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, ‘It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.’25Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.26If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?27And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.28But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.29‘Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.30‘Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.31And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit 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 age to come.33‘Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognised by its fruit.34You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.35A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.36But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.37For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.’
The sign of Jonah
38Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, ‘Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.’39He answered, ‘A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.40For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.41The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here.42The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.43‘When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it.44Then it says, “I will return to the house I left.” When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order.45Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.’
Jesus’ mother and brothers
46While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him.47Someone told him, ‘Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.’48He replied to him, ‘Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?’49Pointing to his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers.50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.’
Matthew 12
English Standard Version
Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath
1At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. (De 23:25; Mr 2:23; Lu 6:1)2But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” (Ex 20:9; Mt 12:10; Lu 13:14; Lu 14:3; Joh 5:10; Joh 7:23; Joh 9:16)3He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: (1Sa 21:1; Mt 21:16)4how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? (Ex 25:30; Le 24:5)5Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? (Nu 28:9; 1Ch 9:32; Joh 7:22)6I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. (Hag 2:9; Mal 3:1; Mt 12:8; Mt 12:41)7And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. (Ho 6:6; Mic 6:6; Mt 9:13)8For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.” (Mt 9:6)
A Man with a Withered Hand
9He went on from there and entered their synagogue. (Mr 3:1; Lu 6:6)10And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse him. (Mt 12:2; Lu 11:54; Lu 14:3; Lu 20:20; Joh 8:6)11He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? (Ex 23:4; De 22:4)12Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” (Mt 6:26; Mt 10:31; Joh 5:16)13Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. (1Ki 13:4)14But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.
God’s Chosen Servant
15Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all (Mt 10:23; Mt 19:2; Mr 3:7; Joh 10:39)16and ordered them not to make him known. (Mt 8:4; Mr 1:25; Mr 3:12; Mr 8:30; Lu 4:41; Lu 9:21)17This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: (Mt 1:22)18“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. (Isa 42:1; Isa 61:1; Lu 4:18; Joh 3:34; Ac 4:27; Ac 4:30; Ac 10:38)19He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets;20a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory;21and in his name the Gentiles will hope.” (Isa 11:10; Isa 42:4; Ro 15:12)
Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit
22Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. (Mt 9:32; Lu 11:14)23And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” (Mt 9:27; Joh 4:29; Joh 7:26; Joh 7:31)24But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” (Mt 10:25; Mr 3:22)25Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. (Mt 9:4; Mr 3:23; Lu 11:17)26And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?27And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. (2Ki 2:7; Ac 19:13)28But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. (Mt 12:18; Mt 19:24; Mt 21:31; Mt 21:43; Lu 17:21)29Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. (Isa 49:24; Isa 53:12)30Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. (Mr 9:40; Lu 9:50; Lu 11:23)31Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. (Mr 3:28; Lu 12:10; Ac 7:51; Heb 6:4; Heb 10:26; Heb 10:29; 1Jo 5:16)32And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. (Mt 11:19; Mt 12:31; Joh 7:12; Joh 9:24; Eph 1:21; 1Ti 1:12)
A Tree Is Known by Its Fruit
33“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. (Mt 7:16; Lu 6:43)34You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (Mt 3:7; Mt 7:11; Mt 13:52; Mt 15:18; Mt 23:33; Lu 6:45; Eph 4:29)35The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. (Mt 12:34)36I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, (Ec 12:14; Ac 17:31; Ro 14:12; Eph 5:4; Eph 5:11; 1Pe 4:5; 2Pe 1:8)37for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Mt 5:22; Jas 3:2)
The Sign of Jonah
38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” (Mt 16:1; Mr 8:11; Lu 11:16; Lu 23:8; Joh 2:18; Joh 4:48; Joh 6:30; 1Co 1:22)39But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. (Isa 57:3; Mt 16:4; Mr 8:11; Mr 8:38; Lu 11:29; Jas 4:4)40For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (Jon 1:17; Mt 17:22)41The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. (Jer 3:11; Eze 16:51; Jon 1:2; Jon 3:5; Mt 12:6; Ro 2:27; Heb 11:7)42The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. (1Ki 10:1; 2Ch 9:1; Mt 12:41)
Return of an Unclean Spirit
43“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. (Ps 63:1; Jer 2:6; Lu 11:24)44Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order.45Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.” (Mt 12:39; Joh 5:14; 2Pe 2:20)
Jesus’ Mother and Brothers
46While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers[1] stood outside, asking to speak to him.[2] (Mt 13:55; Mr 3:31; Mr 6:3; Lu 8:19; Joh 2:12; Joh 7:3; Joh 7:5; Joh 7:10; Ac 1:14; 1Co 9:5; Ga 1:19)48But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”49And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mt 7:21; Lu 11:28; Joh 15:14; Heb 2:11)