1En dag gik Jesus sammen med sine disciple langs en kornmark. Det var på en sabbat.[1] Hans disciple var sultne, og de begyndte at plukke aks for at spise kernerne. (Mark 2,23; Luk 6,1)2Nogle farisæere opdagede det og gav sig straks til at irettesætte ham: „Hvordan kan du tillade, at dine disciple høster korn på en sabbat, hvor man ikke må arbejde?”3„Har I aldrig læst, hvad David gjorde, da han og hans mænd var sultne?” svarede Jesus.4„Han gik op til Guds hus, og de spiste alle sammen af de hellige brød, som ellers kun præsterne har lov til at spise af.5Har I heller aldrig læst i Toraen, at de præster, der gør tjeneste i templet, har lov til at arbejde på en sabbat?6Og her står I over for noget, der er større end templet!7Hvis I forstod betydningen af det skriftord: ‚Jeg ønsker barmhjertighed frem for slagtofre,’[2] så ville I ikke fordømme uskyldige mennesker.8Menneskesønnen er jo herre over sabbatten.”
Jesus helbreder en mand på sabbatten
9Så fortsatte Jesus og disciplene vandringen og nåede frem til en synagoge. (Mark 3,1; Luk 6,6)10Derinde var der en mand med en forkrøblet hånd, og farisæerne spurgte nu Jesus: „Er det så også tilladt at helbrede nogen på en sabbat?” De håbede på at få noget at anklage ham for.11Jesus svarede: „Hvis en af jer har et får, og det falder i grøften på en sabbat, vil I så ikke trække det op samme dag?12Er et menneske ikke mere værd end et får? Altså er det tilladt at gøre godt på en sabbat!”13Så vendte han sig til manden og sagde: „Ræk hånden frem!” Det gjorde han, og i det samme blev hånden helbredt, så den var lige så rask som den anden hånd.14Efter den episode begyndte farisæerne at lægge planer om, hvordan de kunne få Jesus ryddet af vejen.
Jesus opfylder profetierne om Messias
15Da Jesus var klar over, hvad farisæerne havde i sinde, trak han sig bort fra stedet, men mange fulgte ham. Han helbredte alle syge iblandt dem,16men forbød dem samtidig at fortælle vidt og bredt om, hvad han havde gjort.17Jesus opfyldte det ord om Messias, som Gud havde talt gennem profeten Esajas:[3] (Es 42,1; Es 42,4)18„Se min tjener, som jeg har udvalgt, min elskede, som jeg er fuldt tilfreds med. Jeg lægger min Ånd på ham, han skal bringe retfærdighed til alle folkeslag.19Han går ikke rundt og skændes, han råber ikke op i gaderne.20Et knækket siv brækker han ikke af. Et lys, der brænder svagt, puster han ikke ud. Han fører retfærdigheden igennem til sejr,21fremmede folkeslag får nyt håb gennem ham.”
Messias under falsk anklage
22Derpå blev en dæmonbesat mand, som hverken kunne se eller tale, ført hen til det hus, hvor Jesus opholdt sig, og Jesus helbredte ham, så han nu kunne både tale og se. (Mark 3,22; Luk 6,43; Luk 11,14; Luk 12,10)23Folk var overvældede: „Mon det ikke er ham, der er Messias?” spurgte man hinanden.24Da farisæerne hørte det, sagde de til hinanden: „Nej, han kan ikke være Messias. Det må være med hjælp fra Satan,[4] de onde ånders fyrste, at han driver dæmonerne ud.” (2.Kong 1,1)25Jesus var klar over, hvad de tænkte, og derfor sagde han: „Hvis et land ligger i krig med sig selv, går det sin undergang i møde. Hvis en by eller et hjem er kommet i splid med sig selv, går de i opløsning.26Og hvis Satan uddriver sine egne onde ånder, så er han kommet i krig med sig selv. Hvordan kan hans rige da bestå?27I påstår, at jeg uddriver onde ånder ved hjælp af de onde ånders fyrste. Påkalder jeres egne tilhængere så også Satans magt, når de vil drive onde ånder ud? Prøv engang at spørge dem!28Men hvis det er ved Guds Ånds kraft, at jeg driver dæmoner ud, så er Guds rige jo kommet til jer!29Hvordan kan man gå ind i en stærk mands hus og tage, hvad han har, uden først at binde ham? Men når man har bundet ham, kan man tage, hvad han har i huset.30De, der ikke er med mig, er imod mig, og de, der ikke arbejder sammen med mig, modarbejder mig.31Det siger jeg jer: Mennesker kan få tilgivelse for al slags synd og hån—undtagen hvis de håner Guds Ånd. Det er der ingen tilgivelse for.32Den, der taler imod Menneskesønnen, kan blive tilgivet, men den, der taler imod Helligånden, kan aldrig få tilgivelse, hverken i den nuværende eller kommende verden.33Et træ kendes på sine frugter. Et godt træ bærer god frugt, og et dårligt træ bærer dårlig frugt.34Hvordan skulle der kunne komme noget godt fra jer, slangeyngel? For hvad hjertet er fuldt af, løber munden over med.35Et godt menneske tager gode ting frem fra sit forråd af gode tanker, men et ondt menneske tager onde ting frem fra sit forråd af onde tanker.36Jeg siger jer, at på dommens dag skal mennesker stå til regnskab for hvert et ondt ord, de har talt.37Ud fra jeres egne ord vil I blive frikendt, og ud fra jeres egne ord vil I blive dømt.”
De vantro vil blive dømt
38Derefter forlangte nogle af de skriftlærde og farisæerne, at Jesus skulle gøre et mirakel som tegn på, at han virkelig var Messias. (Luk 11,16; Luk 11,29)39Men Jesus svarede: „Onde og vantro mennesker forlanger tegn. Men den slags mennesker får ikke andet end profeten Jonas’ tegn.40For som Jonas var tre dage i havdyrets bug, sådan skal Menneskesønnen være tre dage[5] i jordens dyb. (Jonas 2,1)41Nineves ledere vil på dommens dag rejse sig og anklage den slags vantro mennesker, for da Jonas forkyndte dom over Nineve, angrede alle byens indbyggere deres ondskab og vendte sig til Gud. Og her står en, der er større end Jonas.42Også dronningen af Saba vil på dommens dag rejse sig og anklage den slags mennesker, for hun kom helt fra verdens ende for at lytte til Salomons visdom. Og her står en, der er større end Salomon.
Fra det dårlige til det værre
43Når en ond ånd er drevet ud af et menneske, strejfer den omkring i ørkenen for at finde et sted at slå sig ned, men den finder ikke noget. (Luk 11,24)44Så siger den: ‚Jeg må hellere vende tilbage til det „hus”, jeg kom fra.’ Når den vender tilbage, finder den huset ledigt, rengjort og sat fint i stand.45Så går den ud og finder syv andre ånder, værre end den selv, og de flytter alle ind i det ledige hus. Da bliver det sidste værre end det første for det menneske. Sådan vil det også gå de onde og vantro mennesker!”
De, der gør Faderens vilje, hører Jesus til
46Mens Jesus sad og underviste skaren af mennesker, kom hans mor og brødre til huset. De ville gerne tale med ham. (Mark 3,31; Luk 8,19)47Da man fortalte ham, at de stod derude og ville tale med ham,48sagde han: „Hvem er i virkeligheden min mor og mine brødre?”49Så slog han ud med armene i retning af sine disciple og sagde: „Min mor og mine brødre sidder her.50Enhver, der gør min himmelske Fars vilje, er min bror og min søster og min mor!”
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. (5.Mos 23,25; Mark 2,23; Luk 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.” (2.Mos 20,9; Matt 12,10; Luk 13,14; Luk 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: (1.Sam 21,1; Matt 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? (2.Mos 25,30; 3.Mos 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? (4.Mos 28,9; 1.Krøn 9,32; Joh 7,22)6I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. (Hag 2,9; Mal 3,1; Matt 12,8; Matt 12,41)7And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. (Hos 6,6; Mika 6,6; Matt 9,13)8For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.” (Matt 9,6)
A Man with a Withered Hand
9He went on from there and entered their synagogue. (Mark 3,1; Luk 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. (Matt 12,2; Luk 11,54; Luk 14,3; Luk 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? (2.Mos 23,4; 5.Mos 22,4)12Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” (Matt 6,26; Matt 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. (1.Kong 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 (Matt 10,23; Matt 19,2; Mark 3,7; Joh 10,39)16and ordered them not to make him known. (Matt 8,4; Mark 1,25; Mark 3,12; Mark 8,30; Luk 4,41; Luk 9,21)17This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: (Matt 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. (Es 42,1; Es 61,1; Luk 4,18; Joh 3,34; Ap G 4,27; Ap G 4,30; Ap G 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.” (Es 11,10; Es 42,4; Rom 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. (Matt 9,32; Luk 11,14)23And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” (Matt 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.” (Matt 10,25; Mark 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. (Matt 9,4; Mark 3,23; Luk 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. (2.Kong 2,7; Ap G 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. (Matt 12,18; Matt 19,24; Matt 21,31; Matt 21,43; Luk 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. (Es 49,24; Es 53,12)30Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. (Mark 9,40; Luk 9,50; Luk 11,23)31Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. (Mark 3,28; Luk 12,10; Ap G 7,51; Heb 6,4; Heb 10,26; Heb 10,29; 1.Joh 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. (Matt 11,19; Matt 12,31; Joh 7,12; Joh 9,24; Ef 1,21; 1.Tim 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. (Matt 7,16; Luk 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. (Matt 3,7; Matt 7,11; Matt 13,52; Matt 15,18; Matt 23,33; Luk 6,45; Ef 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. (Matt 12,34)36I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, (Præd 12,14; Ap G 17,31; Rom 14,12; Ef 5,4; Ef 5,11; 1.Pet 4,5; 2.Pet 1,8)37for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matt 5,22; Jak 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.” (Matt 16,1; Mark 8,11; Luk 11,16; Luk 23,8; Joh 2,18; Joh 4,48; Joh 6,30; 1.Kor 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. (Es 57,3; Matt 16,4; Mark 8,11; Mark 8,38; Luk 11,29; Jak 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. (Jonas 1,17; Matt 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; Ez 16,51; Jonas 1,2; Jonas 3,5; Matt 12,6; Rom 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. (1.Kong 10,1; 2.Krøn 9,1; Matt 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. (Salm 63,1; Jer 2,6; Luk 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.” (Matt 12,39; Joh 5,14; 2.Pet 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] (Matt 13,55; Mark 3,31; Mark 6,3; Luk 8,19; Joh 2,12; Joh 7,3; Joh 7,5; Joh 7,10; Ap G 1,14; 1.Kor 9,5; Gal 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.” (Matt 7,21; Luk 11,28; Joh 15,14; Heb 2,11)