Matthew 11-12 (English Standard Version)

Matthew 11

Messengers from John the Baptist

 ¹When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.

 ^2(A) Now when John heard^(B) in prison about the deeds of^(C) the Christ, he sent word by^(D) his disciples ³and said to him, "Are you^(E) the one who is to come, or shall we^(F) look for another?" ⁴And Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: ^5(G) the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers^[a] are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and^(H) the poor have good news preached to them. ⁶And blessed is the one who^(I) is not offended by me."

 ⁷As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out^(J) into the wilderness to see?^(K) A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸What then did you go out to see? A man^[b] dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. ⁹What then did you go out to see?^(L) A prophet?^[c] Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰This is he of whom it is written,

   ^(M) "'Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
   who will prepare your way before you.'

 ¹¹Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ^12(N) From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence,^[d] and the violent take it by force. ^13(O) For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, ¹⁴and if you are willing to accept it, he is^(P) Elijah who is to come. ^15(Q) He who has ears to hear,^[e] let him hear.

 ¹⁶"But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,
 ¹⁷"'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
   we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'

 ¹⁸For John came^(R) neither eating^(S) nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' ¹⁹The Son of Man came^(T) eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard,^(U) a friend of^(V) tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds."^[f]

Woe to Unrepentant Cities

 ^20(W) Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. ^21(X) "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in^(Y) Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ^22(Z) But I tell you, it will be more bearable on^(AA) the day of judgment for^(AB) Tyre and Sidon than for you. ²³And you,^(AC) Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to^(AD) Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. ^24(AE) But I tell you that^(AF) it will be more tolerable on^(AG) the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you."

Come to Me, and I Will Give You Rest

 ^25(AH) At that time Jesus declared, "I thank you, Father,^(AI) Lord of heaven and earth, that^(AJ) you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and^(AK) revealed them to little children; ²⁶yes, Father, for such was your^(AL) gracious will.^{[g] 27(AM)} All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son^(AN) except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone^(AO) to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. ^28(AP) Come to^(AQ) me, all who labor and are^(AR) heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and^(AS) learn from me, for I am^(AT) gentle and lowly in heart, and^(AU) you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For^(AV) my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Matthew 12

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

 ¹At that time^(AW) Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and^(AX) they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. ²But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him,^(AY) "Look, your disciples are doing^(AZ) what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath." ³He said to them, ^(BA) "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: ⁴how he entered the house of God and ate^(BB) 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? ⁵Or have you not read^(BC) in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? ⁶I tell you,^(BD) something greater than the temple is here. ⁷And if you had known^(BE) what this means,^(BF) 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. ⁸For^(BG) the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."

A Man with a Withered Hand

 ⁹He went on from there and^(BH) entered their synagogue. ¹⁰And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him,^(BI) "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"—^(BJ) so that they might accuse him. ¹¹He said to them, "Which one of you who has a sheep,^(BK) if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? ^12(BL) Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So^(BM) it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." ¹³Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And^(BN) the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. ¹⁴But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.

God’s Chosen Servant

 ¹⁵Jesus, aware of this,^(BO) withdrew from there. And^(BP) many followed him, and he healed them all ¹⁶and^(BQ) ordered them not to make him known. ^17(BR) This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:
 ^18(BS) "Behold, my^(BT) servant whom I have chosen,
   my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased.
^(BU) I will put my Spirit upon him,
   and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
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;
 ^21(BV) and in his name the Gentiles will hope."

Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit

 ^22(BW) Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. ^23(BX) And all the people were amazed, and said, "Can this be the Son of David?" ²⁴But when the Pharisees heard it, they said,^(BY) "It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons." ^25(BZ) Knowing their thoughts,^(CA) he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 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,^(CB) by whom do^(CC) your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. ²⁸But if it is^(CD) by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then^(CE) the kingdom of God has come upon you. ²⁹Or^(CF) how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed^(CG) he may plunder his house. ^30(CH) Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. ^31(CI) Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but^(CJ) the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. ³²And whoever speaks a word^(CK) against the Son of Man^(CL) will be forgiven, but^(CM) whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in^(CN) this age or in the age to come.

A Tree Is Known by Its Fruit

 ^33(CO) "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad,^(CP) for the tree is known by its fruit. ^34(CQ) You brood of vipers! How can you speak good,^(CR) when you are evil?^(CS) For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. ^35(CT) The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. ³⁶I tell you,^(CU) on the day of judgment^(CV) people will give account for^(CW) every careless word they speak, ³⁷for^(CX) by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

The Sign of Jonah

 ³⁸Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, "Teacher,^(CY) we wish to see a sign from you." ³⁹But he answered them, ^(CZ) "An evil and^(DA) adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. ⁴⁰For^(DB) just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish,^(DC) so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. ^41(DD) The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and^(DE) condemn it, for^(DF) they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold,^(DG) something greater than Jonah is here. ^42(DH) The 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,^(DI) something greater than Solomon is here.

Return of an Unclean Spirit

 ⁴³"When^(DJ) the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through^(DK) waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 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^(DL) the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this^(DM) evil generation."

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

 ⁴⁶While he was still speaking to the people, behold,^(DN) his mother and his^(DO) brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.^{[h] 48}But 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^(DP) whoever^(DQ) does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."