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Matthew 12
New American Standard Bible
Matthew 12
New American Standard Bible
Sabbath Questions
12 [a](A)At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to (B)pick the heads of grain and eat. 2 Now when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what (C)is not lawful to do on a Sabbath!” 3 But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions— 4 how he entered the house of God, and (D)they ate the [b]consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone? 5 Or have you not read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple [c]violate the Sabbath, and yet are innocent? 6 But I say to you that something (E)greater than the temple is here. 7 But if you had known what this [d]means: ‘(F)I desire [e]compassion, [f]rather than sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned [g]the innocent.
Lord of the Sabbath
8 For (G)the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
9 (H)Departing from there, He went into their synagogue. 10 And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned [h]Jesus, asking, “(I)Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might bring charges against Him. 11 But He said to them, “(J)What man [i]is there among you who [j]has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 (K)How much more valuable then is a person than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do [k]good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then He *said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!” (L)He stretched it out, and it was restored to [l]normal, like the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and [m](M)conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.
15 But Jesus, [n]aware of this, withdrew from there. Many followed Him, and (N)He healed them all, 16 and (O)warned them not to [o]tell who He was. 17 This happened so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled:
18 “(P)Behold, My [p]Servant whom I [q]have chosen;
(Q)My Beloved in whom My soul [r]delights;
(R)I will put My Spirit upon Him,
(S)And He will proclaim [s]justice to the [t]Gentiles.
19 (T)He will not quarrel, nor cry out;
Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.
20 (U)A bent reed He will not break off,
And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish,
Until He [u]leads [v]justice to victory.
21 (V)And in His name the [w]Gentiles will hope.”
The Pharisees Rebuked
22 (W)Then a (X)demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to speak was brought to [x]Jesus, and He healed him so that the man who was unable to speak talked and [y]could see. 23 And all the crowds were amazed and were saying, “This man cannot be the (Y)Son of David, can he?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man (Z)casts out demons only by [z]Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.”
25 (AA)And (AB)knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if (AC)Satan is casting out Satan, he [aa]has become divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if (AD)by [ab]Beelzebul I cast out the demons, (AE)by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore, they will be your judges. 28 But (AF)if I cast out the demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or, how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.
The Unpardonable Sin
30 (AG)The one who is not with Me is against Me; and the one who does not gather with Me scatters.
31 “(AH)Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. 32 (AI)And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in (AJ)this age or in the age to come.
Words Reveal Character
33 “Either [ac]assume the tree to be good as well as its fruit good, or [ad]assume the tree to be bad as well as its fruit bad; for (AK)the tree is known by its fruit. 34 (AL)You [ae]offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, express any good things? (AM)For the mouth speaks from that which fills the heart. 35 (AN)The good person brings out of his good treasure good things; and the evil person brings out of his evil treasure evil things. 36 But I tell you that for every [af]careless word that people [ag]speak, they will give an account of it on the (AO)day of judgment. 37 For [ah]by your words you will be justified, and [ai]by your words you will be condemned.”
The Desire for Signs
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, (AP)we want to see a [aj]sign from You.” 39 But He answered and said to them, “(AQ)An evil and adulterous generation craves a [ak]sign; and so no [al]sign will be given to it except the [am]sign of Jonah the prophet; 40 for just as (AR)Jonah was in the stomach of the sea monster for three days and three nights, so will (AS)the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for (AT)three days and three nights. 41 (AU)The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because (AV)they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something (AW)greater than Jonah is here. 42 (AX)The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something (AY)greater than Solomon is here.
43 “(AZ)Now when the unclean spirit comes out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they come in and live there; and (BA)the last condition of that person becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation.”
Changed Relationships
46 (BB)While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His (BC)mother and (BD)brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him. 47 [[an]Someone said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak to You.”] 48 But [ao]Jesus replied to the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?” 49 And extending His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold: My mother and My brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother, and sister, and mother.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 12:1 Or On that occasion
- Matthew 12:4 Lit loaves of presentation
- Matthew 12:5 Or profane
- Matthew 12:7 Lit is
- Matthew 12:7 Or mercy
- Matthew 12:7 Lit and not
- Matthew 12:7 Plural in the Gr
- Matthew 12:10 Lit Him
- Matthew 12:11 Lit will be from you
- Matthew 12:11 Lit will have
- Matthew 12:12 Lit well
- Matthew 12:13 Lit health
- Matthew 12:14 Lit took counsel
- Matthew 12:15 Lit knowing
- Matthew 12:16 Lit make Him known
- Matthew 12:18 Lit Child
- Matthew 12:18 Lit chose
- Matthew 12:18 Or took pleasure
- Matthew 12:18 Or judgment
- Matthew 12:18 Or nations
- Matthew 12:20 Or brings forth
- Matthew 12:20 Or judgment
- Matthew 12:21 Or nations
- Matthew 12:22 Lit Him
- Matthew 12:22 Lit saw
- Matthew 12:24 Or Beezebul; meaning uncertain, perhaps lord prince, referring to Satan
- Matthew 12:26 Lit was
- Matthew 12:27 See note v 24
- Matthew 12:33 Lit make
- Matthew 12:33 Lit make
- Matthew 12:34 Or brood
- Matthew 12:36 Or useless
- Matthew 12:36 Lit will speak
- Matthew 12:37 Or in accordance with
- Matthew 12:37 Or in accordance with
- Matthew 12:38 I.e., confirming miracle
- Matthew 12:39 I.e., confirming miracle
- Matthew 12:39 I.e., confirming miracle
- Matthew 12:39 I.e., confirming miracle
- Matthew 12:47 This verse is not found in early mss
- Matthew 12:48 Lit He
Matthew 12
The Message
Matthew 12
The Message
In Charge of the Sabbath
12 1-2 One Sabbath, Jesus was strolling with his disciples through a field of ripe grain. Hungry, the disciples were pulling off the heads of grain and munching on them. Some Pharisees reported them to Jesus: “Your disciples are breaking the Sabbath rules!”
3-5 Jesus said, “Really? Didn’t you ever read what David and his companions did when they were hungry, how they entered the sanctuary and ate fresh bread off the altar, bread that no one but priests were allowed to eat? And didn’t you ever read in God’s Law that priests carrying out their Temple duties break Sabbath rules all the time and it’s not held against them?
6-8 “There is far more at stake here than religion. If you had any idea what this Scripture meant—‘I prefer a flexible heart to an inflexible ritual’—you wouldn’t be nitpicking like this. The Son of Man is no yes-man to the Sabbath; he’s in charge.”
9-10 When Jesus left the field, he entered their meeting place. There was a man there with a crippled hand. They said to Jesus, “Is it legal to heal on the Sabbath?” They were baiting him.
11-14 He replied, “Is there a person here who, finding one of your lambs fallen into a ravine, wouldn’t, even though it was a Sabbath, pull it out? Surely kindness to people is as legal as kindness to animals!” Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” He held it out and it was healed. The Pharisees walked out furious, sputtering about how they were going to ruin Jesus.
In Charge of Everything
15-21 Jesus, knowing they were out to get him, moved on. A lot of people followed him, and he healed them all. He also cautioned them to keep it quiet, following guidelines set down by Isaiah:
Look well at my handpicked servant;
I love him so much, take such delight in him.
I’ve placed my Spirit on him;
he’ll decree justice to the nations.
But he won’t yell, won’t raise his voice;
there’ll be no commotion in the streets.
He won’t walk over anyone’s feelings,
won’t push you into a corner.
Before you know it, his justice will triumph;
the mere sound of his name will signal hope, even
among far-off unbelievers.
No Neutral Ground
22-23 Next a poor demon-afflicted wretch, both blind and deaf, was set down before him. Jesus healed him, gave him his sight and hearing. The people who saw it were impressed—“This has to be the Son of David!”
24 But the Pharisees, when they heard the report, were cynical. “Black magic,” they said. “Some devil trick he’s pulled from his sleeve.”
25-27 Jesus confronted their slander. “A judge who gives opposite verdicts on the same person cancels himself out; a family that’s in a constant squabble disintegrates; if Satan banishes Satan, is there any Satan left? If you’re slinging devil mud at me, calling me a devil kicking out devils, doesn’t the same mud stick to your own exorcists?
28-29 “But if it’s by God’s power that I am sending the evil spirits packing, then God’s kingdom is here for sure. How in the world do you think it’s possible in broad daylight to enter the house of an awake, able-bodied man and walk off with his possessions unless you tie him up first? Tie him up, though, and you can clean him out.
30 “This is war, and there is no neutral ground. If you’re not on my side, you’re the enemy; if you’re not helping, you’re making things worse.
31-32 “There’s nothing done or said that can’t be forgiven. But if you deliberately persist in your slanders against God’s Spirit, you are repudiating the very One who forgives. If you reject the Son of Man out of some misunderstanding, the Holy Spirit can forgive you, but when you reject the Holy Spirit, you’re sawing off the branch on which you’re sitting, severing by your own perversity all connection with the One who forgives.
33 “If you grow a healthy tree, you’ll pick healthy fruit. If you grow a diseased tree, you’ll pick worm-eaten fruit. The fruit tells you about the tree.
34-37 “You have minds like a snake pit! How do you suppose what you say is worth anything when you are so foul-minded? It’s your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words. A good person produces good deeds and words season after season. An evil person is a blight on the orchard. Let me tell you something: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation.”
Jonah-Evidence
38 Later a few religion scholars and Pharisees cornered him. “Teacher, we want to see your credentials. Give us some hard evidence that God is in this. How about a miracle?”
39-40 Jesus said, “You’re looking for proof, but you’re looking for the wrong kind. All you want is something to titillate your curiosity, satisfy your lust for miracles. The only proof you’re going to get is what looks like the absence of proof: Jonah-evidence. Like Jonah, three days and nights in the fish’s belly, the Son of Man will be gone three days and nights in a deep grave.
41-42 “On Judgment Day, the Ninevites will stand up and give evidence that will condemn this generation, because when Jonah preached to them they changed their lives. A far greater preacher than Jonah is here, and you squabble about ‘proofs.’ On Judgment Day, the Queen of Sheba will come forward and bring evidence that will condemn this generation, because she traveled from a far corner of the earth to listen to wise Solomon. Wisdom far greater than Solomon’s is right in front of you, and you quibble over ‘evidence.’
43-45 “When a defiling evil spirit is expelled from someone, it drifts along through the desert looking for an oasis, some unsuspecting soul it can bedevil. When it doesn’t find anyone, it says, ‘I’ll go back to my old haunt.’ On return it finds the person spotlessly clean, but vacant. It then runs out and rounds up seven other spirits more evil than itself and they all move in, whooping it up. That person ends up far worse off than if he’d never gotten cleaned up in the first place.
“That’s what this generation is like: You may think you have cleaned out the junk from your lives and gotten ready for God, but you weren’t hospitable to my kingdom message, and now all the devils are moving back in.”
Obedience Is Thicker than Blood
46-47 While he was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers showed up. They were outside trying to get a message to him. Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and brothers are out here, wanting to speak with you.”
48-50 Jesus didn’t respond directly, but said, “Who do you think my mother and brothers are?” He then stretched out his hand toward his disciples. “Look closely. These are my mother and brothers. Obedience is thicker than blood. The person who obeys my heavenly Father’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”
Matthew 12
The Voice
Matthew 12
The Voice
12 The Sabbath came, and Jesus walked through a field. His disciples, who were hungry, began to pick some of the grain and eat it.
The Sabbath is a day of rest when one creates nothing, breaks nothing, gives nothing, makes no contracts, cuts no flowers, and boils no water; it is a day set aside by the Lord to remember the creative work of God, to experience the peace of the Lord, and to rest in the provision of God.
2 When the Pharisees saw this, they reacted.
Pharisees: Look! Your disciples are breaking the law of the Sabbath!
Jesus: 3 Haven’t you read what David did? When he and his friends were hungry, 4 they went into God’s house and they ate the holy bread, even though neither David nor his friends, but only priests, were allowed that bread. 5 Indeed, have you not read that on the Sabbath priests themselves do work in the temple, breaking the Sabbath law yet remaining blameless? 6 Listen, One who is greater than the temple is here.
7 Do you not understand what the prophet Hosea recorded, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice”[a]? If you understood that snippet of Scripture, you would not condemn these innocent men for ostensibly breaking the law of the Sabbath. 8 For the Son of Man has not only the authority to heal and cast out demons, He also has authority over the Sabbath.
9 Jesus left the field and went to the synagogue, 10 and there He met a man with a shriveled hand. The Pharisees wanted to set up Jesus.
Pharisees: Well, is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath too?
Jesus: 11 Look, imagine that one of you has a sheep that falls into a ditch on the Sabbath—what would you do?
Jesus—who can see the Pharisees are testing Him and basically have missed the point—is growing a little testy. The Pharisees say nothing.
(to the Pharisees) You would dive in and rescue your sheep. 12 Now what is more valuable, a person or a sheep? So what do you think—should I heal this man on the Sabbath? Isn’t it lawful to do good deeds on the Sabbath? 13 (to the man with the shriveled hand) Stretch out your hand.
As the man did so, his hand was completely healed, as good as new.
14 The Pharisees went and mapped out plans to destroy Jesus.
15 Jesus knew that the Pharisees were plotting to kill Him and left the area. Many people followed Him, and He healed them all, 16 always insisting that they tell no one about Him. 17 He did this in keeping with the prophecy Isaiah made so long ago:
18 This is My servant, whom I have well chosen;
this is the One I love, the One in whom I delight.
I will place My Spirit upon Him;
He will proclaim justice to all the world.
19 He will not fight or shout
or talk loudly in the streets.
20 He will not crush a reed under His heel
or blow out a smoldering candle
until He has led justice and righteousness to final victory.
21 All the world will find its hope in His name.[b]
22 Some of the faithful brought Jesus a man who was possessed by a demon, who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him. The man could see and talk, and demons no longer crawled around in him.
People (astonished): 23 Could this be the Son of David?
Pharisees: 24 It is only through Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this Jesus can cast out demons.
25 Jesus knew what the Pharisees were thinking.
Jesus: That would be like a father splitting his own household down the middle or a king cutting his kingdom in half—the household and the kingdom would fall apart. 26 So, too, if Satan imbued people with the power to drive out demons, Satan’s kingdom would collapse. 27 And you should think about this too: you have friends who drive out demons. If I am working as a tool of Beelzebul, whom are your people working for? 28 When I come to you and drive out demons by the Spirit of your Father in heaven—for the glory of your Father in heaven—you should recognize and rejoice that the kingdom of God has come to you.
29 Imagine you wanted to break into the house of your neighbor, a strong brawny man, and steal his furniture. First, you’d have to tie up your neighbor, yes? Once he was bound and tied, you could take whatever you wanted. 30 Similarly—he who is not with Me is against Me, and he who is not doing the Father’s work of gathering up the flock may as well be scattering the flock.
31-32 It is one thing for you to speak ill of the Son of Man. People will be forgiven for every sin they commit and blasphemy they utter. But those who call the work of God the work of Satan utterly remove themselves from God, and those who blaspheme God’s Spirit will not be forgiven, neither in this world nor in the world to come.
33 Good trees produce good fruits; bad trees produce bad fruits. You can always tell a tree by its fruits. 34 You children of snakes, you who are evil—how could you possibly say anything good? For the mouth simply shapes the heart’s impulses into words. 35 And so the good man (who is filled with goodness) speaks good words, while the evil man (who is filled with evil) speaks evil words. 36 I tell you this: on the day of judgment, people will be called to account for every careless word they have ever said. 37 The righteous will be acquitted by their own words, and you evildoers will be condemned by your own words.
Scribes and Pharisees: 38 Teacher, we want to see some miraculous sign from You.
Jesus: 39 You wicked and promiscuous generation—you are looking for signs, are you? The only sign you will be given is the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of a great fish, as the Son of Man will spend three days and three nights in the belly of the earth. 41 One day, the people of Nineveh will rise up in judgment and will condemn your present generation—for the Ninevites turned from sin to God when they heard Jonah preach, and now One far greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will also stand in judgment and condemn this generation—for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom. And today One greater and wiser than Solomon is among you.
43 Let Me tell you what will happen to this wicked generation: When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it rattles around through deserts and other dry places looking for a place to rest—but it does not find anywhere to rest. 44 So the spirit says, “I will return to the house I left.” And it returns to find that house unoccupied, tidy, swept, and sparkling clean. 45 Well, then not only does one spirit set up shop in that sparkling house, but it brings seven even more wicked spirits along. And the poor man—the house—is worse off than he was before. This evil generation will suffer a similar fate.
46 While Jesus was speaking to the crowd, His mother and brothers came up and wanted to speak to Him.
Someone in the Crowd: 47 Your mother and brothers are waiting outside to speak to You.
Jesus: 48 Who is My mother? And who are My brothers? 49 (pointing to His disciples) These are My mother and brothers. 50 Anyone who does the will of My Father in heaven is My mother and brother and sister.
Footnotes
Matthew 12
GOD’S WORD Translation
Matthew 12
GOD’S WORD Translation
Jesus Has Authority over the Day of Rest—a Holy Day(A)
12 Then on a day of rest—a holy day, Jesus walked through the grainfields. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain to eat.
2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing something that is not right to do on the day of rest—a holy day.”
3 Jesus asked them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his men were hungry? 4 Haven’t you read how he went into the house of God and ate [a] the bread of the presence? He and his men had no right to eat those loaves. Only the priests have that right. 5 Or haven’t you read in Moses’ Teachings that on the day of rest—a holy day, the priests in the temple do things they shouldn’t on the day of rest yet remain innocent? 6 I can guarantee that something [b] greater than the temple is here. 7 If you had known what ‘I want mercy, not sacrifices’ means, you would not have condemned innocent people.
8 “The Son of Man has authority over the day of rest—a holy day.”
Jesus Heals on the Day of Rest—a Holy Day(B)
9 Jesus moved on from there and went into a synagogue. 10 A man with a paralyzed hand was there. The people asked Jesus whether it was right to heal on a day of rest—a holy day, so that they could accuse him of doing something wrong.
11 Jesus said to them, “Suppose one of you has a sheep. If it falls into a pit on a day of rest—a holy day, wouldn’t you take hold of it and lift it out? 12 Certainly, a human is more valuable than a sheep! So it is right to do good on the day of rest—a holy day.”
13 Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” The man held it out, and it became normal again, as healthy as the other.
14 The Pharisees left and plotted to kill Jesus. 15 He knew about this, so he left that place.
Jesus Is God’s Servant
Many people followed him, and he cured all of them. 16 He also ordered them not to tell people who he was. 17 So what the prophet Isaiah had said came true:
18 “Here is my servant
whom I have chosen,
whom I love,
and in whom I delight.
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will announce justice to the nations.
19 He will not quarrel or shout,
and no one will hear his voice in the streets.
20 He will not break off a damaged cattail.
He will not even put out a smoking wick
until he has made justice victorious.
21 The nations will have hope because of him.”
Jesus Is Accused of Working with Beelzebul(C)
22 Then some people brought Jesus a man possessed by a demon. The demon made the man blind and unable to talk. Jesus cured him so that he could talk and see.
23 The crowds were all amazed and said, “Can this man be the Son of David?” 24 When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man can force demons out of people only with the help of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons.”
25 Since Jesus knew what they were thinking, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is ruined. And every city or household divided against itself will not last. 26 If Satan forces Satan out, he is divided against himself. How, then, can his kingdom last? 27 If I force demons out of people with the help of Beelzebul, who helps your followers force them out? That’s why they will be your judges. 28 But if I force demons out with the help of God’s Spirit, then God’s kingdom has come to you. 29 How can anyone go into a strong man’s house and steal his property? First he must tie up the strong man. Then he can go through his house and steal his property.
30 “Whoever isn’t with me is against me. Whoever doesn’t gather with me scatters. 31 So I can guarantee that people will be forgiven for any sin or cursing. However, cursing the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven in this world or the next.
33 “Make a tree good, and then its fruit will be good. Or make a tree rotten, and then its fruit will be rotten. A person can recognize a tree by its fruit. 34 You poisonous snakes! How can you evil people say anything good? Your mouth says what comes from inside you. 35 Good people do the good things that are in them. But evil people do the evil things that are in them.
36 “I can guarantee that on judgment day people will have to give an account of every careless word they say. 37 By your words you will be declared innocent, or by your words you will be declared guilty.”
The Sign of Jonah(D)
38 Then some experts in Moses’ Teachings and Pharisees said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign.”
39 He responded, “The people of an evil and unfaithful era look for a miraculous sign. But the only sign they will get is the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 Just as Jonah was in the belly of a huge fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up with you at the time of judgment and will condemn you, because they turned to God and changed the way they thought and acted when Jonah spoke his message. But look, someone greater than Jonah is here! 42 The queen from the south will stand up at the time of judgment with you. She will condemn you, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear Solomon’s wisdom. But look, someone greater than Solomon is here!
43 “When an evil spirit comes out of a person, it goes through dry places looking for a place to rest. But it doesn’t find any. 44 Then it says, ‘I’ll go back to the home I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean, and in order. 45 Then it goes and brings along seven other spirits more evil than itself. They enter and take up permanent residence there. In the end the condition of that person is worse than it was before. That is what will happen to the evil people of this day.”
The True Family of Jesus(E)
46 While Jesus was still talking to the crowds, his mother and brothers were standing outside. They wanted to talk to him. 47 Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside. They want to talk to you.”
48 He replied to the man speaking to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 Pointing with his hand at his disciples, he said, “Look, here are my mother and my brothers. 50 Whoever does what my Father in heaven wants is my brother and sister and mother.”
Matthew 12
New International Version
Matthew 12
New International Version
Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath(A)(B)
12 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain(C) and eat them. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”(D)
3 He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?(E) 4 He 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.(F) 5 Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath(G) and yet are innocent? 6 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.(H) 7 If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’[a](I) you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man(J) is Lord of the Sabbath.”
9 Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, 10 and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus,(K) they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”(L)
11 He 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?(M) 12 How much more valuable is a person than a sheep!(N) Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
13 Then 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. 14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.(O)
God’s Chosen Servant
15 Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill.(P) 16 He warned them not to tell others about him.(Q) 17 This was to fulfill(R) what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
18 “Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
the one I love, in whom I delight;(S)
I will put my Spirit on him,(T)
and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
19 He will not quarrel or cry out;
no one will hear his voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he has brought justice through to victory.
21 In his name the nations will put their hope.”[b](U)
Jesus and Beelzebul(V)
22 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see.(W) 23 All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”(X)
24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul,(Y) the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”(Z)
25 Jesus knew their thoughts(AA) and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan(AB) drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul,(AC) by whom do your people(AD) drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God(AE) 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.(AF) 31 And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.(AG) 32 Anyone 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(AH) or in the age to come.(AI)
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 recognized by its fruit.(AJ) 34 You brood of vipers,(AK) how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks(AL) what the heart is full of. 35 A 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. 36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”(AM)
The Sign of Jonah(AN)(AO)
38 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign(AP) from you.”(AQ)
39 He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.(AR) 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish,(AS) so the Son of Man(AT) will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.(AU) 41 The men of Nineveh(AV) will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah,(AW) and now something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came(AX) 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. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then 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.(AY) That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”
Jesus’ Mother and Brothers(AZ)
46 While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother(BA) and brothers(BB) stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”
48 He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven(BC) is my brother and sister and mother.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 12:7 Hosea 6:6
- Matthew 12:21 Isaiah 42:1-4
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