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
New Living Translation
A Discussion about the Sabbath
12 At about that time Jesus was walking through some grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off some heads of grain and eating them. 2 But some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, “Look, your disciples are breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath.”
3 Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He went into the house of God, and he and his companions broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. 5 And haven’t you read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the Temple may work on the Sabbath? 6 I tell you, there is one here who is even greater than the Temple! 7 But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’[a] 8 For the Son of Man[b] is Lord, even over the Sabbath!”
Jesus Heals on the Sabbath
9 Then Jesus went over to their synagogue, 10 where he noticed a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Does the law permit a person to work by healing on the Sabbath?” (They were hoping he would say yes, so they could bring charges against him.)
11 And he answered, “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would. 12 And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.”
13 Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored, just like the other one! 14 Then the Pharisees called a meeting to plot how to kill Jesus.
Jesus, God’s Chosen Servant
15 But Jesus knew what they were planning. So he left that area, and many people followed him. He healed all the sick among them, 16 but he warned them not to reveal who he was. 17 This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him:
18 “Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen.
He is my Beloved, who pleases me.
I will put my Spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
19 He will not fight or shout
or raise his voice in public.
20 He will not crush the weakest reed
or put out a flickering candle.
Finally he will cause justice to be victorious.
21 And his name will be the hope
of all the world.”[c]
Jesus and the Prince of Demons
22 Then a demon-possessed man, who was blind and couldn’t speak, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see. 23 The crowd was amazed and asked, “Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?”
24 But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan,[d] the prince of demons.”
25 Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart. 26 And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided and fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive. 27 And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said. 28 But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. 29 For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.
30 “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.
31 “So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven—except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come.
33 “A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. 34 You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. 35 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. 36 And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. 37 The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.”
The Sign of Jonah
38 One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority.”
39 But Jesus replied, “Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
41 “The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent. 42 The queen of Sheba[e] will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here—but you refuse to listen.
43 “When an evil[f] spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order. 45 Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation.”
The True Family of Jesus
46 As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 47 Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they want to speak to you.”[g]
48 Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 49 Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. 50 Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!”
Footnotes
- 12:7 Hos 6:6 (Greek version).
- 12:8 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
- 12:18-21 Isa 42:1-4 (Greek version for 42:4).
- 12:24 Greek Beelzeboul; also in 12:27. Other manuscripts read Beezeboul; Latin version reads Beelzebub.
- 12:42 Greek The queen of the south.
- 12:43 Greek unclean.
- 12:47 Some manuscripts do not include verse 47. Compare Mark 3:32 and Luke 8:20.
馬太福音 12
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
安息日的問題
12 那時，耶穌在安息日經過一片麥田。祂的門徒餓了，便隨手搓麥穗吃。 2 法利賽人看見後，對耶穌說：「你看，你的門徒做了在安息日不准做的事！」
3 耶穌回答說：「你們沒有讀過大衛的事蹟嗎？當時他和部下餓了， 4 進入上帝的殿，吃了獻給上帝的供餅。這餅只有祭司才可以吃，大衛和部下是不准吃的。 5 此外律法書又記載，安息日，祭司在聖殿裡觸犯了守安息日的規條也不算有罪。你們沒有讀過嗎？ 6 我告訴你們，這裡有一人比聖殿更偉大， 7 如果你們明白『我喜愛憐憫之心，而非祭物』這句經文的意義，就不會冤枉無辜了。 8 因為人子是安息日的主。」
9 耶穌離開那裡，走進會堂， 10 裡面有個人，一隻手是萎縮的。法利賽人企圖找藉口控告耶穌，就問祂：「安息日可不可以醫病呢？」
11 耶穌回答說：「如果你們有一隻羊在安息日掉進坑裡，難道你們不把牠拉上來嗎？ 12 人比羊要貴重多了！所以在安息日行善合情合理。」
13 於是，耶穌轉過身來對那人說：「把手伸出來！」那人一伸手，手就復原了，跟另一隻手一樣健康。 14 法利賽人卻走了出去，策劃怎樣除掉耶穌。
上帝的僕人
15 耶穌知道了，就離開那個地方。很多人跟隨祂，耶穌醫好了其中所有患病的人， 16 吩咐他們不要洩露祂的身分。 17 這是要應驗以賽亞先知的話：
18 「看啊！我所揀選、
所眷愛、所喜悅的僕人，
我要將我的靈賜給祂，
祂要向萬邦宣揚正義。
19 祂不爭競，不喧嚷，
街上也聽不見祂的聲音。
20 壓傷的蘆葦，祂不折斷；
將殘的燈火，祂不吹滅；
祂終必使正義得勝。
21 普世都要仰望祂的聖名。」
22 有人帶一個被鬼附身、又瞎又啞的人來見耶穌，耶穌便醫好他，使他能說能看。 23 眾人都很驚奇，就說：「這人會不會是大衛的那個後裔？」 24 法利賽人聽見後卻說：「祂不過是靠鬼王別西卜趕鬼罷了。」
25 耶穌知道他們的心思，就說：「一個國內部自相紛爭，必然滅亡；一座城、一個家內部自相紛爭，必然崩潰。 26 若撒旦驅逐撒旦，就是自相紛爭，牠的國怎能維持呢？ 27 若我是靠別西卜趕鬼，你們的子弟又是靠誰趕鬼呢？為此，他們要審判你們。 28 若我是靠上帝的靈趕鬼，就是上帝的國已降臨在你們中間了。
29 「人如何進入壯漢家中搶奪他的財物呢？除非先把那壯漢捆綁起來，才有可能搶劫他的家。
30 「不與我為友就是與我為敵；不助我召集就是故意拆散。 31 所以我告訴你們，一切的罪和褻瀆的話都可以得到赦免，但褻瀆聖靈的罪必得不到赦免。 32 說話得罪人子的，還可以得到赦免；但那些說話冒犯聖靈的，今生永世都得不到赦免。
樹與果
33 「好樹結好果子，壞樹結壞果子，看果子就能知道樹的好壞。 34 你們這些毒蛇的後代！你們心裡邪惡，又怎能講出好話呢？因為心裡充滿的，口裡自然會說出來。 35 善人心存良善，就從他裡面發出良善；惡人心存邪惡，就從他裡面發出邪惡。 36 我告訴你們，在審判之日，人將為自己所說的每一句閒話負責， 37 因為將來要憑你口中的話來判斷你是否有罪。」
求神蹟
38 當時，有幾個律法教師和法利賽人對耶穌說：「老師，我們想要看你行個神蹟。」 39 耶穌回答說：「一個邪惡淫亂的世代想看神蹟，可是除了約拿先知的神蹟以外，再沒有神蹟給他們看。 40 約拿在大魚腹中三日三夜，人子也要在地裡三日三夜。 41 在審判的日子，尼尼微人和這世代的人都要起來[a]，尼尼微人要定這個世代的罪，因為他們聽到約拿的宣告，就悔改了。看啊！這裡有一人比約拿更偉大。 42 在審判的日子，南方的女王和這世代的人都要起來，她要定這個世代的罪，因為她曾不遠千里來聽所羅門王的智言慧語。看啊！這裡有一人比所羅門王更偉大。
乘虛而入
43 「有一個污鬼離開了牠以前所附的人，在乾旱無水之地四處遊蕩，尋找安歇之處，卻沒有找到。 44 於是牠說，『我要回到老地方。』牠回去後，看見裡面空著，打掃得又乾淨又整齊， 45 就去帶來了七個比自己更邪惡的鬼一起住在那裡。那人的下場比從前更慘了。這個邪惡的世代也會這樣。」
真正的親屬
46 耶穌還在和眾人說話的時候，祂的母親和兄弟站在外面，想要跟祂說話。 47 有人告訴祂：「你的母親和兄弟在外面有話要跟你說。」
48 耶穌說：「誰是我的母親？誰是我的兄弟？」 49 祂伸出手來指著門徒說：「你們看！這些人就是我的母親和我的兄弟。 50 凡遵行我天父旨意的人都是我的弟兄、姊妹和母親。」
Footnotes
- 12·41 「起來」或作「復活」。
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
