安息日的问题

12 那时,耶稣在安息日经过一片麦田。祂的门徒饿了,便随手搓麦穗吃。 法利赛人看见后,对耶稣说:“你看,你的门徒做了在安息日不准做的事!”

耶稣回答说:“你们没有读过大卫的事迹吗?当时他和部下饿了, 进入上帝的殿,吃了献给上帝的供饼。这饼只有祭司才可以吃,大卫和部下是不准吃的。 此外律法书又记载,安息日,祭司在圣殿里触犯了守安息日的规条也不算有罪。你们没有读过吗? 我告诉你们,这里有一人比圣殿更伟大, 如果你们明白‘我喜爱怜悯之心,而非祭物’这句经文的意义,就不会冤枉无辜了。 因为人子是安息日的主。”

耶稣离开那里,走进会堂, 10 里面有个人,一只手是萎缩的。法利赛人企图找借口控告耶稣,就问祂:“安息日可不可以医病呢?”

11 耶稣回答说:“如果你们有一只羊在安息日掉进坑里,难道你们不把它拉上来吗? 12 人比羊要贵重多了!所以在安息日行善合情合理。”

13 于是,耶稣转过身来对那人说:“把手伸出来!”那人一伸手,手就复原了,跟另一只手一样健康。 14 法利赛人却走了出去,策划怎样除掉耶稣。

上帝的仆人

15 耶稣知道了,就离开那个地方。很多人跟随祂,耶稣医好了其中所有患病的人, 16 吩咐他们不要泄露祂的身份。 17 这是要应验以赛亚先知的话:

18 “看啊!我所拣选、
所眷爱、所喜悦的仆人,
我要将我的灵赐给祂,
祂要向万邦宣扬正义。
19 祂不争竞,不喧嚷,
街上也听不见祂的声音。
20 压伤的芦苇,祂不折断;
将残的灯火,祂不吹灭;
祂终必使正义得胜。
21 普世都要仰望祂的圣名。”

22 有人带一个被鬼附身、又瞎又哑的人来见耶稣,耶稣便医好他,使他能说能看。 23 众人都很惊奇,就说:“这人会不会是大卫的那个后裔?” 24 法利赛人听见后却说:“祂不过是靠鬼王别西卜赶鬼罢了。”

25 耶稣知道他们的心思,就说:“一个国内部自相纷争,必然灭亡;一座城、一个家内部自相纷争,必然崩溃。 26 若撒旦驱逐撒旦,就是自相纷争,它的国怎能维持呢? 27 若我是靠别西卜赶鬼,你们的子弟又是靠谁赶鬼呢?为此,他们要审判你们。 28 若我是靠上帝的灵赶鬼,就是上帝的国已降临在你们中间了。

29 “人如何进入壮汉家中抢夺他的财物呢?除非先把那壮汉捆绑起来,才有可能抢劫他的家。

30 “不与我为友就是与我为敌;不助我召集就是故意拆散。 31 所以我告诉你们,一切的罪和亵渎的话都可以得到赦免,但亵渎圣灵的罪必得不到赦免。 32 说话得罪人子的,还可以得到赦免;但那些说话冒犯圣灵的,今生永世都得不到赦免。

树与果

33 “好树结好果子,坏树结坏果子,看果子就能知道树的好坏。 34 你们这些毒蛇的后代!你们心里邪恶,又怎能讲出好话呢?因为心里充满的,口里自然会说出来。 35 善人心存良善,就从他里面发出良善;恶人心存邪恶,就从他里面发出邪恶。 36 我告诉你们,在审判之日,人将为自己所说的每一句闲话负责, 37 因为将来要凭你口中的话来判断你是否有罪。”

求神迹

38 当时,有几个律法教师和法利赛人对耶稣说:“老师,我们想要看你行个神迹。” 39 耶稣回答说:“一个邪恶淫乱的世代想看神迹,可是除了约拿先知的神迹以外,再没有神迹给他们看。 40 约拿在大鱼腹中三日三夜,人子也要在地里三日三夜。 41 在审判的日子,尼尼微人和这世代的人都要起来[a],尼尼微人要定这个世代的罪,因为他们听到约拿的宣告,就悔改了。看啊!这里有一人比约拿更伟大。 42 在审判的日子,南方的女王和这世代的人都要起来,她要定这个世代的罪,因为她曾不远千里来听所罗门王的智言慧语。看啊!这里有一人比所罗门王更伟大。

乘虚而入

43 “有一个污鬼离开了它以前所附的人,在干旱无水之地四处游荡,寻找安歇之处,却没有找到。 44 于是它说,‘我要回到老地方。’它回去后,看见里面空着,打扫得又干净又整齐, 45 就去带来了七个比自己更邪恶的鬼一起住在那里。那人的下场比从前更惨了。这个邪恶的世代也会这样。”

真正的亲属

46 耶稣还在和众人说话的时候,祂的母亲和兄弟站在外面,想要跟祂说话。 47 有人告诉祂:“你的母亲和兄弟在外面有话要跟你说。”

48 耶稣说:“谁是我的母亲?谁是我的兄弟?” 49 祂伸出手来指着门徒说:“你们看!这些人就是我的母亲和我的兄弟。 50 凡遵行我天父旨意的人都是我的弟兄、姊妹和母亲。”

Footnotes

  1. 12:41 起来”或作“复活”。

The Question about the Sabbath(A)

12 (B)Not long afterward Jesus was walking through some wheat fields on a Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began to pick heads of wheat and eat the grain. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Jesus, “Look, it is against our Law for your disciples to do this on the Sabbath!”

(C)Jesus answered, “Have you never read what David did that time when he and his men were hungry? (D)He went into the house of God, and he and his men ate the bread offered to God, even though it was against the Law for them to eat it—only the priests were allowed to eat that bread. (E)Or have you not read in the Law of Moses that every Sabbath the priests in the Temple actually break the Sabbath law, yet they are not guilty? I tell you that there is something here greater than the Temple. (F)The scripture says, ‘It is kindness that I want, not animal sacrifices.’ If you really knew what this means, you would not condemn people who are not guilty; for the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

The Man with a Paralyzed Hand(G)

Jesus left that place and went to a synagogue, 10 where there was a man who had a paralyzed hand. Some people were there who wanted to accuse Jesus of doing wrong, so they asked him, “Is it against our Law to heal on the Sabbath?”

11 (H)Jesus answered, “What if one of you has a sheep and it falls into a deep hole on the Sabbath? Will you not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 And a human being is worth much more than a sheep! So then, our Law does allow us to help someone on the Sabbath.” 13 Then he said to the man with the paralyzed hand, “Stretch out your hand.”

He stretched it out, and it became well again, just like the other one. 14 Then the Pharisees left and made plans to kill Jesus.

God's Chosen Servant

15 When Jesus heard about the plot against him, he went away from that place; and large crowds followed him. He healed all the sick 16 and gave them orders not to tell others about him. 17 He did this so as to make come true what God had said through the prophet Isaiah:

18 (I)“Here is my servant, whom I have chosen,
    the one I love, and with whom I am pleased.
I will send my Spirit upon him,
    and he will announce my judgment to the nations.
19 He will not argue or shout,
    or make loud speeches in the streets.
20 He will not break off a bent reed,
    nor put out a flickering lamp.
He will persist until he causes justice to triumph,
21     and on him all peoples will put their hope.”

Jesus and Beelzebul(J)

22 Then some people brought to Jesus a man who was blind and could not talk because he had a demon. Jesus healed the man, so that he was able to talk and see. 23 The crowds were all amazed at what Jesus had done. “Could he be the Son of David?” they asked.

24 (K)When the Pharisees heard this, they replied, “He drives out demons only because their ruler Beelzebul gives him power to do so.”

25 Jesus knew what they were thinking, and so he said to them, “Any country that divides itself into groups which fight each other will not last very long. And any town or family that divides itself into groups which fight each other will fall apart. 26 So if one group is fighting another in Satan's kingdom, this means that it is already divided into groups and will soon fall apart! 27 You say that I drive out demons because Beelzebul gives me the power to do so. Well, then, who gives your followers the power to drive them out? What your own followers do proves that you are wrong! 28 No, it is not Beelzebul, but God's Spirit, who gives me the power to drive out demons, which proves that the Kingdom of God has already come upon you.

29 (L)“No one can break into a strong man's house and take away his belongings unless he first ties up the strong man; then he can plunder his house.

30 (M)“Anyone who is not for me is really against me; anyone who does not help me gather is really scattering. 31 For this reason I tell you: people can be forgiven any sin and any evil thing they say;[a] but whoever says evil things against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 (N)Anyone who says something against the Son of Man can be forgiven; but whoever says something against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven—now or ever.

A Tree and Its Fruit(O)

33 (P)“To have good fruit you must have a healthy tree; if you have a poor tree, you will have bad fruit. A tree is known by the kind of fruit it bears. 34 (Q)You snakes—how can you say good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 35 A good person brings good things out of a treasure of good things; a bad person brings bad things out of a treasure of bad things.

36 “You can be sure that on the Judgment Day you will have to give account of every useless word you have ever spoken. 37 Your words will be used to judge you—to declare you either innocent or guilty.”

The Demand for a Miracle(R)

38 (S)Then some teachers of the Law and some Pharisees spoke up. “Teacher,” they said, “we want to see you perform a miracle.”

39 (T)“How evil and godless are the people of this day!” Jesus exclaimed. “You ask me for a miracle? No! The only miracle you will be given is the miracle of the prophet Jonah. 40 (U)In the same way that Jonah spent three days and nights in the big fish, so will the Son of Man spend three days and nights in the depths of the earth. 41 (V)On the Judgment Day the people of Nineveh will stand up and accuse you, because they turned from their sins when they heard Jonah preach; and I tell you that there is something here greater than Jonah! 42 (W)On the Judgment Day the Queen of Sheba will stand up and accuse you, because she traveled all the way from her country to listen to King Solomon's wise teaching; and I assure you that there is something here greater than Solomon!

The Return of the Evil Spirit(X)

43 “When an evil spirit goes out of a person, it travels over dry country looking for a place to rest. If it can't find one, 44 it says to itself, ‘I will go back to my house.’ So it goes back and finds the house empty, clean, and all fixed up. 45 Then it goes out and brings along seven other spirits even worse than itself, and they come and live there. So when it is all over, that person is in worse shape than at the beginning. This is what will happen to the evil people of this day.”

Jesus' Mother and Brothers(Y)

46 Jesus was still talking to the people when his mother and brothers arrived. They stood outside, asking to speak with him. 47 So one of the people there said to him, “Look, your mother and brothers are standing outside, and they want to speak with you.”[b]

48 Jesus answered, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 49 Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look! Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 Whoever does what my Father in heaven wants is my brother, my sister, and my mother.”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 12:31 evil thing they say; or evil thing they say against God.
  2. Matthew 12:47 Some manuscripts do not have verse 47.

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. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”(D)

He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?(E) 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) 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? I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.(H) If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’[a](I) you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man(J) is Lord of the Sabbath.”

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

  1. Matthew 12:7 Hosea 6:6
  2. Matthew 12:21 Isaiah 42:1-4

Lord of the Sabbath

12 At that time, Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick heads of grain and eat them. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, what your disciples are doing is unlawful on the Sabbath.”

But he said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered God’s house and ate the Bread of the Presence, which was lawful only for the priests to eat, not for him or his companions. Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath days, the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? But I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. Yet if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’[a] you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Jesus Heals a Man With a Withered Hand

Going on from there, he went into their synagogue. 10 A man was there who had a withered hand. Looking for a way to accuse Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on Sabbath days?”

11 He said to them, “Who among you, if you have one sheep that falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then he told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and it was restored, as healthy as the other one. 14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted against him, considering how they might put him to death.

“Here Is My Servant”

15 Since Jesus was aware of this, he withdrew from that place. Large crowds followed him and he healed them all. 16 He ordered them not to tell others about him. 17 This happened to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:

18 Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
    the one I love, in whom I am[b] well pleased.
    I will put my Spirit on him,
    and he will proclaim justice to the nations.[c]
19 He will not quarrel or cry out,
    and no one will hear his voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed he will not break.
    A smoldering wick he will not put out,
    until he leads justice to victory.
21 And in his name the nations[d] will hope.[e]

Jesus Has Power to Drive Out Demons

22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to speak was brought to him. Jesus healed him so that he was able to speak and to see. 23 All the people were amazed and said, “Can this be the Son of David?”[f] 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”

25 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and every town or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and take his goods, unless he first ties up the strong man? Only then can he plunder his house.

30 “Whoever is not with me is against me. And whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against 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—either in this age or in the one to come.

33 “Either make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad. Indeed, a tree is known by its fruit. 34 You offspring of vipers! How can you say anything good, since you are evil? For what the mouth speaks flows from the heart. 35 The good man brings good out of his good treasure, and the evil man brings evil out of his evil treasure. 36 I tell you that on the day of judgment people will give account of every careless word they have spoken. 37 In fact by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

The Sign of Jonah

38 Then some of the experts in the law and Pharisees replied, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”

39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation wishes for a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. 40 For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. But one even greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will be raised up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. But one even greater than Solomon is here.

43 “When an unclean spirit has gone out of someone, it passes through dry places looking for rest, but it does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the home I came from.’ And when it has returned, it finds the place empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it takes along with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter in and live there. So the last condition of that person becomes worse than the first. That is how it will be for this evil generation too.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

46 While he was still speaking to the crowd, his mother and his brothers happened to be standing outside, wanting to talk to him. 47 Someone said to him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to talk to you.”

48 But he replied to the one who told him, “Who is my mother? And who are my brothers?” 49 He reached out his hand toward his disciples and said, “See, my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 12:7 Hosea 6:6
  2. Matthew 12:18 Literally my soul is
  3. Matthew 12:18 Or Gentiles
  4. Matthew 12:21 Or Gentiles
  5. Matthew 12:21 Isaiah 42:1-4
  6. Matthew 12:23 Or Certainly this fellow is not the Son of David, is he?