Matthew 12
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Lord of the Sabbath
12 At that time Jesus passed through the grainfields on the Sabbath.(A) His disciples(B) were hungry and began to pick and eat some heads of grain. 2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful(C) to do on the Sabbath!”
3 He said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry— 4 how he entered the house of God, and they ate[a] the sacred bread, which is not lawful for him or for those with him to eat, but only for the priests?(D) 5 Or haven’t you read in the Law[b] that on Sabbath days the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath and are innocent?(E) 6 But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here!(F) 7 If you had known what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice,(G)[c] you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”(H)
The Man with the Paralyzed Hand
9 Moving on from there, He entered their synagogue.(I) 10 There He saw a man who had a paralyzed hand. And in order to accuse Him they asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”(J)
11 But He said to them, “What man among you, if he had a sheep[d] that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, wouldn’t take hold of it and lift it out?(K) 12 A man is worth far more than a sheep,(L) so it is lawful to do what is good on the Sabbath.”
13 Then He told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored,(M) as good as the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.(N)
The Servant of the Lord
15 When Jesus became aware of this, He withdrew from there. Huge crowds[e] followed Him, and He healed them all.(O) 16 He warned them not to make Him known,(P) 17 so that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
18 Here is My Servant whom I have chosen,
My beloved in whom My soul delights;
I will put My Spirit on Him,
and He will proclaim justice to the nations.(Q)
19 He will not argue or shout,
and no one will hear His voice in the streets.
20 He will not break a bruised reed,
and He will not put out a smoldering wick,
until He has led justice to victory.[f]
21 The nations will put their hope in His name.(R)[g]
A House Divided
22 Then a demon-possessed man(S) who was blind and unable to speak was brought to Him. He healed him, so that the man[h] could both speak and see.(T) 23 And all the crowds were astounded and said, “Perhaps this is the Son of David!”(U)
24 When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “The man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.”(V)
25 Knowing their thoughts,(W) He told them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 If Satan(X) drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, who is it your sons drive them out by? For this reason they will be your judges.(Y) 28 If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.(Z) 29 How can someone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up(AA) the strong man? Then he can rob his house. 30 Anyone who is not with Me is against Me,(AB) and anyone who does not gather with Me scatters. 31 Because of this,(AC) I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy,(AD) but the blasphemy against[i] the Spirit will not be forgiven.[j] 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man,(AE) it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come.(AF)
A Tree and Its Fruit
33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad[k] and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.(AG) 34 Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow(AH) of the heart. 35 A good man produces good things from his storeroom of good,[l] and an evil man produces evil things from his storeroom of evil.(AI) 36 I tell you that on the day of judgment(AJ) people will have to account(AK) for every careless word they speak.[m] 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
The Sign of Jonah
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”(AL)
39 But He answered them,(AM) “An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.(AN) 40 For as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish three days and three nights,(AO) so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it,(AP) because they repented at Jonah’s proclamation; and look—something greater than Jonah is here!(AQ) 42 The queen of the south(AR) will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and look—something greater than Solomon is here!
An Unclean Spirit’s Return
43 “When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it roams through waterless places looking for rest but doesn’t find any.(AS) 44 Then it says, ‘I’ll go back to my house that I came from.’ And returning, it finds the house vacant, swept, and put in order. 45 Then off it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that man’s last condition is worse than the first.(AT) That’s how it will also be with this evil generation.”
True Relationships
46 He(AU) was still speaking to the crowds when suddenly His mother and brothers were standing outside wanting to speak to Him.(AV) 47 Someone told Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to You.”[n]
48 But He replied to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” 49 And stretching out His hand toward His disciples,(AW) He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven, that person is My brother and sister and mother.”(AX)
Footnotes
- Matthew 12:4 Other mss read he ate
- Matthew 12:5 = The Torah (the Pentateuch)
- Matthew 12:7 Hs 6:6
- Matthew 12:11 Or had one sheep
- Matthew 12:15 Other mss read Many
- Matthew 12:20 Or until He has successfully put forth justice
- Matthew 12:21 Is 42:1-4
- Matthew 12:22 Lit mute
- Matthew 12:31 Or of
- Matthew 12:31 Other mss add people
- Matthew 12:33 Or decayed; lit rotten
- Matthew 12:35 Other mss read from the storehouse of his heart
- Matthew 12:36 Lit will speak
- Matthew 12:47 Other mss omit this v.
Matthew 12
New King James Version
Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath(A)
12 At that time (B)Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to (C)pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!”
3 But He said to them, “Have you not read (D)what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and ate (E)the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, (F)but only for the priests? 5 Or have you not read in the (G)law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple [a]profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? 6 Yet I say to you that in this place there is (H)One greater than the temple. 7 But if you had known what this means, (I)‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord [b]even of the Sabbath.”
Healing on the Sabbath(J)
9 (K)Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. 10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, (L)“Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—that they might accuse Him.
11 Then He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other. 14 Then (M)the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.
Behold, My Servant
15 But when Jesus knew it, (N)He withdrew from there. (O)And great [c]multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. 16 Yet He (P)warned them not to make Him known, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
18 “Behold!(Q) My Servant whom I have chosen,
My Beloved (R)in whom My soul is well pleased!
I will put My Spirit upon Him,
And He will declare justice to the Gentiles.
19 He will not quarrel nor cry out,
Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed He will not break,
And smoking flax He will not quench,
Till He sends forth justice to victory;
21 And in His name Gentiles will trust.”
A House Divided Cannot Stand(S)
22 (T)Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the [d]blind and mute man both spoke and saw. 23 And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the (U)Son of David?”
24 (V)Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by [e]Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”
25 But Jesus (W)knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, (X)surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 (Y)Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. 30 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.
The Unpardonable Sin(Z)
31 “Therefore I say to you, (AA)every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, (AB)but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Anyone who (AC)speaks a word against the Son of Man, (AD)it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.
A Tree Known by Its Fruit(AE)
33 “Either make the tree good and (AF)its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 (AG)Brood[f] of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? (AH)For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure [g]of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
The Scribes and Pharisees Ask for a Sign(AI)
38 (AJ)Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”
39 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and (AK)adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 (AL)For 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. 41 (AM)The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and (AN)condemn it, (AO)because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. 42 (AP)The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.
An Unclean Spirit Returns(AQ)
43 (AR)“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, (AS)he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. 44 Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; (AT)and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”
Jesus’ Mother and Brothers Send for Him(AU)
46 While He was still talking to the multitudes, (AV)behold, His mother and (AW)brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. 47 Then one said to Him, “Look, (AX)Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.”
48 But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” 49 And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My (AY)brothers! 50 For (AZ)whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 12:5 desecrate
- Matthew 12:8 NU, M omit even
- Matthew 12:15 NU brackets multitudes as disputed.
- Matthew 12:22 NU omits blind and
- Matthew 12:24 NU, M Beelzebul, a Philistine deity
- Matthew 12:34 Offspring
- Matthew 12:35 NU, M omit of his heart
Matthew 12
Good News Translation
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. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Jesus, “Look, it is against our Law for your disciples to do this on the Sabbath!”
3 (C)Jesus answered, “Have you never read what David did that time when he and his men were hungry? 4 (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. 5 (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? 6 I tell you that there is something here greater than the Temple. 7 (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; 8 for the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
The Man with a Paralyzed Hand(G)
9 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
- Matthew 12:31 evil thing they say; or evil thing they say against God.
- Matthew 12:47 Some manuscripts do not have verse 47.
Matthew 12
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Plucking Grain on the Sabbath
12 At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath; his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.(A) 2 When the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”(B) 3 He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?(C) 4 How he entered the house of God, and they[a] ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests?(D) 5 Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and yet are guiltless?(E) 6 I tell you, something greater than the temple is here.(F) 7 But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.(G) 8 For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”
The Man with a Withered Hand
9 He left that place and entered their synagogue; 10 a man was there with a withered hand, and they asked him, “Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbath?” so that they might accuse him.(H) 11 He said to them, “Suppose one of you has only one sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath; will you not lay hold of it and lift it out?(I) 12 How much more valuable is a human being than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”(J) 13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and it was restored, as sound as the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.(K)
God’s Chosen Servant
15 When Jesus became aware of this, he departed. Many[b] followed him, and he cured all of them,(L) 16 and he ordered them not to make him known.(M) 17 This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
18 “Here is 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.(N)
19 He will not wrangle or cry aloud,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
20 He will not break a bruised reed
or quench a smoldering wick
until he brings justice to victory.
21 And in his name the gentiles will hope.”
Jesus and Beelzebul
22 Then they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and he cured him, so that the one who had been mute could speak and see.(O) 23 All the crowds were amazed and were saying, “Can this be the Son of David?”(P) 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons, that this man casts out the demons.”(Q) 25 He knew what they were thinking and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.(R) 26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how, then, will his kingdom stand? 27 If I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own exorcists[c] cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.(S) 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.(T) 29 Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man? Then indeed the house can be plundered. 30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.(U) 31 Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.(V) 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 age to come.(W)
A Tree and 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.(X) 34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.(Y) 35 The good person brings good things out of a good treasure, and the evil person brings evil things out of an evil treasure. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
The Sign of Jonah
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.”(Z) 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.(AA) 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so for three days and three nights the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth.(AB) 41 The people of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and indeed something greater than Jonah is here!(AC) 42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and indeed something greater than Solomon is here!(AD)
The Return of the Unclean Spirit
43 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but it finds none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ When it returns, it finds it empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So will it be also with this evil generation.”(AE)
The True Kindred of Jesus
46 While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, wanting to speak to him.(AF) 47 Someone told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”[d] 48 But to the one who had told him this, Jesus[e] replied, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 And pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”(AG)
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.