Matthew 12
Lexham English Bible
Plucking Grain on the Sabbath
12 At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. And his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck off heads of grain and eat them.[a] 2 But when[b] the Pharisees saw it,[c] they said to him, “Behold, your disciples are doing what it is not permitted to do on the Sabbath!” 3 So he said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those with him, 4 how he entered into the house of God and ate the bread of the presentation, which it was not permitted for him or for those with him to eat, but only for the priests? 5 Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple violate the sanctity of the Sabbath and are guiltless? 6 But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here! 7 And if you had known what it means,[d] ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”
A Man with a Withered Hand Healed
9 And going on from there he came into their synagogue. 10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand, and they asked him, saying, “Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath?” in order that they could accuse him. 11 But he said to them, “What man will there be among you who will have one sheep and if this one fell into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it[e] out? 12 Then to what degree is a man worth more than a sheep? So then, it is permitted to do good on the Sabbath.”
13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand,” and he stretched it[f] out, and it was restored as healthy as the other one. 14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted[g] against him in order that they could destroy him.
God’s Chosen Servant
15 Now Jesus, when he[h] learned of it,[i] withdrew from there, and many[j] followed him, and he healed them all. 16 And he warned them that they should not reveal his identity,[k] 17 in order that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah would be fulfilled, who said,
18 “Behold my servant whom I have chosen,
my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased.
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
19 He will not quarrel or cry out,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
20 A crushed reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not extinguish,
until he brings justice to victory.
21 And in his name the Gentiles[l] will hope.[m]
A House Divided Cannot Stand
22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to him. And he healed him so that the man who was mute could speak and see. 23 And all the crowds were amazed and began saying, “Perhaps this one is the Son of David!” 24 But the Pharisees, when they[n] heard it,[o] said, “This man does not expel demons except by Beelzebul the ruler of demons!” 25 But knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 And if Satan expels Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I expel demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons expel them?[p] For this reason they will be your judges! 28 But if I expel demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you! 29 Or how can someone enter into the house of a strong man and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? And then he can thoroughly plunder his house. 30 The one who is not with me is against me, and the one who does not gather with me scatters. 31 For this reason I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven! 32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, 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 coming one!
Good Trees and Good Fruit or Bad Trees and Bad Fruit
33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit is good, or make the tree bad and its fruit is bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say good things when you[q] are evil? For from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person from his[r] good treasury brings out good things, and the evil person from his[s] evil treasury brings out evil things. 36 But I tell you that every worthless word that they speak, people will give an account for it on the day of judgment! 37 For by your words you will be vindicated, and by your words you will be condemned.”
The Sign of Jonah
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you!” 39 But he answered and[t] said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation desires a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah! 40 For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. 41 The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and behold, something[u] greater than Jonah is here! 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 hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something[v] greater than Solomon is here!
An Unclean Spirit Returns
43 “Now whenever an unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it travels through waterless places searching for rest, and does not find it.[w] 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came out.’ And when it[x] arrives it finds the house[y] unoccupied and swept and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings along with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and[z] live there. And the last state of that person becomes worse than the first. So it will be for this evil generation also!”
Jesus’ Mother and Brothers
46 And[aa] while[ab] he was still speaking to the crowds, behold, his mother and brothers were standing there outside, desiring to speak to him. 47 And someone told him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers are standing there outside desiring to speak to you.” 48 But he answered and[ac] said to the one who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 And stretching out 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 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Matthew 12:2 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal
- Matthew 12:2 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Matthew 12:7 Literally “it is”
- Matthew 12:11 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Matthew 12:13 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Matthew 12:14 Literally “taking counsel”
- Matthew 12:15 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“learned”) which is understood as temporal
- Matthew 12:15 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Matthew 12:15 Some manuscripts have “many crowds”
- Matthew 12:16 Literally “make him known”
- Matthew 12:21 Or “the nations”; the same Greek word (in the plural) can be translated as “nations,” “Gentiles,” or “pagans”
- Matthew 12:21 Verses 18–21 are a quotation from Isa 42:1–4
- Matthew 12:24 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal
- Matthew 12:24 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Matthew 12:27 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Matthew 12:34 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“are”) which is understood as temporal
- Matthew 12:35 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Matthew 12:35 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Matthew 12:39 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Matthew 12:41 Here “something” is supplied in the translation because the adjective is neuter gender
- Matthew 12:42 Here “something” is supplied in the translation because the adjective is neuter gender
- Matthew 12:43 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Matthew 12:44 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“arrives”) which is understood as temporal
- Matthew 12:44 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Matthew 12:45 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“go in”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Matthew 12:46 Some manuscripts omit “And”
- Matthew 12:46 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“speaking”)
- Matthew 12:48 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
Matthew 12
International Standard Version
Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath(A)
12 At that time, Jesus walked through the grain fields on a Sabbath.[a] His disciples became hungry and began picking heads of grain to eat. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they told him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!”
3 But he told them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 How is it that he went into the house of God and ate the Bread of the Presence, which was not lawful for him and his companions to eat but was reserved[b] for the priests? 5 Or haven’t you read in the Law that on every Sabbath[c] the priests in the Temple violate the Sabbath[d] and yet are innocent?[e] 6 But I tell you, something greater than the Temple is here! 7 If you had known what ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice’[f] means, you would not have condemned the innocent, 8 for the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
Jesus Heals a Man with a Paralyzed Hand(B)
9 Moving on from there, Jesus[g] went into their synagogue. 10 Suddenly, a man with a paralyzed hand appeared. The people[h] asked Jesus[i] if it was lawful to heal on Sabbath days,[j] intending to accuse him of doing something wrong.
11 But he asked them, “Is there a man among you who, if he had one sheep and it fell into a ditch on the Sabbath, wouldn’t take hold of it and pull it out? 12 How much more is a human being worth than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on Sabbath days.”[k]
13 Then he told the man, “Hold out your hand.” He held it out and it became normal, as healthy as his other hand. 14 The Pharisees, however, went out and plotted against Jesus[l] to kill him.
Jesus, God’s Chosen Servant
15 When Jesus became aware of this, he left that place. Many crowds[m] followed him, and he healed all of them, 16 ordering them not to make him known. 17 This was to fulfill what was declared by the prophet Isaiah when he said,
18 “Here is my Servant whom I have chosen,
whom I love, and with whom I am pleased!
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will proclaim justice[n] to unbelievers.[o]
19 He will not quarrel or shout,
and no one will hear him shouting[p] in the streets.
20 He will not snap off a broken reed
or snuff out a smoldering wick
until he has brought justice[q] through to victory.
21 And in his name unbelievers[r] will hope.”[s]
Jesus is Accused of Working with Beelzebul(C)
22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to talk was brought to him. Jesus[t] healed him so that the man[u] could speak and see. 23 All the crowds were amazed and kept saying, “This man isn’t the Son of David, is he?”
24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.”
25 He knew what they were thinking and told them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 So if Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How, then, can his kingdom stand? 27 If I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own followers[v] drive them out? That is why they will be your judges! 28 But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. 29 How can someone go into a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions without first tying up the strong man? Then he can ransack his house. 30 The person who isn’t with me is against me, and the person who isn’t gathering with me is scattering. 31 So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven,[w] but 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.”
A Tree is Known by Its Fruit(D)
33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree rotten and its fruit rotten, because a tree is known by its fruit. 34 You children of serpents! How can you say anything good when you are evil? The mouth speaks about what overflows from the heart. 35 A good person brings good things out of a good treasure house, and an evil person brings evil things out of an evil treasure house. 36 I tell you, on Judgment Day people will give an account for every thoughtless[x] word they have uttered, 37 because by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
The Sign of Jonah(E)
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees told Jesus,[y] “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
39 But he replied to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves a sign. Yet no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah, 40 because just as Jonah was in the stomach of the sea creature for three days and three nights,[z] 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 at the judgment and condemn the people living today,[aa] because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. But look—something greater than Jonah is here! 42 The queen of the south will stand up and condemn the people living today,[ab] because she came from so far away[ac] to hear the wisdom of Solomon. But look! Something greater than Solomon is here!”
The Return of the Unclean Spirit(F)
43 “Whenever an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it wanders through waterless places looking for a place to rest, but finds none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will go back to my home that I left.’ When it arrives, it finds it empty, swept clean, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and settle there. And so the final condition of that person becomes worse than the first. That’s just what will happen to this evil generation!”
The True Family of Jesus(G)
46 While Jesus[ad] was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47 Someone told him, “Look! Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak to you.”[ae]
48 He asked the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 Then pointing with his hand at his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers, 50 because whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 12:1 Lit. on the Sabbaths
- Matthew 12:4 Lit. but only
- Matthew 12:5 Lit. on the Sabbaths
- Matthew 12:5 I.e. by carrying out priestly duties
- Matthew 12:5 Cf. Exod 25:30; 29:32-33; Lev 8:31
- Matthew 12:7 Cf. Hos 6:6
- Matthew 12:9 Lit. he
- Matthew 12:10 Lit. They
- Matthew 12:10 Lit. him
- Matthew 12:10 Lit. on the Sabbaths
- Matthew 12:12 Lit. on the Sabbaths
- Matthew 12:14 Lit. him
- Matthew 12:15 Other mss. lack crowds
- Matthew 12:18 Or judgment
- Matthew 12:18 Lit. gentiles; i.e. unbelieving non-Jews
- Matthew 12:19 Lit. hear his voice
- Matthew 12:20 Or judgment
- Matthew 12:21 Lit. gentiles; i.e. unbelieving non-Jews
- Matthew 12:21 Cf. Isa 42:1-4
- Matthew 12:22 Lit. He
- Matthew 12:22 Lit. the man who was unable to talk
- Matthew 12:27 Lit. sons
- Matthew 12:31 Lit. will be forgiven to people
- Matthew 12:36 Or worthless
- Matthew 12:38 Lit. him
- Matthew 12:40 Cf. Jonah 1:17
- Matthew 12:41 Lit. judgment with this generation and condemn it
- Matthew 12:42 Lit. judgment with this generation and condemn it
- Matthew 12:42 Lit. from the ends of the earth
- Matthew 12:46 Lit. he
- Matthew 12:47 Other mss. lack this verse
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