Matthew 12
Modern English Version
The Question About the Sabbath(A)
12 At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry and began to pluck the heads of grain and to eat. 2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!”
3 But He said to them, “Have you not read what David and those who were with him did when he was hungry, 4 how he entered the house of God and ate the ritual bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for those who were with him, but only for the priests? 5 Or have you not read in the law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, but are blameless? 6 I say to you, in this place there is One who is greater than the temple. 7 If you had known what this meant, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
The Healing of the Withered Hand(B)
9 When He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. 10 And there was a man whose hand had withered. They asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” that they might accuse Him.
11 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 Then how much better 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 whole like the other. 14 Then the Pharisees went out and took counsel against Him, how they might kill Him.
The Chosen Servant
15 But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great crowds followed Him, and He healed them all, 16 and warned them that they should not make Him known, 17 to fulfill what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
18 “Here is My Servant, whom I have chosen,
My Beloved, in whom My soul is well pleased;
I will put My Spirit upon Him,
and He will render judgment to the Gentiles.
19 He shall not struggle nor cry out,
nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed He will not break,
and a smoldering wick He will not quench,
until He renders judgment unto victory;
21 and in His name will the Gentiles trust.”[a]
Jesus and Beelzebub(C)
22 Then one possessed with a demon was brought to Him, blind and mute, and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. 23 All the people were amazed and said, “Is He not the Son of David?”
24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “This Man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebub the ruler of the demons.”
25 Jesus 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. Then how 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, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
29 “Or else 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. 31 Therefore I say to you, all kinds of sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.
A Tree and Its Fruit(D)
33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree corrupt and its fruit corrupt. For the tree is known by its fruit. 34 O generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure 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 that men speak, they will give an account on the Day of Judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
The Demand for a Sign(E)
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from You.”
39 But He answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish,[b] so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah.[c] And now One greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And now One greater than Solomon is here.
The Return of the Unclean Spirit(F)
43 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through dry places seeking rest, but finds none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds it empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it be also with this evil generation.”
The Mother and Brothers of Jesus(G)
46 While He was still speaking to the people, right then His mother and His brothers stood outside asking to speak with Him. 47 Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside asking to speak with You.”
48 But He answered the man who told him, “Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?” 49 He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven is My brother, and sister, and mother.”
Footnotes
Matthew 12
21st Century King James Version
12 At that time, Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the corn; and His disciples were hungry and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat.
2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto Him, “Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath day.”
3 But He said unto them, “Have ye not read what David did when he hungered and they that were with him:
4 how he entered into the house of God and ate the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for those who were with him, but only for the priests?
5 Or have ye not read in the law how on the Sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are blameless?
6 But I say unto you, that in this place is One greater than the temple.
7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, ‘I will have mercy and not sacrifice,’ ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
8 For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.”
9 And when He had departed thence, He went into their synagogue.
10 And behold, there was a man who had his hand withered. And they asked Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days?” — that they might accuse Him.
11 And He said unto them, “What man shall there be among you that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, will not lay hold on it and lift it out?
12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days.”
13 Then He said to the man, “Stretch forth thine hand.” And he stretched it forth, and it was restored whole like the other.
14 Then the Pharisees went out and held a council against Him, how they might destroy Him.
15 But when Jesus knew of it, He withdrew Himself from thence. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all.
16 And He charged them that they should not make Him known,
17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying,
18 “Behold My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased: I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He shall show judgment to the Gentiles.
19 He shall not strive nor cry, neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench till He send forth judgment unto victory;
21 and in His name shall the Gentiles trust.”
22 Then was brought unto Him one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb; and He healed him, so that the blind and dumb both spoke and saw.
23 And all the people were amazed and said, “Is not this the Son of David?”
24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “This fellow doth not cast out devils, except by Beelzebub, the prince of devils.”
25 And Jesus knew their thoughts and said unto them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.
26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?
27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.
28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God is come unto you.
29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house and despoil his goods, unless he first bind the strong man? And then he will despoil his house.
30 “He that is not with Me is against Me, and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad.
31 Therefore I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men, but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
33 Either make the tree good and his fruit good, or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by his fruit.
34 “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things; and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
36 But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the Day of Judgment.
37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”
38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, “Master, we would see a sign from thee.”
39 But He answered and said unto them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign, and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah.
40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in the Judgment with this generation and shall condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here.
42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the Judgment with this generation and shall condemn it, for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
43 “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
44 Then he saith, ‘I will return into my house from whence I came out.’ And when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.”
46 While He yet talked to the people, behold, His mother and His brethren stood outside, desiring to speak with Him.
47 Then one said unto Him, “Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand outside, desiring to speak with thee.”
48 But He answered and said unto him that told Him, “Who is My mother? And who are My brethren?”
49 And He stretched forth His hand toward His disciples and said, “Behold, My mother and My brethren!
50 For whosoever shall do the will of My Father who is in Heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother.”
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.