Matthew 12
English Standard Version
Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath
12 At that time (A)Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and (B)they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, (C)“Look, your disciples are doing (D)what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” 3 He said to them, (E)“Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and ate (F)the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? 5 Or have you not read (G)in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? 6 I tell you, (H)something greater than the temple is here. 7 And if you had known (I)what this means, (J)‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For (K)the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”
A Man with a Withered Hand
9 He went on from there and (L)entered their synagogue. 10 And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, (M)“Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—(N)so that they might accuse him. 11 He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, (O)if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 (P)Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So (Q)it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And (R)the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.
God's Chosen Servant
15 Jesus, aware of this, (S)withdrew from there. And (T)many followed him, and he healed them all 16 and (U)ordered them not to make him known. 17 (V)This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:
18 (W)“Behold, my (X)servant whom I have chosen,
my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased.
(Y)I will put my Spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
19 He will not quarrel or cry aloud,
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 brings justice to victory;
21 (Z)and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”
Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit
22 (AA)Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23 (AB)And all the people were amazed, and said, (AC)“Can this be the Son of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, (AD)“It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” 25 (AE)Knowing their thoughts, (AF)he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, (AG)by whom do (AH)your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 But if it is (AI)by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then (AJ)the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or (AK)how can someone enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed (AL)he may plunder his house. 30 (AM)Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 (AN)Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but (AO)the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 And whoever speaks a word (AP)against the Son of Man (AQ)will be forgiven, but (AR)whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in (AS)this age or in the age to come.
A Tree Is Known by Its Fruit
33 (AT)“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, (AU)for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 (AV)You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, (AW)when you are evil? (AX)For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 (AY)The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36 I tell you, (AZ)on the day of judgment (BA)people will give account for (BB)every careless word they speak, 37 for (BC)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 answered him, saying, “Teacher, (BD)we wish to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, (BE)“An evil and (BF)adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For (BG)just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, (BH)so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 (BI)The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and (BJ)condemn it, for (BK)they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, (BL)something greater than Jonah is here. 42 (BM)The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, (BN)something greater than Solomon is here.
Return of an Unclean Spirit
43 “When (BO)the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through (BP)waterless 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 the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and (BQ)the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this (BR)evil generation.”
Jesus' Mother and Brothers
46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, (BS)his mother and his (BT)brothers[a] stood outside, asking to speak to him.[b] 48 But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For (BU)whoever (BV)does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 12:46 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 48, 49
- Matthew 12:46 Some manuscripts insert verse 47: Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak to you”
Matthew 12
Hawai‘i Pidgin
Dey Give Jesus Heat Bout Da Rest Day
12 Had one time, was da Jewish Rest Day, an Jesus an his guys wen walk thru da fields wea dey grow da wheat. His guys was real hungry. Dey wen pick litto bit wheat fo eat. 2 But had Pharisee guys ova dea dat wen see um do dat, an dey tell Jesus, “Eh, how come! Dese guys, you teaching dem, but still yet dey stay doing da kine stuff dey not suppose to do on da Rest Day!”
3 Jesus tell um, “Wot! You guys neva read inside da Bible wat David wen do, da time wen him an his guys was hungry? 4 He go inside Godʼs spesho house, an eat da bread dass spesho fo God. But no can do dat kine, cuz Godʼs Rules say dat ony da priest guys can eat um. But David, he eat um, an he give um to his guys too cuz dey hungry, an dass okay. 5 Wot! You guys neva read inside da Bible how da priest guys inside da temple gotta do tings on da Rest Day dat go agains da Godʼs Rules? But wen dey do um, dey no broke Godʼs Rules. 6 I tell you strait, get one guy ova hea mo importan den dat temple. Dass me! 7 Da Bible say, ‘I like my peopo make good to each odda an give each odda chance. Dat mo betta den jus make sacrifice inside da temple.’ If you guys wen know wat dis mean, den you guys no say dey wen broke Godʼs Rules, cuz dey neva. 8 I da Guy Dass Fo Real. I da one, da boss fo da Rest Day.”
Da Guy Wit Da Wasted Hand
9 Wen Jesus go way, he go inside da Jewish church. 10 An you know wat? Get one guy dea, his hand stay all any kine. Dey aks Jesus, “Stay okay fo make um come good on da Rest Day, o wat?” Dey say dat cuz dey like bus um.
11 He tell um, “If one a you guys get one sheep dat fall down inside one hole on da Rest Day, you goin grab um an pull um out, yeah? 12 You tink one sheep mo importan den one guy? So, az okay fo do good kine stuff on da Rest Day.”
13 Den he tell da guy wit da hand dat stay all any kine, “Stick out yoa hand.” An da guy stick um out, an da hand wen come good, jalike da odda hand. 14 But da Pharisee guys, dey go outside fo make plan togedda how dey goin kill Jesus.
Da Guy God Wen Send Fo Work Fo Him
15 Jesus wen know wat dey talking bout, so he go way from ova dea. Choke peopo go wit him, an he make all da sick peopo come good. 16 He tell dem dey betta not tell da odda guys who him. 17 Wen he do dis, dat make um happen jalike Isaiah wen say. (He da guy dat wen talk fo God long time ago, you know.) He say:
18 “Eh, try listen! Dis da guy dat work fo me.
He da guy I wen pick.
I get love an aloha fo him,
I stay real good inside cuz a him.
I goin give him my Spirit,
An he goin teach da peopos all ova da world wat stay right.
19 He no goin make argue o yell.
Nobody goin hear him talking loud in da street.
20 Da stick dat ready fo broke, he no goin broke um,
Da small fire dat ready fo pio, he no goin put um out,
Till bumbye he make everybody do how dey suppose to.
21 All da peopos all ova da world goin trus him,
Cuz dey goin know who him.”
Jesus An Da Bad Kine Spirits
22 Dey bring one guy dat get one bad kine spirit dat take ova him. Da guy no can see o talk, cuz da spirit no let um. An Jesus make da spirit let go da guy, an make da guy come good, so he can talk an see. 23 Da peopo, blow dea minds, an dey say, “Eh, dis da guy from King David ohana dat da Bible wen talk bout befo time, o wat?”
24 Da Pharisee guys hear dat, an dey say, “Nah! Was Beelzebul, da Devil. He da leada guy fo da bad kine spirits, you know, an he da one wen give dis guy da power fo make da spirit let go da guy, az why!”
25 Jesus wen know wat dey tinking. He tell um, “Da country dat beef each odda, dey ony bus up dea own self. Da town o da ohana dat beef each odda, no can stay strong. 26 If da Devil make his own guys let go da peopo, den he going agains himself. How he goin stay one strong king? 27 If dea boss Beelzebul give me power fo make da bad kine spirits let go da peopo, who give yoa guys dat kine power? Den wat? Yoa own guys goin show dat you guys stay wrong! 28 But if I make da bad kine spirits let go da peopo cuz I get power from Godʼs Spirit, dat show dat God stay King, an he taking ova, ova hea now.
29 How you tink one guy goin go bus inside one big moke house an rip off his stuffs? First, he gotta tie up da moke! Den can steal everyting. 30 If you no stay wit me, den you stay agains me. Da guy dat no work wit me, he ony work agains me. 31 Dass why I telling you guys, God can let peopo go an hemo dea shame fo all da kine bad stuff dey doing, no matta dey talk stink. But if dey talk stink bout Godʼs Good an Spesho Spirit, he no goin let um go an hemo da shame fo dat. 32 I da Guy Dass Fo Real. Whoeva talk agains me, God goin let um go an hemo da shame fo dat. But whoeva talk agains Godʼs Good an Spesho Spirit, God no goin let um go an hemo dea shame fo dat, now o foeva.
One Tree an Da Fruit
33 “You gotta figga lidis: Wen da tree good, den da fruit good. Wen da tree junk, den da fruit junk. Cuz da fruit goin show if da tree stay good o junk. 34 You guys jalike one snake ohana! You guys no good. How you guys goin talk good wen you guys not? Wateva stay inside you guys, goin come outa you guys mout. 35 Da good guy, he good inside, an he do good kine stuff. Da bad guy, he bad inside, an he do bad kine stuff. 36 I tell you guys strait, da day every guy stand in front God da Judge, he gotta tell how come he wen say all da no good stuff he wen say. 37 Cuz from wat you say, da Judge goin let you go, o he goin punish you.”
Eh, Show Us Proof!
38 Some teacha guys dat teach Godʼs Rules, an some Pharisee guys come by him. Dey say, “Eh, Teacha, we like see proof dat you get power!”
39 But he tell um, “Da guys nowdays dat do bad kine stuff an fool aroun behind Godʼs back, dey everytime like see proof, but dey ony goin see one proof jalike Jonah. He da guy dat wen talk fo God long time ago. 40 Jonah wen stay inside one big fish three days an three nites. Same ting, I Da Guy Dass Fo Real, an I goin stay unda da groun three days an three nites lidat.
41 “Da peopo inside Nineveh town goin stand in front God da Judge fo show proof dat da guys dat stay hea nowdays, dey doing bad kine stuff. Cuz da Nineveh peopo wen come sorry fo all da bad kine stuff dey wen do, an stop doing um, wen Jonah wen teach dem. But you guys, neva. An one guy mo importan den Jonah stay hea now. Dass me.
42 “Da queen from Sheba far away da sout side goin stand in front God da Judge an show dat da peopo dat stay hea nowdays, dey doing bad kine stuff. Cuz she wen come from far away fo listen King Solomon an all da smart stuff he wen say. But you guys neva listen. An one guy mo importan den Solomon stay ova hea wit you guys now. Dass me.
Da Bad Kine Spirit Come Back
43 “Wen one bad kine spirit let go one guy, dat spirit go all ova da boonies fo find one place fo rest, but no can find notting. 44 Den he say, ‘Eh, mo betta I go back to da place I wen stay befo.’ Wen he go dea, da guy jalike one place dat stay empty cuz dey wen sweep um an fix um up. 45 Den da bad spirit go get seven mo spirits dat mo worse den him, an dey all go back to da guy, an take um ova one mo time. Da guy who wen get da bad kine spirit come mo worse den befo. Az why hard fo da bad guys nowdays. Dey goin come mo worse den befo.”
Jesus Mudda an Bruddas
46 Wen Jesus stay talking to da peopo, had his mudda an brudda guys ova dea too, standing outside. Dey like talk to him. 47 One guy tell um, “Eh, yoa mudda an yoa bruddas, dey outside, an dey like talk to you.”
48 Jesus tell da guy, “Eh! Who you figga my mudda? Who you figga my bruddas?” 49 Den he poin to da guys he teaching, an he say, “Dese guys, dey my mudda an my bruddas. 50 Cuz whoeva do da tings my Fadda in da sky say, dey my brudda, an my sista, an my mudda.”
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
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Copyright © 2000 by Wycliffe Bible Translators International. All rights reserved
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
