Matthew 12
International Children’s Bible
Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath
12 About that same time, Jesus was walking through some fields of grain on a Sabbath day. His followers were with him, and they were hungry. So they began to pick the grain and eat it. 2 The Pharisees saw this, and they said to Jesus, “Look! Your followers are doing something that is against the Jewish law to do on the Sabbath day.”
3 Jesus answered, “Have you not read what David did when he and the people with him were hungry? 4 David went into God’s house. He and those with him ate the bread that was made holy for God. It was against the law for them to eat that bread. Only the priests were allowed to eat it. 5 And have you not read in the law of Moses that on every Sabbath day the priests in the Temple break this law about the Sabbath day? But the priests are not wrong for doing that. 6 I tell you that there is something here that is greater than the Temple. 7 The Scripture says, ‘I want faithful love more than I want animal sacrifices.’[a] You don’t really know what those words mean. If you understood them, you would not judge those who have done nothing wrong.
8 “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath day.”
Jesus Heals a Man’s Crippled Hand
9 Jesus left there and went into their synagogue. 10 In the synagogue, there was a man with a crippled hand. Some Jews there were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus of doing wrong. So they asked him, “Is it right to heal on the Sabbath day?”[b]
11 Jesus answered, “If any of you has a sheep, and it falls into a ditch on the Sabbath day, then you will take the sheep and help it out of the ditch. 12 Surely a man is more important than a sheep. So the law of Moses allows people to do good things on the Sabbath day.”
13 Then Jesus said to the man with the crippled hand, “Let me see your hand.” The man put his hand out, and the hand became well again, the same as the other hand. 14 But the Pharisees left and made plans to kill Jesus.
Jesus Is God’s Chosen Servant
15 Jesus knew what the Pharisees were doing, so he left that place. Many people followed him, and he healed all who were sick. 16 But Jesus warned the people not to tell who he was. 17 He did these things to make come true what Isaiah the prophet had said:
18 “Here is my servant whom I have chosen.
I love him, and I am pleased with him.
I will put my Spirit in him.
Then he will tell how I will judge all people fairly.
19 He will not argue or shout.
No one will hear his voice in the streets.
20 He will not break a crushed blade of grass.
He will not put out even a weak flame.
He will continue until he makes fair judgment win the victory.
21 In him will the nations find hope.” Isaiah 42:1-4
Jesus’ Power Is from God
22 Then some people brought a man to Jesus. This man was blind and could not talk, because he had a demon. Jesus healed the man, and the man could talk and see. 23 All the people were amazed. They said, “Perhaps this man is the Son of David!”
24 The Pharisees heard the people saying this. The Pharisees said, “Jesus uses the power of Beelzebul to force demons out of people. Beelzebul is the ruler of demons.”
25 Jesus knew what the Pharisees were thinking. So he said to them, “Every kingdom that is fighting against itself will be destroyed. And every city that is divided will fall. And every family that is divided cannot succeed. 26 So if Satan forces out his own demons, then Satan is divided, and his kingdom will not continue. 27 You say that I use the power of Satan when I force out demons. If that is true, then what power do your people use when they force out demons? So your own people prove that you are wrong. 28 But if I use the power of God’s Spirit to force out demons, this shows that the kingdom of God has come to you.
29 “If anyone wants to enter a strong man’s house and steal his things, first he must tie up the strong man. Then he can steal the things from the strong man’s house.
30 “If anyone is not with me, then he is against me. He who does not work with me is working against me. 31 So I tell you, people can be forgiven for every sin they do. And people can be forgiven for every bad thing they say. But if anyone speaks against the Holy Spirit, then he will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who says things against the Son of Man can be forgiven. But anyone who says things against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. He will not be forgiven now or in the future.
People Know You by Your Words
33 “If you want good fruit, you must make the tree good. If your tree is not good, then it will have bad fruit. A tree is known by the kind of fruit it produces. 34 You snakes! You are evil people! How can you say anything good? The mouth speaks the things that are in the heart. 35 A good person has good things in his heart. And so he speaks the good things that come from his heart. But an evil person has evil in his heart. So he speaks the evil things that come from his heart. 36 And I tell you that people will have to explain about every careless thing they have said. This will happen on the Judgment Day. 37 The words you have said will be used to judge you. Some of your words will prove you right, but some of your words will prove you guilty.”
The Leaders Ask for a Miracle
38 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law answered Jesus. They said, “Teacher, we want to see you work a miracle as a sign.”
39 Jesus answered, “Evil and sinful people are the ones who want to see a miracle for a sign. But no sign will be given to them. The only sign will be what happened to the prophet Jonah. 40 Jonah was in the stomach of the big fish for three days and three nights. In the same way, the Son of Man will be in the grave three days and three nights. 41 And on the Judgment Day the men from Nineveh[c] will stand up with you people who live today. They will show that you are guilty because when Jonah preached to them, they were sorry and changed their lives. And I tell you that someone greater than Jonah is here! 42 On the Judgment Day, the Queen of the South[d] will stand up with you people who live today. She will show that you are guilty because she came from far away to listen to Solomon’s wise teaching. And I tell you that someone greater than Solomon is here!
People Today Are Full of Evil
43 “When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it travels through dry places looking for a place to rest. But it finds no place to rest. 44 So the spirit says, ‘I will go back to the home I left.’ When the spirit comes back to the man, the spirit finds the home still empty. The home is swept clean and made neat. 45 Then the evil spirit goes out and brings seven other spirits even more evil than it is. Then all the spirits go into the man and live there. And that man has even more trouble than he had before. It is the same way with the evil people who live today.”
Jesus’ True Family
46 While Jesus was talking to the people, his mother and brothers stood outside. They wanted to talk to him. 47 Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and brothers are waiting for you outside. They want to talk to you.”[e]
48 He answered, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 49 Then he pointed to his followers and said, “See! These people are my mother and my brothers. 50 My true brothers and sisters and mother are those who do the things that my Father in heaven wants.”
Footnotes
- 12:7 ‘I . . . sacrifices.’ Quotation from Hosea 6:6.
- 12:10 “Is it right . . . day?” It was against Jewish law to work on the Sabbath day.
- 12:41 Nineveh The city where Jonah preached to warn the people. Read Jonah 3.
- 12:42 Queen of the South The Queen of Sheba. She traveled 1,000 miles to learn God’s wisdom from Solomon. Read 1 Kings 10:1–13.
- 12:47 Someone . . . you. Some Greek copies do not have verse 47.
Matthew 12
1599 Geneva Bible
12 1 The disciples pluck the ears of corn. 6 Mercy, sacrifice. 10 The withered hand is healed. 12 We must do good on the Sabbath. 22 The possessed is holpen. 25 A kingdom divided. 31 Sin, blasphemy. 33 The good or evil tree. 34 Vipers. 38 The Ninevites. 42 The Queen of Sheba. 48 The true mother and brethren of Christ.
1 At (A)[a]that time Jesus went on a Sabbath day through the corn, and his disciples were an hungered, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat.
2 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do (B)that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath.
3 But he said unto them, (C)Have ye not read what David did when he was an hungered, and they that were with him?
4 How he went into the house of God, and did eat the [b]showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the (D)Priests?
5 Or have ye not read in the Law, how that on the Sabbath days the Priests in the Temple (E)[c]break the Sabbath, and are blameless?
6 But I say unto you, that here is one greater than the Temple.
7 Wherefore if ye knew what this is, (F)I will have mercy and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the innocents.
8 For the son of man is Lord, even of the Sabbath.
9 (G)[d]And he departed thence, and went into their Synagogue:
10 And behold, there was a man which had his hand dried up. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal upon a Sabbath day? that they might accuse him.
11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that hath a sheep, and if it fall on the Sabbath day into a pit, doth not take it and lift it out?
12 How much more then is a man better than a sheep? therefore, it is lawful to do well on a Sabbath day.
13 Then said he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth, and it was made whole as the other.
14 [e]Then the Pharisees went out, and consulted against him, how they might destroy him.
15 But when Jesus knew it, he departed thence, and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all,
16 And charged them in threatening wise, that they should not make him known,
17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the Prophet, saying,
18 (H)Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul delighteth: I will put my Spirit on him, and he shall show [f]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 [g]bring forth judgment unto victory.
21 And in his Name shall the Gentiles trust.
22 ¶ (I)[h]Then was brought to him one possessed with a devil, both blind and dumb, and he healed him, so that he which was blind and dumb, both spake and saw,
23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this that son of David?
24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, (J)This man casteth the devils no otherwise out but through Beelzebub the prince of devils.
25 [i]But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them, Every kingdom divided against itself, is brought to naught, and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.
26 So if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself: how shall then his kingdom endure?
27 Also if I through 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 is the kingdom of God come unto you.
29 Else how can a man enter into a strong man’s house and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man, and then spoil his house?
30 He that is not with me, is against me: and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth.
31 (K)Wherefore I say unto you, Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
32 And whosoever shall speak a word against the son of man, it shall be forgiven him: [j]but whosoever shall speak against the holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.
33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good: or else make the tree evil, and his fruit evil: for the tree is known by the fruit.
34 [k]O generations of vipers, how can you speak good things, when ye are evil? For of the (L)abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of an evil treasure, bringeth forth evil things.
36 But I say unto you, that of every [l]idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof at the day of judgment.
37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
38 ¶ (M)[m]Then answered certain of the Scribes and of the Pharisees, saying, Master, we would see a sign of thee.
39 But he answered and said to them, An evil and [n]adulterous generation seeketh a sign, but no sign shall be given unto it, save that sign of the Prophet Jonah.
40 (N)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 [o]The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and condemn it: for they (O)repented at the preaching of Jonah: and behold, a greater than Jonah is here.
42 (P)The Queen of the [p]South shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the [q]utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon: and behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
43 ¶ (Q)Now when the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh throughout dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
44 Then he saith, I will return into mine house from whence I came: and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept and garnished.
45 ¶ Then he goeth, and taketh unto him seven other spirits worse than himself, and they enter in, and dwell there: (R)and the end of that man is worse than the beginning. Even so shall it be with this wicked generation.
46 ¶ [r](S)While he yet spake to the multitude, behold, his mother, and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
48 But he answered, and said to him that told him, Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?
49 [s]And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples and said, Behold my mother, and my brethren.
50 For whosoever shall do my Father’s will which is in heaven, the same is my brother and sister and mother.
Footnotes
- Matthew 12:1 Of the true sanctifying of the Sabbath, and the abrogating of it.
- Matthew 12:4 The Hebrews call it bread of faces, because it stood before the Lord all the weeks upon the golden table appointed to that service, Lev. 24:6.
- Matthew 12:5 When the Priests do God’s service upon the Sabbath day, yet they break not the Law: much less doth the Lord of the Sabbath break the Sabbath.
- Matthew 12:9 The ceremonies of the Law are not against the love of our neighbor.
- Matthew 12:14 How far and in what respect we may give place to the unbridled rage of the wicked.
- Matthew 12:18 By judgment is meant a settled state because Christ was to publish true religion among the Gentiles, and to cast out superstition, which thing wheresoever it is done, the Lord is said to reign and judge there, that is to say, to govern and rule matters.
- Matthew 12:20 He shall pronounce sentence and judgment, maugre the world and Satan, and show himself conqueror over all his enemies.
- Matthew 12:22 A truth be it never so manifest, is subject to the slander of the wicked: yet notwithstanding it ought to be avouched stoutly.
- Matthew 12:25 The kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of the devil cannot consist together.
- Matthew 12:32 Of blasphemy against the holy Ghost.
- Matthew 12:34 Hypocrites at the length betray themselves even by their own mouth.
- Matthew 12:36 Vain and unprofitable trifles which the most part of men spend their lives in.
- Matthew 12:38 Against froward desires of miracles.
- Matthew 12:39 Bastard, which fell from Abraham’s faith, or forsook the true worship of God.
- Matthew 12:41 Christ teacheth by the sorrowful example of the Jews, that there are none more miserable than they which put out the light of the Gospel which was kindled in them.
- Matthew 12:42 He meaneth the Queen of Sheba: whose country is South in respect of the land of Israel, 1 Kings 10.
- Matthew 12:42 For Sheba is situated in the utmost coast of . . . Arabia at the mouth of the Arabian Sea.
- Matthew 12:46 Christ teacheth by his own example, how that all things ought to be set apart in respect of God’s glory.
- Matthew 12:49 None are more near unto us, than they that are of the household of faith.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
