Matthew 12

The Lord of the Sabbath

1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick [the] heads of grain and eat [them] . 2 [When] [the] Pharisees saw [this] , they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on [the] Sabbath.” 3 [Jesus] replied, “vvv Have you not read what David did when {he} and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and [he and his companions] ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for [them] to eat, but only for the priests. 5 Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and yet are innocent? 6 But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7 If only you had known the meaning of ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ ▼

▼Hosea 6:6

you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

9 Moving on from there, [Jesus] entered their synagogue, 10 and a man with a withered hand [was there] . In order to accuse [Jesus] , they asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” 11 He replied, “If one of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift [it] out? 12 How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then [Jesus] said to [the] man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched [it] out, and it was restored to full use, just like the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out [and] conspired to kill [Jesus] .

God's Chosen Servant

15 Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Large crowds followed Him, and He healed them all, 16 warning them not to make Him known. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: 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. 19 He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear His voice in the streets. 20 A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish, till He leads justice to victory. 21 In His name [the] nations will put their hope.” ▼

▼Isaiah 42:1-4

A House Divided

22 Then a demon-possessed man [who was] blind and mute was brought to [Jesus] , and He healed [the man] so that [he] could speak and see. 23 The crowds were astounded and asked, “Could this be the Son of David?” 24 But when [the] Pharisees heard this, they said, “Only by Beelzebul, [the] prince of the demons, {does} this [man] drive out demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, [Jesus] said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then {can} his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom {do} your sons drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if I drive out demons by [the] Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 How can anyone enter a strong [man’s] house and steal his possessions, unless {he} first ties up the strong [man] ? Then he can plunder his house. 30 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who {does} not gather with Me scatters.

The Unpardonable Sin

31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the 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.

Good and Bad Fruit

33 Make a tree good and its fruit [will be] good, or make a tree bad and its fruit [will be] bad; for a tree is known by [its] fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. 35 The good man brings good things out of his good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure. 36 But I tell you that men will give an account on [the] day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 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.” 39 [Jesus] replied, “A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, [but] none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now [One] greater than Jonah is here. 42 The queen of [the] south will rise 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 now [One] greater than Solomon is here.

An Unclean Spirit Returns

43 When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through arid places seeking rest and does not find [it] . 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ On its return, it finds [the house] vacant, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in [and] dwell there; and the final [plight] of that man is worse than the first. So will it be with this wicked generation.”

Jesus' Mother and Brothers

46 While [Jesus] was still speaking to the crowds, His mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to Him. ▼

▼WH and some manuscripts do not include verse 47

47 Someone told Him, “Look, Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to You.” 48 But [Jesus] replied, “Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?” 49 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.”