Mat 12 | ABEn | STEP | In that time Jesus went on the Sabbaths through the corn-fields. And his disciples hungered, and they began to pluck ears of corn and to eat.

Matthew 12

CHAPTER 12 Jesus is Master of the Sabbath

1 In that time Jesus went on the Sabbaths through the corn-fields. And his disciples hungered, and they began to pluck ears of corn and to eat. 2 And the Pharisees seeing, said to him, Behold, your disciples do what is not allowed to do on the Sabbath. 3 And he said to them, Did you not read what David did when he hungered and the ones with him? 4 How he entered into the house of God, and the bread loaves of the place setting he ate, which [²not ³allowable ¹was] for him to eat, nor to the ones with him, except for the priests alone? 5 Or did you not read in the law, that on the Sabbaths the priests in the temple [²the ³Sabbath ¹profane], and they are innocent? 6 But I say to you that [²the ³temple ¹a greater than] is here. 7 And if you had known what it is, Mercy I want and not sacrifice; you would not have judged against the innocent. 8 [⁶master ¹For ⁵is ⁷of the ⁸Sabbath ²the ³son ⁴of man]. 9 And having crossed over from there, he came into their synagogue.

Jesus Heals the Man with the Withered Hand

10 And behold, there was a man [²a hand ¹having] withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it allowed on the Sabbaths to cure? that they should charge him. 11 And he said to them, What [²will be ³of ⁴you ¹man] who shall have [²sheep ¹one], and if this one should fall on the Sabbaths into a cistern, shall not grab hold of it and raise it? 12 How much then differs a man than a sheep? So that it is allowed [³on the ⁴Sabbaths ²well ¹to do]. 13 Then he says to the man, Stretch out your hand! And he stretched it out, and it was restored in health as the other. 14 And the Pharisees [²council ¹took] against him, having gone forth, how they should destroy him. 15 But Jesus having known he withdrew from there. And [³followed ⁴him ²multitudes ¹great], and he cured them all. 16 And he gave reproach to them that [²not ³openly ⁵him known ¹they should ⁴make], 17 so that should be fulfilled the thing having been spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, 18 Behold, my child whom I selected, my beloved for whom [²takes pleasure in ¹my soul]; I will put my spirit upon him, and [²judgment ³to the ⁴nations ¹he will report]. 19 He shall not contend nor cry out, nor shall anyone hear [²in ³the ⁴squares ¹his voice]. 20 A reed being broken he shall not break away, and [²flax ¹smoldering] he shall not extinguish, until whenever he should cast forth [²into ³victory ¹equity]. 21 And in his name nations shall hope. 22 Then was brought to him one being demon-possessed, blind and mute. And he cured him, so as for the blind and mute one even to speak and to see. 23 And [⁴were amazed ¹all ²the ³multitudes] and said, [²not ³this ¹Is] the Christ, the son of David?

The Pharisees Question Jesus

24 But the Pharisees having heard, said, This one does not cast out the demons, except by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons. 25 [³knowing ¹But ²Jesus] their thinking, said to them, Every kingdom portioned out against itself is made desolate. And every city or house being portioned out against itself shall not be left standing. 26 And if Satan [²Satan ¹casts out], [²against ³himself ¹he portions]; how then shall [²be left standing ¹his kingdom]? 27 And if I by Beelzebul cast out the demons, [²do your sons ¹by what means] cast out? On account of this they will be your judges. 28 But if I by spirit of God cast out the demons, surely then came upon you the kingdom of God. 29 Or how is anyone able to enter into the house of a strong man and [²his equipment ¹plunder], if not first he ties up the strong man? And then [²his house ¹he shall plunder]? 30 The one not being with me [²against ³me ¹is], and the one not gathering together with me disperses.

Blasphemy of the Spirit

31 On account of this I say to you, Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven to the men; but the [²of the ³spirit ¹blasphemy] shall not be forgiven to the men. 32 And whoever should say a word against the son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but the one who should speak against the [²spirit ¹holy], it shall not be forgiven him, neither in the present eon, nor in the one about to be. 33 Then make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree rotten, and its fruit rotten! For of the fruit the tree is known. 34 Offspring of vipers, how are you able [²good things ¹to speak], being wicked? For from out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good man from the good treasury of the heart casts forth the good things; and the wicked man from the wicked treasury casts forth the wicked things. 36 But I say to you that every [²saying ¹rough], which ever [²shall speak ¹men], they shall render for it a reckoning in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.

The Wicked Seek a Sign

38 Then answered some of the scribes and Pharisees, saying, Teacher, we want [³from ⁴you ²a sign ¹to see]. 39 And he answering said to them, A generation wicked and adulterous [²a sign ¹seeks anxiously]; and a sign shall not be given it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet. 40 For as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will [⁴be ¹the ²son ³of man] in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. 41 Ninevite men shall rise up in the judgment with this generation and shall condemn it, for they repented at the proclamation of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here. 42 The queen of the south shall rise in the judgment with this generation and shall condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here. 43 But whenever the unclean spirit should go forth from the man, it goes through waterless places, seeking rest, and does not find. 44 Then it says, I will return unto my house from where I came forth. And having come it finds relaxing, being swept, and being adorned. 45 Then it goes and takes with himself seven other spirits more wicked than itself. And entering it dwells there; and becomes the last of that man worse than the first. So it will be also to [³generation ¹this ²evil].

Jesus' Mother and Brothers

46 And yet of his speaking to the multitudes, behold, the mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him. 47 And said a certain one to him, Behold, your mother and your brothers are outside standing, seeking to speak to you. 48 And he responding said to the one speaking to him, Who is my mother, and who are my brothers? 49 And stretching out his hand unto his disciples, he said, Behold, my mother and my brothers. 50 For who ever should do the will of my father, of the one in heavens, he [²my ³brother ⁴and ⁵sister ⁶and ⁷mother ¹is].