Matthew 12 — TCENT

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

12Verse 1At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and eat them.^{Verse 2}When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Behold, yoʋr disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”^{Verse 3}He said to them,“Have you not read what David did when he was hungry,⁺he and those who were with him,^{Verse 4}how he entered the house of God and⁺ate the bread of the Presence, which was not lawful for him or those who were with him to eat, but only for the priests?^{Verse 5}Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and yet are guiltless?^{Verse 6}But I tell you that⁺something greater than the temple is here.^{Verse 7}But if you had known what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.^{Verse 8}For the Son of Man is Lord⁺of the Sabbath.”

Jesus Heals a Man with a Withered Hand

^{Verse 9}Then he departed from there and went into their synagogue.^{Verse 10}And behold, there was a⁺man who had a withered hand. In order to accuse Jesus, the Pharisees asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”^{Verse 11}He said to them,“What man among you who has a sheep that falls into a pit on the Sabbath will not take hold of it and lift it out?^{Verse 12}Of how much more value is a person than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”^{Verse 13}Then he said to the man,“Stretch out yoʋr hand.”So he stretched it out, and it was restored, becoming as sound as the other.^{Verse 14}But the Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus as to how they might destroy him.

God's Chosen Servant

^{Verse 15}Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from there.⁺Large crowds followed him, and he healed them all^{Verse 16}and warned them not to make him known.^{Verse 17}This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah:^{Verse 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 will declare justice to the Gentiles.
^{Verse 19}He will not quarrel or cry out,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
^{Verse 20}A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not extinguish,
until he brings justice to victory.
^{Verse 21}And in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

Jesus and Beelzebul

^{Verse 22}Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and Jesus healed him, so that the⁺man who was blind and mute could speak and see.^{Verse 23}All the crowds were amazed and said, “Can this be the⁺Son of David?”^{Verse 24}But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the ruler of demons, that this man casts out demons.”^{Verse 25}Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them,“Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.^{Verse 26}So if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?^{Verse 27}And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom⁺do your followers cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.^{Verse 28}But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.^{Verse 29}Or how can anyone enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods unless he first binds the strong man? Then he⁺will plunder his house.^{Verse 30}Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.^{Verse 31}Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but⁺they will not be forgiven for blasphemy against the Spirit.^{Verse 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⁺the present age nor in the age to come.

A Tree Is Known by Its Fruit

^{Verse 33}“A tree is known by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will also be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will also be bad.^{Verse 34}You brood of vipers, how can you speak good things, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.^{Verse 35}The good person brings good things out of⁺his good treasure, and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasure.^{Verse 36}But I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give an account for every idle word they speak.^{Verse 37}For by yoʋr words yoʋ will be justified, and by yoʋr words yoʋ will be condemned.”

The Sign of Jonah

^{Verse 38}Then some of the scribes and Pharisees⁺responded, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from yoʋ.”^{Verse 39}But Jesus answered them,“An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.^{Verse 40}For just as⁺Jonah was in the belly of the great sea creature for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.^{Verse 41}The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.^{Verse 42}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, something greater than Solomon is here.

An Unclean Spirit Returns

^{Verse 43}“When an unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it goes through waterless places seeking rest, but does not find any.^{Verse 44}Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept, and put in order.^{Verse 45}Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and dwell there, and the last state of that person becomes worse than the first. So will it be with this evil generation also.”

Jesus' Mother and Brothers

^{Verse 46}While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.^{Verse 47+}Then someone said to him, “Behold, yoʋr mother and yoʋr brothers are standing outside, asking to speak to yoʋ.”^{Verse 48}But he replied to the one who spoke to him,“Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”^{Verse 49}And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said,“Behold, my mother and my brothers!^{Verse 50}For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”