Matthew 12

Jesus and the Sabbath

1 “One Sabbath, Jesus and His disciples were walking through some grain fields. The disciples were hungry, so they started picking and eating the heads of grain.”

2 “The Pharisees saw this and said, ‘Listen, why are your boys doing what is not allowed on the Sabbath,’”

3 “Jesus said, ‘Have you not all read what David did when he and his crew were hungry,’”

4 “‘He went into the house of God and ate the holy bread, which was only for the priests, and shared it with his boys.’”

5 “‘Or have you not read in the Law that the priests in the temple break the Sabbath rules every week and still stay innocent,’”

6 “‘I am telling you, someone greater than the temple is here.’”

7 “‘If you all understood what this means, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice”, you would not be out here accusing innocent people.’”

8 “‘The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.’”

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

9 “Jesus went into their synagogue,”

10 “and there was a man with a shriveled hand. They asked Him, ‘Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?’ They were trying to trap Him.”

11 “Jesus said, ‘If one of you all had a sheep and it fell into a pit on the Sabbath, would you not pull it out,’”

12 “‘How much more valuable is a person than a sheep, So yeah, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.’”

13 “Then He said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ The man stretched it out, and it was healed, just as good as the other one.”

14 “But the Pharisees left and started plotting how to kill Jesus.”

God’s Chosen Servant

15 “Jesus knew what they were up to and dipped. Large crowds followed Him, and He healed everyone.”

16 “He told them not to tell anyone about Him.”

17 “This fulfilled what the prophet Isaiah said:”

18 “‘Here is My servant, whom I have chosen, My beloved, in whom I delight. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will proclaim justice to the nations.’”

19 “‘He will not argue or shout; no one will hear Him raising His voice in the streets.’”

20 “‘He will not break a bruised reed or snuff out a smoldering wick until He brings justice to victory.’”

21 “‘In His name, the nations will put their hope.’”

Jesus and Beelzebul

22 “A demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him so he could see and talk.”

23 “The crowd was blown away and said, ‘Could this be the Son of David?’”

24 “But the Pharisees said, ‘Nah, He is casting out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons.’”

25 “Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every house divided against itself will not stand.’”

26 “‘If Satan drives out Satan, he is working against himself. How is his kingdom supposed to stand,’”

27 “‘If I drive out demons by Beelzebul, who do your people cast them out by, They will be your judges.’”

28 “‘But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.’”

29 “‘How can someone break into a strong man’s house and take his stuff unless they tie him up first, Then they can rob the place.’”

30 “‘If you are not with Me, you are against Me. If you do not gather with Me, you are scattering.’”

Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit

31 “‘Every sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.’”

32 “‘If you speak against the Son of Man, you can be forgiven. But if you speak against the Holy Spirit, there is no forgiveness, in this life or the next.’”

A Tree Is Known by Its Fruit

33 “‘If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. You know a tree by its fruit.’”

34 “‘You all are a brood of vipers. How can you say anything good when you are full of evil, The mouth speaks what the heart’s full of.’”

35 “‘Good people bring good things from a good heart, and evil people bring evil things from an evil heart.’”

36 “‘I am telling you, on judgment day, people will answer for every careless word they speak.’”

37 “‘By your words, you will either be acquitted or condemned.’”

The Sign of Jonah

38 “Some Pharisees and teachers of the law said, ‘Teacher, show us a sign.’”

39 “Jesus said, ‘This wicked generation is always asking for a sign, but the only one you will get is the sign of Jonah.’”

40 “‘Just like Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and nights, so the Son of Man will be in the earth for three days and nights.’”

41 “‘The people of Nineveh will stand up on judgment day and condemn this generation, because they repented when Jonah preached. But Someone greater than Jonah is here.’”

42 “‘The Queen of Sheba will condemn this generation too, because she came to hear Solomon’s wisdom. But Someone greater than Solomon is here.’”

An Unclean Spirit Returns

43 “‘When an unclean spirit leaves someone, it goes through dry places looking for rest but finds none.’”

44 “‘Then it says, “I am going back to where I came from.” When it gets there, it finds the house empty, clean, and set up nice.’”

45 “‘Then it brings seven more spirits, worse than itself, and they all move in. That person ends up worse off than before. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.’”

Jesus’ True Family

46 “While Jesus was talking to the crowd, His mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to talk to Him.”

47 “Someone said, ‘Listen, Your mom and brothers are outside. They want to talk to You.’”

48 “Jesus said, ‘Who is My mom, Who are My brothers?’”

49 “He pointed to His disciples and said, ‘Here are My mother and My brothers.’”

50 “‘Anyone who does My Father’s will is My brother, sister, and mother.’”