Matthew 12
12
1 At that time, Jesus went out through the ripe grain on the Sabbath. And his disciples, being hungry, began to separate the grain and to eat.
2 Then the Pharisees, seeing this, said to him, "Behold, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbaths."
3 But he said to them: "Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him:
4 how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?
5 Or have you not read in the law, that on the Sabbaths the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath, and they are without guilt?
6 But I say to you, that something greater than the temple is here.
7 And if you knew what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would never have condemned the innocent.
8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath."
9 And when he had passed from there, he went into their synagogues.
10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand, and they questioned him, so that they might accuse him, saying, "Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbaths?"
11 But he said to them: "Who is there among you, having even one sheep, if it will have fallen into a pit on the Sabbath, would not take hold of it and lift it up?
12 How much better is a man than a sheep? And so, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbaths."
13 Then he said to the man, "Extend your hand." And he extended it, and it was restored to health, just like the other one.
14 Then the Pharisees, departing, took council against him, as to how they might destroy him.
15 But Jesus, knowing this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he cured them all.
16 And he instructed them, lest they make him known.
17 Then what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah was fulfilled, saying:
18 "Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I will place my Spirit over him, and he shall announce judgment to the nations.
19 He shall not contend, nor cry out, neither shall anyone hear his voice in the streets.
20 He shall not crush the bruised reed, and he shall not extinguish the smoking wick, until he sends forth judgment unto victory.
21 And the Gentiles shall hope in his name."
22 Then one who had a demon, who was blind and mute, was brought to him. And he cured him, so that he spoke and saw.
23 And all the crowds were stupefied, and they said, "Could this be the son of David?"
24 But the Pharisees, hearing it, said, "This man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebub, the prince of the demons."
25 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself will become desolate. And every city or house divided against itself will not stand.
26 So if Satan casts out Satan, then he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your own sons cast them out? Therefore, they shall be your judges.
28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has arrived among you.
29 Or how can anyone enter into the house of a strong man, and plunder his belongings, unless he first restrains the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.
30 Whoever is not with me, is against me. And whoever does not gather with me, scatters.
31 For this reason, I say to you: Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.
32 And anyone who will have spoken a word against the Son of man shall be forgiven. But whoever will have spoken against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven, neither in this age, nor in the future age.
33 Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree evil and its fruit evil. For certainly a tree is known by its fruit.
34 Progeny of vipers, how are you able to speak good things while you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
35 A good man offers good things from a good storehouse. And an evil man offers evil things from an evil storehouse.
36 But I say to you, that for every idle word which men will have spoken, they shall render an account in the day of judgment.
37 For by your words shall you be justified, and by your words shall you be condemned."
38 Then certain ones from the scribes and the Pharisees responded to him, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you."
39 And answering, he said to them: "An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign. But a sign will not be given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
40 For just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights, so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
41 The men of Nineveh shall arise in judgment with this generation, and they shall condemn it. For, at the preaching of Jonah, they repented. And behold, there is a greater than Jonah here.
42 The Queen of the South shall arise in judgment with this generation, and she shall condemn it. For she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And behold, there is a greater than Solomon here.
43 Now when an unclean spirit departs from a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, and he does not find it.
44 Then he says, 'I will return to my house, from which I departed'. And arriving, he finds it vacant, swept clean, and decorated.
45 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and live there. And in the end, the man becomes worse than he was at first. So, too, shall it be with this most wicked generation."
46 While he was still speaking to the crowds, behold, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak with him.
47 And someone said to him: "Behold, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, seeking you."
48 But responding to the one speaking to him, he said, "Which one is my mother, and who are my brothers?"
49 And extending his hand to his disciples, he said: "Behold: my mother and my brothers.
50 For anyone who does the will of my Father, who is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother."
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Matthew 12: CPDV
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Matthew 12
12
Working on the Sabbath
1At that time Jesus went through the wheat fields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry so they were picking heads of wheat and eating them. 2When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are breaking the Sabbath law.”
3But he said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and those with him were hungry? 4He went into God’s house and broke the law by eating the bread of the presence, which only the priests were allowed to eat. 5Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple treat the Sabbath as any other day and are still innocent? 6But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7If you had known what this means, I want mercy and not sacrifice,#12.7 Hos 6:6 you wouldn’t have condemned the innocent. 8The Human One#12.8 Or Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
Healing on the Sabbath
9Jesus left that place and went into their synagogue. 10A man with a withered hand was there. Wanting to bring charges against Jesus, they asked, “Does the Law allow a person to heal on the Sabbath?”
11Jesus replied, “Who among you has a sheep that falls into a pit on the Sabbath and will not take hold of it and pull it out? 12How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! So the Law allows a person to do what is good on the Sabbath.” 13Then Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he did and it was made healthy, just like the other one. 14The Pharisees went out and met in order to find a way to destroy Jesus.
Healing the crowd
15Jesus knew what they intended to do, so he went away from there. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them all. 16But he ordered them not to spread the word about him, 17so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled:
18 Look, my Servant whom I chose,
the one I love, in whom I find great pleasure.
I’ll put my Spirit upon him,
and he’ll announce judgment to the Gentiles.
19 He won’t argue or shout,
and nobody will hear his voice in the streets.
20 He won’t break a bent stalk,
and he won’t snuff out a smoldering wick,
until he makes justice win.
21 And the Gentiles will put their hope in his name. # 12.21 Isa 42:1-4
22They brought to Jesus a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to speak. Jesus healed him so that he could both speak and see. 23All the crowds were amazed and said, “This man couldn’t be the Son of David, could he?”
24When the Pharisees heard, they said, “This man throws out demons only by the authority of Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.”
25Because Jesus knew what they were thinking, he replied, “Every kingdom involved in civil war becomes a wasteland. Every city or house torn apart by divisions will collapse. 26If Satan throws out Satan, he is at war with himself. How then can his kingdom endure? 27And if I throw out demons by the authority of Beelzebul, then by whose authority do your followers throw them out? Therefore, they will be your judges. 28But if I throw out demons by the power of God’s Spirit, then God’s kingdom has already overtaken you. 29Can people go into a house that belongs to a strong man and steal his possessions, unless they first tie up the strong man? Then they can rob his house. 30Whoever isn’t with me is against me, and whoever doesn’t gather with me scatters.
Insulting the Holy Spirit
31 “Therefore, I tell you that people will be forgiven for every sin and insult to God. But insulting the Holy Spirit won’t be forgiven. 32And whoever speaks a word against the Human One#12.32 Or Son of Man will be forgiven. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit won’t be forgiven, not in this age or in the age that is coming.
Trees and fruits
33“Either consider the tree good and its fruit good, or consider the tree rotten and its fruit rotten. A tree is known by its fruit. 34Children of snakes! How can you speak good things while you are evil? What fills the heart comes out of the mouth. 35Good people bring out good things from their good treasure. But evil people bring out evil things from their evil treasure. 36I tell you that people will have to answer on Judgment Day for every useless word they speak. 37By your words you will be either judged innocent or condemned as guilty.”
Request for a sign
38At that time some of the legal experts and the Pharisees requested of Jesus, “Teacher, we would like to see a sign from you.”
39But he replied, “An evil and unfaithful generation searches for a sign, but it won’t receive any sign except Jonah’s sign. 40Just as Jonah was in the whale’s belly for three days and three nights,#12.40 Jonah 1:17 so the Human One#12.40 Or Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. 41The citizens of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it as guilty, because they changed their hearts and lives in response to Jonah’s preaching. And look, someone greater than Jonah is here. 42The queen of the South will be raised up by God at the judgment with this generation and condemn it because she came from a distant land to hear Solomon’s wisdom. And look, someone greater than Solomon is here.
Unclean spirit seeking a home
43“When an unclean spirit leaves a person, it wanders through dry places looking for a place to rest. But it doesn’t find any. 44Then it says, ‘I’ll go back to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the place vacant, cleaned up, and decorated. 45Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself. They go in and make their home there. That person is worse off at the end than at the beginning. This is the way it will be also for this evil generation.”
Jesus’ family
46While Jesus was speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers stood outside trying to speak with him. 47Someone said to him, “Look, your mother and brothers are outside wanting to speak with you.”
48Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 49He stretched out his hand toward his disciples and said, “Look, here are my mother and my brothers. 50Whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven is my brother, sister, and mother.”
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