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
12
Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath
1At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. 2When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”
3He answered, “Havenʼt you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread — which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. 5Or havenʼt you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? 6I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’#12:7 Hosea 6:6 you would not have condemned the innocent. 8For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
9Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, 10and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”
11He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? 12How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
13Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. 14But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.
Godʼs Chosen Servant
15Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. 16He warned them not to tell others about him. 17This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
18“Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
19He will not quarrel or cry out;
no one will hear his voice in the streets.
20A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he has brought justice through to victory.
21In his name the nations will put their hope.”#12:21 Isaiah 42:1-4
Jesus and Beelzebul
22Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”
24But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”
25Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
29 “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong manʼs house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.
30 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
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 recognized by its fruit. 34You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 35A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
The Sign of Jonah
38Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
39He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. 42The 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 listen to Solomonʼs wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.
43 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”
Jesusʼ Mother and Brothers
46While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”
48He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
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