Matthew 12

1verseAt that time, Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the grain fields. His disciples were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.

2verseBut the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, “Behold, your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”

3verseBut he said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him:

4versehow he entered into God’s house and ate the show bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?

5verseOr have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?

6verseBut I tell you that one greater than the temple is here.

7verseBut if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you wouldn’t have condemned the guiltless.

8verseFor the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

9verseHe departed from there and went into their synagogue.

10verseAnd behold, there was a man with a withered hand. They asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?” so that they might accuse him.

11verseHe said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if this one falls into a pit on the Sabbath day, won’t he grab on to it and lift it out?

12verseOf how much more value then is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day.”

13verseThen he told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out; and it was restored whole, just like the other.

14verseBut the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how they might destroy him.

15verseJesus, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Great multitudes followed him; and he healed them all,

16verseand commanded them that they should not make him known,

17versethat it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,

18verse“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit on him. He will proclaim justice to the nations.

19verseHe will not strive, nor shout, neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets.

20verseHe won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a smoking flax, until he leads justice to victory.

21verseIn his name, the nations will hope.”

22verseThen one possessed by a demon, blind and mute, was brought to him; and he healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.

23verseAll the multitudes were amazed, and said, “Can this be the son of David?”

24verseBut when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “This man does not cast out demons except by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.”

25verseKnowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.

26verseIf Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

27verseIf I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.

28verseBut if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then God’s Kingdom has come upon you.

29verseOr how can one enter into the house of the strong man and plunder his goods, unless he first bind the strong man? Then he will plunder his house.

30verse“He who is not with me is against me, and he who doesn’t gather with me, scatters.

31verseTherefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.

32verseWhoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age, or in that which is to come.

33verse“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree corrupt and its fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by its fruit.

34verseYou offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.

35verseThe good man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil things.

36verseI tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.

37verseFor by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

38verseThen certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”

39verseBut he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet.

40verseFor as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the huge fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

41verseThe men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, someone greater than Jonah is here.

42verseThe Queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, someone greater than Solomon is here.

43verse“When an unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest, and doesn’t find it.

44verseThen he says, ‘I will return into my house from which I came;’ and when he has come back, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.

45verseThen he goes and takes with himself seven other spirits more evil than he is, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first. Even so will it be also to this evil generation.”

46verseWhile he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.

47verseOne said to him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, seeking to speak to you.”

48verseBut he answered him who spoke to him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”

49verseHe stretched out his hand toward his disciples, and said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers!

50verseFor whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”