MatthewChapter 12
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1At that time Jesus walked through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry. They began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. 2The Pharisees saw this. They said to Jesus, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is against the law on the Sabbath." 3Jesus answered, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his men were hungry? 4He went into the house of God. He and his men ate the holy bread. That was against the law for them. Only the priests were allowed to eat it. 5Or haven't you read in the Law about the priests? On the Sabbath they work in the temple and break the Sabbath. Yet they are not guilty. 6But I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. 7You don't know what this means: 'I want mercy, not sacrifice.' If you did, you would not have judged the innocent as guilty. 8For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." 9Jesus went on from there and went into their synagogue. 10A man with a shriveled hand was there. Some people wanted a reason to accuse Jesus. So they asked him, "Does the law allow healing on the Sabbath?" 11He answered, "Suppose one of you has a sheep, and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath. Won't you grab it and lift it out? 12A man is worth so much more than a sheep! So the law allows doing good on the Sabbath." 13Then Jesus said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out. It was made completely well, just like the other one. 14But the Pharisees went out and made plans to kill Jesus. 15Jesus knew about this, so he left that place. Large crowds followed him, and he healed all of them. 16He warned them not to tell others about him. 17This fulfilled what the prophet Isaiah had said: 18"Here is my Servant, whom I have chosen. He is the one I love. My soul is pleased with him. I will put my Spirit on him. He will announce justice to the nations. 19He will not argue or shout. No one will hear his voice in the streets. 20He will not break a bent reed. He will not put out a dimly burning wick. He will keep on until he makes justice win. 21The nations will put their hope in his name." 22Then a man with a demon was brought to Jesus. The man was blind and could not talk. Jesus healed him, so he could talk and see. 23All the people were amazed. They asked, "Could this be the Son of David?" 24But the Pharisees heard this. They said, "This man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons." 25Jesus knew what they were thinking. He said to them, "Every kingdom that fights against itself will be ruined. Every city or family that fights against itself will not stand. 26If Satan drives out Satan, he is fighting against himself. So how can his kingdom stand? 27And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So they will be your judges.a 28But suppose I drive out demons by the Spirit of God. Then the kingdom of God has come to you. 29Or think about this. How can anyone go into a strong man's house and steal his things? First he must tie up the strong man. Then he can rob his house. 30Whoever is not with me is against me. And whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31So I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and every evil word against God. But speaking evil against the Spirit will not be forgiven.b 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. He will not be forgiven in this age or in the age to come. 33Make a tree good, and its fruit will be good. Or make a tree bad, and its fruit will be bad. A tree is known by its fruit. 34You family of snakes! You are evil, so how can you say anything good? For the mouth speaks what fills the heart. 35A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him. An evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36But I tell you, on the day of judgment people will have to answer for every careless word they have said. 37By your words you will be found not guilty. And by your words you will be found guilty." 38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, "Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you." 39Jesus answered, "An evil and unfaithful generation asks for a sign! But none will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.c 40Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish for three days and three nights. In the same way, the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. 41The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with the people of today. And they will condemn them. For the people of Nineveh repented when Jonah preached. And now one greater than Jonah is here. 42The Queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the people of today. And she will condemn them. She came from the ends of the earth to hear Solomon's wisdom. And now one greater than Solomon is here. 43When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it goes through dry places. It looks for a place to rest, but it does not find one. 44Then it says, 'I will go back to the house I left.' When it comes back, it finds the house empty, swept clean, and put in order. 45Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits more evil than itself. They go in and live there. And in the end that man is worse off than he was at first. That is how it will be with this evil generation." 46While Jesus was still talking to the crowds, his mother and brothers stood outside. They wanted to speak to him. 47Someone told him, "Look, your mother and brothers are standing outside. They want to speak to you." 48But Jesus answered, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" 49He pointed to his disciples and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. 50For whoever does what my Father in heaven wants is my brother and sister and mother."