Matthew 12

1 At that time, Jesus walked through the grain fields on a Sabbath. ^{a12:1 Lit. on the Sabbaths} His disciples became hungry and began picking heads of grain to eat.ISV — Matthew 12:1

2 When the Pharisees saw this, they told him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!”ISV — Matthew 12:2

3 But he told them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?ISV — Matthew 12:3

4 How is it that he went into the house of God and ate the Bread of the Presence, which was not lawful for him and his companions to eat but was reserved ^{b12:4 Lit. but only} for the priests?ISV — Matthew 12:4

5 Or haven’t you read in the Law that on every Sabbath ^{c12:5 Lit. on the Sabbaths} the priests in the Temple violate the Sabbath ^{d12:5 i.e. by carrying out priestly duties} and yet are innocent? ^{e12:5 Cf. Exod 25:30; 29:32-33; Lev 8:31}ISV — Matthew 12:5

6 But I tell you, something greater than the Temple is here!ISV — Matthew 12:6

7 If you had known what ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice’ ^{f12:7 Cf. Hos 6:6} means, you would not have condemned the innocent,ISV — Matthew 12:7

8 for the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” ( ; )ISV — Matthew 12:8

9 Moving on from there, Jesus ^{g12:9 Lit. he} went into their synagogue.ISV — Matthew 12:9

10 Suddenly, a man with a paralyzed hand appeared. The people ^{h12:10 Lit. They} asked Jesus ^{i12:10 Lit. him} if it was lawful to heal on Sabbath days, ^{j12:10 Lit. on the Sabbaths} intending to accuse him of doing something wrong.ISV — Matthew 12:10

11 But he asked them, “Is there a man among you who, if he had one sheep and it fell into a ditch on the Sabbath, wouldn’t take hold of it and pull it out?ISV — Matthew 12:11

12 How much more is a human being worth than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on Sabbath days.” ^{k12:12 Lit. on the Sabbaths}ISV — Matthew 12:12

13 Then he told the man, “Hold out your hand.” He held it out and it became normal, as healthy as his other hand.ISV — Matthew 12:13

14 The Pharisees, however, went out and plotted against Jesus ^{l12:14 Lit. him} to kill him.ISV — Matthew 12:14

15 When Jesus became aware of this, he left that place. Many crowds ^{m12:15 Other mss. lack crowds} followed him, and he healed all of them,ISV — Matthew 12:15

16 ordering them not to make him known.ISV — Matthew 12:16

17 This was to fulfill what was declared by the prophet Isaiah when he said,ISV — Matthew 12:17

18 “Here is my Servant whom I have chosen, whom I love, and with whom I am pleased! I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice ^{n12:18 Or judgment} to unbelievers. ^{o12:18 Lit. gentiles ; i.e. unbelieving non-Jews}ISV — Matthew 12:18

19 He will not quarrel or shout, and no one will hear him shouting ^{p12:19 Lit. hear his voice} in the streets.ISV — Matthew 12:19

20 He will not snap off a broken reed or snuff out a smoldering wick until he has brought justice ^{q12:20 Or judgment} through to victory.ISV — Matthew 12:20

21 And in his name unbelievers ^{r12:21 Lit. gentiles ; i.e. unbelieving non-Jews} will hope.” ^{s12:21 Cf. Isa 42:1-4} ( ; ; 12:10)ISV — Matthew 12:21

22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to talk was brought to him. Jesus ^{t12:22 Lit. He} healed him so that the man ^{u12:22 Lit. the man who was unable to talk} could speak and see.ISV — Matthew 12:22

23 All the crowds were amazed and kept saying, “This man isn’t the Son of David, is he?”ISV — Matthew 12:23

24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.”ISV — Matthew 12:24

25 He knew what they were thinking and told them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.ISV — Matthew 12:25

26 So if Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How, then, can his kingdom stand?ISV — Matthew 12:26

27 If I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own followers ^{v12:27 Lit. sons} drive them out? That is why they will be your judges!ISV — Matthew 12:27

28 But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.ISV — Matthew 12:28

29 How can someone go into a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions without first tying up the strong man? Then he can ransack his house.ISV — Matthew 12:29

30 The person who isn’t with me is against me, and the person who isn’t gathering with me is scattering.ISV — Matthew 12:30

31 So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven, ^{w12:31 Lit. will be forgiven to people} but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.ISV — Matthew 12:31

32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the one to come.” ( )ISV — Matthew 12:32

33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree rotten and its fruit rotten, because a tree is known by its fruit.ISV — Matthew 12:33

34 You children of serpents! How can you say anything good when you are evil? The mouth speaks about what overflows from the heart.ISV — Matthew 12:34

35 A good person brings good things out of a good treasure house, and an evil person brings evil things out of an evil treasure house.ISV — Matthew 12:35

36 I tell you, on Judgment Day people will give an account for every thoughtless ^{x12:36 Or worthless} word they have uttered,ISV — Matthew 12:36

37 because by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” ( ; )ISV — Matthew 12:37

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees told Jesus, ^{y12:38 Lit. him} “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”ISV — Matthew 12:38

39 But he replied to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves a sign. Yet no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah,ISV — Matthew 12:39

40 because just as Jonah was in the stomach of the sea creature for three days and three nights, ^{z12:40 Cf. Jonah 1:17} so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.ISV — Matthew 12:40

41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment and condemn the people living today, ^{aa12:41 Lit. judgment with this generation and condemn it} because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. But look—something greater than Jonah is here!ISV — Matthew 12:41

42 The queen of the south will stand up and condemn the people living today, ^{bb12:42 Lit. judgment with this generation and condemn it} because she came from so far away ^{cc12:42 Lit. from the ends of the earth} to hear the wisdom of Solomon. But look! Something greater than Solomon is here!” ( )ISV — Matthew 12:42

43 “Whenever an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it wanders through waterless places looking for a place to rest, but finds none.ISV — Matthew 12:43

44 Then it says, ‘I will go back to my home that I left.’ When it arrives, it finds it empty, swept clean, and put in order.ISV — Matthew 12:44

45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and settle there. And so the final condition of that person becomes worse than the first. That’s just what will happen to this evil generation!” ( ; )ISV — Matthew 12:45

46 While Jesus ^{dd12:46 Lit. he} was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him.ISV — Matthew 12:46

47 Someone told him, “Look! Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak to you.” ^{ee12:47 Other mss. lack this verse}ISV — Matthew 12:47

48 He asked the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”ISV — Matthew 12:48

49 Then pointing with his hand at his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers,ISV — Matthew 12:49

50 because whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”ISV — Matthew 12:50