Sabbath Questions
1 12:1 Or On that occasion At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. 2 Now when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, "Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath!" 3 But He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions—4 how he entered the house of God, and they ate the 12:4 Lit loaves of presentationconsecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone?5 Or have you not read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple 12:5 Or profaneviolate the Sabbath, and yet are innocent?6 But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here.7 But if you had known what this 12:7 Lit ismeans: ‘I desire12:7 Or mercycompassion, 12:7 Lit and notrather than sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned 12:7 Plural in the Grthe innocent.
Lord of the Sabbath
8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."
9 Departing from there, He went into their synagogue. 10 And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned 12:10 Lit HimJesus, asking, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"—so that they might bring charges against Him. 11 But He said to them, "What man 12:11 Lit will be from youis there among you who 12:11 Lit will havehas a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out?12 How much more valuable then is a person than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do 12:12 Lit wellgood on the Sabbath."13 Then He *said to the man, "Stretch out your hand!" He stretched it out, and it was restored to 12:13 Lit healthnormal, like the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and 12:14 Lit took counselconspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.
15 But Jesus, 12:15 Lit knowingaware of this, withdrew from there. Many followed Him, and He healed them all, 16 and warned them not to 12:16 Lit make Him knowntell who He was. 17 This happened so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled:
18 "Behold, My12:18 Lit ChildServant whom I 12:18 Lit chosehave chosen;
My Beloved in whom My soul12:18 Or took pleasuredelights;
I will put My Spirit upon Him,
And He will proclaim12:18 Or judgmentjustice to the12:18 Or nationsGentiles.
19 "He will not quarrel, nor cry out;
Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.
20 "A bent reed He will not break off,
And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish,
Until He12:20 Or brings forthleads12:20 Or judgmentjustice to victory.
21 "And in His name the12:21 Or nationsGentiles will hope."
The Pharisees Rebuked
22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to speak was brought to 12:22 Lit HimJesus, and He healed him so that the man who was unable to speak talked and 12:22 Lit sawcould see. 23 And all the crowds were amazed and were saying, "This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?" 24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "This man casts out demons only by 12:24 Or Beezebul; meaning uncertain, perhaps lord prince, referring to SatanBeelzebul the ruler of the demons."
25 And knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and no city or house divided against itself will stand.26 And if Satan is casting out Satan, he 12:26 Lit washas become divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?27 And if by 12:27 See note v 24Beelzebul I cast out the demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore, they will be your judges.28 But if I cast out the demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.29 Or, how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.
The Unpardonable Sin
30 The one who is not with Me is against Me; and the one who does not gather with Me scatters.
31 "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.
Words Reveal Character
33 "Either 12:33 Lit make assume the tree to be good as well as its fruit good, or 12:33 Lit make assume the tree to be bad as well as its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit.34 You 12:34 Or broodoffspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, express any good things? For the mouth speaks from that which fills the heart.35 The good person brings out of his good treasure good things; and the evil person brings out of his evil treasure evil things.36 But I tell you that for every 12:36 Or uselesscareless word that people 12:36 Lit will speakspeak, they will give an account of it on the day of judgment.37 For 12:37 Or in accordance withby your words you will be justified, and 12:37 Or in accordance withby your words you will be condemned."
The Desire for Signs
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, "Teacher, we want to see a 12:38 I.e., confirming miraclesign from You." 39 But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation craves a 12:39 I.e., confirming miraclesign; and so no 12:39 I.e., confirming miraclesign will be given to it except the 12:39 I.e., confirming miraclesign of Jonah the prophet;40 for just as Jonah was in the stomach of the sea monster for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.41 The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.42 The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
43 "Now when the unclean spirit comes out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it.44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order.45 Then it goes and brings along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they come in and live there; and the last condition of that person becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation."
Changed Relationships
46 While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him. 47 [12:47 This verse is not found in early mssSomeone said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak to You."] 48 But 12:48 Lit HeJesus replied to the one who was telling Him and said, "Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?"49 And extending His hand toward His disciples, He said, "Behold: My mother and My brothers!50 For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother, and sister, and mother."