Matthew 12

Sabbath Questions

11At that 2timeG2540 JesusG2424 wentG4198 throughG1223 the grainfieldsG4702 on the SabbathG4521, and His disciplesG3101 became hungryG3983 and beganG757 to 3pickG5089 the headsG4719 of grain and eatG2068. 2But when the PhariseesG5330 sawG3708 this, they saidG3004 to Him, “LookG2400, Your disciplesG3101 doG4160 whatG3739 4is not lawfulG1832 to doG4160 on a SabbathG4521.” 3But He saidG3004 to them, “Have you not readG314 whatG5101 DavidG1160 didG4160 whenG3753 he became hungryG3983, he and his companionsG3588G3326, 4howG4459 he enteredG1525 the houseG3624 of GodG2316, and 5they ateG2068 the 6consecratedG4286 breadG740, whichG3739 was not lawfulG1832 for him to eatG2068 norG3761 for thoseG3588 with him, but for the priestsG2409 aloneG3441? 5OrG2228 have you not readG314 in the LawG3551, that on the SabbathG4521 the priestsG2409 in the templeG2413 7breakG953 the SabbathG4521 and are innocentG338? 6But I sayG3004 to you that something 8greaterG3173 than the templeG2413 is hereG5602. 7But ifG1487 you had knownG1097 whatG5101 this 9meansG1510, ‘10I desireG2309 11compassionG1656, and not a sacrificeG2378,’ you would not have condemnedG2613 the innocentG338.

Lord of the Sabbath

8For 12the SonG5207 of ManG444 is LordG2962 of the SabbathG4521.”

913DepartingG3327 from thereG1564, He wentG2064 into their synagogueG4864. 10And a manG444 was there whose handG5495 was witheredG3584. And they questionedG1905 14Jesus, askingG3004, “15Is it lawfulG1832 to healG2323 on the SabbathG4521?”--soG2443 that they might accuseG2723 Him. 11And He saidG3004 to them, “16WhatG5101 manG444 17is there amongG1537 you whoG3739 18hasG2192 a sheepG4263, and ifG1437 it fallsG1706 into a pitG999 on the SabbathG4521, will he not takeG2902 holdG2902 of it and liftG1453 it out? 1219HowG4214 muchG4214 moreG1308 valuableG1308 thenG3767 is a manG444 than a sheepG4263! SoG5620 thenG5620, it is lawfulG1832 to doG4160 20goodG2573 on the SabbathG4521.” 13ThenG5119 He saidG3004 to the manG444, “StretchG1614 out your handG5495!” 21He stretchedG1614 it out, and it was restoredG600 to 22normalG5199, likeG5613 the otherG243. 14But the PhariseesG5330 wentG1831 out and 2324conspiredG4824G2983 againstG2596 Him, as to howG3704 they might destroyG622 Him.

15But JesusG2424, 25awareG1097 of this, withdrewG402 from thereG1564. ManyG4183 followedG190 Him, and 26He healedG2323 them allG3956, 16and 27warnedG2008 them not to 28tellG5318 whoG846 He was. 17This was to fulfillG4137 whatG3588 was spokenG3004 throughG1223 IsaiahG2268 the prophetG4396:18“29BeholdG2400, My 30ServantG3816 whomG3739 I 31have chosenG140; 32My BelovedG27 in whomG3739 My soulG5590 33is well-pleasedG2106; 34I will putG5087 My SpiritG4151 upon Him, 35And He shall proclaimG518 36justiceG2920 to the 37GentilesG1484.1938He will not quarrelG2051, norG3761 cryG2905 out; NorG3761 will anyoneG5100 hearG191 His voiceG5456 in the streetsG4116.2039A batteredG4937 reedG2563 He will not breakG2608 off, And a smolderingG5188 wickG3043 He will not putG4570 out, UntilG2193 He 40leadsG1544 41justiceG2920 to victoryG3534.2142And in His nameG3686 the 43GentilesG1484 will hopeG1679.”

The Pharisees Rebuked

2244ThenG5119 a 45demon-possessedG1139 man who was blindG5185 and muteG2974 was broughtG4374 to 46Jesus, and He healedG2323 him, soG5620 that the muteG2974 manG2974 spokeG2980 and sawG991. 23AllG3956 the crowdsG3793 were amazedG1839, and were sayingG3004, “ThisG3778 man cannotG3385 be the 47SonG5207 of DavidG1160, can he?” 24But when the PhariseesG5330 heardG191 this, they saidG3004, “ThisG3778 manG3778 48castsG1544 out demonsG1140 onlyG3756G1487G3361 by 49BeelzebulG954 the rulerG758 of the demonsG1140.”

2550And 51knowingG3609 their thoughtsG1761 Jesus saidG3004 to them, “52AnyG3956 kingdomG932 dividedG3307 againstG2596 itselfG1438 is laidG2049 wasteG2049; and 53anyG3956 cityG4172 orG2228 houseG3614 dividedG3307 againstG2596 itselfG1438 will not standG2476. 26IfG1487 54SatanG4567 castsG1544 out SatanG4567, he 55is dividedG3307 againstG1909 himselfG1438; howG4459 thenG3767 will his kingdomG932 standG2476? 27IfG1487 I 56by 57BeelzebulG954 castG1544 out demonsG1140, 58by whomG5101 do your sonsG5207 castG1544 them out? For thisG1223G3778 reasonG1223G3778 they will be your judgesG2923. 28But 59ifG1487 I castG1544 out demonsG1140 by the SpiritG4151 of GodG2316, thenG686 the kingdomG932 of GodG2316 has comeG5348 upon you. 29OrG2228 howG4459 canG1410 anyoneG5100 enterG1525 the strongG2478 man’sG2478 houseG3614 and carryG726 offG726 his propertyG4632, unlessG1437G3361 he firstG4413 bindsG1210 the strongG2478 man? And thenG5119 he will plunderG1283 his houseG3614.

The Unpardonable Sin

3060He who is not with Me is againstG2596 Me; and he who does not gatherG4863 with Me scattersG4650.

31“61ThereforeG1223G3778 I sayG3004 to you, anyG3956 sinG266 and blasphemyG988 shall be forgivenG863 peopleG444, but blasphemyG988 against the SpiritG4151 shall not be forgivenG863. 3262WhoeverG3739G1437 63speaksG3004 a wordG3056 againstG2596 the SonG5207 of ManG444, it shall be forgivenG863 him; but whoeverG3739G302 64speaksG3004 againstG2596 the HolyG40 SpiritG4151, it shall not be forgivenG863 him, eitherG3777 in 65thisG3778 ageG165 orG3777 in the age to comeG3195.

Words Reveal Character

33“EitherG2228 makeG4160 the treeG1186 goodG2570 and its fruitG2590 goodG2570, orG2228 makeG4160 the treeG1186 badG4550 and its fruitG2590 badG4550; for 66the treeG1186 is knownG1097 by its fruitG2590. 3467You broodG1081 of vipersG2191, howG4459 canG1410 you, beingG1510 evilG4190, speakG2980 68what is goodG18? 69For the mouthG4750 speaksG2980 out of that whichG4051 fillsG4051 the heartG2588. 3570The goodG18 manG444 bringsG1544 out of his goodG18 treasureG2344 71what is goodG18; and the evilG4190 manG444 bringsG1544 out of his evilG4190 treasureG2344 72what is evilG4190. 36But I tellG3004 you that everyG3956 73carelessG692 wordG4487 that peopleG444 74speakG2980, they shall giveG591 an accountingG3056 for it in 75the dayG2250 of judgmentG2920. 37For 76by your wordsG3056 you will be justifiedG1344, and 77by your wordsG3056 you will be condemnedG2613.”

The Desire for Signs

38ThenG5119 someG5100 of the scribesG1122 and PhariseesG5330 saidG3004 to Him, “TeacherG1320, 78we wantG2309 to seeG3708 a 79signG4592 from You.” 39But He answeredG611 and saidG3004 to them, “80An evilG4190 and adulterousG3428 generationG1074 cravesG1934 for a 81signG4592; and yet noG3756 82signG4592 will be givenG1325 to it but the 83signG4592 of JonahG2495 the prophetG4396; 40for justG5618 as 84JonahG2495 was threeG5140 daysG2250 and threeG5140 nightsG3571 in the bellyG2836 of the seaG2785 monsterG2785, soG3779 will 85the SonG5207 of ManG444 be 86threeG5140 daysG2250 and threeG5140 nightsG3571 in the heartG2588 of the earthG1093. 4187The menG435 of NinevehG3536 will standG450 up with thisG3778 generationG1074 at the judgmentG2920, and will condemnG2632 it becauseG3754 88they repentedG3340 at the preachingG2782 of JonahG2495; and beholdG2400, 89something greaterG4183 than JonahG2495 is hereG5602. 4290The QueenG938 of the SouthG3558 will riseG1453 up with thisG3778 generationG1074 at the judgmentG2920 and will condemnG2632 it, becauseG3754 she cameG2064 from the endsG4009 of the earthG1093 to hearG191 the wisdomG4678 of SolomonG4672; and beholdG2400, 91something greaterG4183 than SolomonG4672 is hereG5602.

43“92NowG1161 whenG3752 the uncleanG169 spiritG4151 goesG1831 out of a manG444, it passesG1330 throughG1223 waterlessG504 placesG5117 seekingG2212 restG372, and does not findG2147 it. 44ThenG5119 it saysG3004, ‘I will returnG1994 to my houseG3624 from whichG3606 I cameG1831’; and when it comesG2064, it findsG2147 it unoccupiedG4980, sweptG4563, and putG2885 in orderG2885. 45ThenG5119 it goesG4198 and takesG3880 alongG3880 with it sevenG2033 otherG2087 spiritsG4151 moreG4190 wickedG4190 than itselfG1438, and they goG1525 in and liveG2730 thereG1563; and 93the lastG2078 state of that manG444 becomesG1096 worseG5501 than the firstG4413. That is the wayG3779 it will alsoG2532 be with thisG3778 evilG4190 generationG1074.”

Changed Relationships

4694While He was stillG2089 speakingG2980 to the crowdsG3793, beholdG2400, His 95motherG3384 and 96brothersG80 were standingG2476 outsideG1854, seekingG2212 to speakG2980 to Him. 47SomeoneG5100 saidG3004 to Him, “BeholdG2400, Your motherG3384 and Your brothersG80 are standingG2476 outsideG1854 seekingG2212 to speakG2980 to You.”97 48But 98Jesus answeredG611 the one who was tellingG3004 Him and saidG3004, “WhoG5101 is My motherG3384 and whoG5101 are My brothersG80?” 49And stretchingG1614 out His handG5495 towardG1909 His disciplesG3101, He saidG3004, “BeholdG2400 My motherG3384 and My brothersG80! 50For whoeverG3748G302 doesG4160 the willG2307 of My FatherG3962 who is in heavenG3772, he is My brotherG80 and sisterG79 and motherG3384.”