New American Standard Bible 1995

New Living Translation

1At 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.

1At about that time Jesus was walking through some grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off some heads of grain and eating them.

2But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, "Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath."

2But some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, “Look, your disciples are breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath.”

3But He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions,

3Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry?

4how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone?

4 He went into the house of God, and he and his companions broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat.

5"Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent?

5 And haven’t you read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the Temple may work on the Sabbath?

6"But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here.

6 I tell you, there is one here who is even greater than the Temple!

7"But if you had known what this means, 'I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT A SACRIFICE,' you would not have condemned the innocent.

7 But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’

8"For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

8 For the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!” Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

9Departing from there, He went into their synagogue.

9Then Jesus went over to their synagogue,

10And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned Jesus, asking, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"-- so that they might accuse Him.

10where he noticed a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Does the law permit a person to work by healing on the Sabbath?” (They were hoping he would say yes, so they could bring charges against him.)

11And He said to them, "What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out?

11And he answered, “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would.

12"How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

12 And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.”

13Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand!" He stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other.

13Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored, just like the other one!

14But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.

14Then the Pharisees called a meeting to plot how to kill Jesus. Jesus, God’s Chosen Servant

15But Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. Many followed Him, and He healed them all,

15But Jesus knew what they were planning. So he left that area, and many people followed him. He healed all the sick among them,

16and warned them not to tell who He was.

16but he warned them not to reveal who he was.

17This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:

17This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him:

18"BEHOLD, MY SERVANT WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN; MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL is WELL-PLEASED; I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM, AND HE SHALL PROCLAIM JUSTICE TO THE GENTILES.

18“Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen. He is my Beloved, who pleases me. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.

19"HE WILL NOT QUARREL, NOR CRY OUT; NOR WILL ANYONE HEAR HIS VOICE IN THE STREETS.

19He will not fight or shout or raise his voice in public.

20"A BATTERED REED HE WILL NOT BREAK OFF, AND A SMOLDERING WICK HE WILL NOT PUT OUT, UNTIL HE LEADS JUSTICE TO VICTORY.

20He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. Finally he will cause justice to be victorious.

21"AND IN HIS NAME THE GENTILES WILL HOPE."

21And his name will be the hope of all the world.” Jesus and the Prince of Demons

22Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw.

22Then a demon-possessed man, who was blind and couldn’t speak, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see.

23All the crowds were amazed, and were saying, "This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?"

23The crowd was amazed and asked, “Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?”

24But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons."

24But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.”

25And knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, "Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand.

25Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart.

26"If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?

26 And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided and fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive.

27"If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges.

27 And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said.

28"But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

28 But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you.

29"Or how can anyone enter the strong man's house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

29 For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.

30"He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

30 “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.

31"Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.

31 “So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven—except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven.

32"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.

32 Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come.

33"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit.

33 “A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad.

34"You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.

34 You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.

35"The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil.

35 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.

36"But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.

36 And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak.

37"For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

37 The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” The Sign of Jonah

38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You."

38One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority.”

39But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet;

39But Jesus replied, “Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah.

40for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

40 For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish 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.

41 “The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent.

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.

42 The queen of Sheba will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here—but you refuse to listen.

43"Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it.

43 “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none.

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.

44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order.

45"Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation."

45 Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation.” The True Family of Jesus

46While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him.

46As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.

47Someone said to Him, "Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You."

47Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they want to speak to you.”

48But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"

48Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”

49And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, "Behold My mother and My brothers!

49Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers.

50"For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother."

50 Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!”

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.