| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on a Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pick heads of wheat and eat them. | 1At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. |
| 2But when the Pharisees saw this they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is against the law to do on the Sabbath." | 2When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath." |
| 3He said to them, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry-- | 3He answered, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? |
| 4how he entered the house of God and they ate the sacred bread, which was against the law for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests? | 4He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread--which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. |
| 5Or have you not read in the law that the priests in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are not guilty? | 5Or haven't you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? |
| 6I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. | 6I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. |
| 7If you had known what this means: 'I want mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent. | 7If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent. |
| 8For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath." | 8For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." |
| 9Then Jesus left that place and entered their synagogue. | 9Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, |
| 10A man was there who had a withered hand. And they asked Jesus, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" so that they could accuse him. | 10and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus, they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" |
| 11He said to them, "Would not any one of you, if he had one sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, take hold of it and lift it out? | 11He said to them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? |
| 12How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." | 12How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." |
| 13Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out and it was restored, as healthy as the other. | 13Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. |
| 14But the Pharisees went out and plotted against him, as to how they could assassinate him. | 14But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. |
| 15Now when Jesus learned of this, he went away from there. Great crowds followed him, and he healed them all. | 15Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. |
| 16But he sternly warned them not to make him known. | 16He warned them not to tell others about him. |
| 17This fulfilled what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet: | 17This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: |
| 18"Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I take great delight. I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. | 18"Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. |
| 19He will not quarrel or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. | 19He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. |
| 20He will not break a bruised reed or extinguish a smoldering wick, until he brings justice to victory. | 20A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. |
| 21And in his name the Gentiles will hope." | 21In his name the nations will put their hope." |
| 22Then they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. Jesus healed him so that he could speak and see. | 22Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. |
| 23All the crowds were amazed and said, "Could this one be the Son of David?" | 23All the people were astonished and said, "Could this be the Son of David?" |
| 24But when the Pharisees heard this they said, "He does not cast out demons except by the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons!" | 24But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons." |
| 25Now when Jesus realized what they were thinking, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and no town or house divided against itself will stand. | 25Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. |
| 26So if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? | 26If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? |
| 27And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges. | 27And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. |
| 28But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has already overtaken you. | 28But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. |
| 29How else can someone enter a strong man's house and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can thoroughly plunder the house. | 29"Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house. |
| 30Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. | 30"Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. |
| 31For this reason I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. | 31And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. |
| 32Whoever 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 age to come. | 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, either in this age or in the age to come. |
| 33"Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit. | 33"Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. |
| 34Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say anything good, since you are evil? For the mouth speaks from what fills the heart. | 34You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. |
| 35The good person brings good things out of his good treasury, and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury. | 35A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. |
| 36I tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak. | 36But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. |
| 37For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." | 37For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." |
| 38Then some of the experts in the law along with some Pharisees answered him, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you." | 38Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you." |
| 39But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. | 39He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. |
| 40For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. | 40For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. |
| 41The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them--and now, something greater than Jonah is here! | 41The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. |
| 42The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon--and now, something greater than Solomon is here! | 42The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here. |
| 43"When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it passes through waterless places looking for rest but does not find it. | 43"When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. |
| 44Then it says, 'I will return to the home I left.' When it returns, it finds the house empty, swept clean, and put in order. | 44Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. |
| 45Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so the last state of that person is worse than the first. It will be that way for this evil generation as well!" | 45Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation." |
| 46While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers came and stood outside, asking to speak to him. | 46While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. |
| 47Someone told him, "Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting to speak to you." | 47Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you." |
| 48To the one who had said this, Jesus replied, "Who is my mother and who are my brothers?" | 48He replied to him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" |
| 49And pointing toward his disciples he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! | 49Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. |
| 50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." | 50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." |
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