Matthew 12:1-28 ▼

1 At that time, Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the grain fields. His disciples were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.

2 But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, |Look, your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.|

3 But he said to them, |Have you not read what David did, when he and his companions were hungry;

4 how he entered into the house of God, and they ate the show bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for those who were with him, but only for the priests?

5 Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are blameless?

6 But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.

7 But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent.

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

9 And he departed from there and went into their synagogue.

10 And look, there was a man with a withered hand. They asked him, |Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?| that they might accuse him.

11 And he said to them, |Which one of you who has one sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out?

12 Of how much more value then is a person than a sheep. Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.|

13 Then he told the man, |Stretch out your hand.| And he stretched it out, and it was restored whole, just like the other.

14 But the Pharisees went out, and conspired against him, how they might destroy him.

15 But Jesus, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them all,

16 and commanded them that they should not make him known.

17 This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,

18 |Look, my servant whom I have chosen; my beloved in whom my soul delights. I will put my Spirit on him; and he will proclaim justice to the nations.

19 He will not quarrel, nor shout; nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.

20 He won't break a bruised reed. And he won't put out a smoldering wick, until he leads justice to victory.

21 And in his name the coastlands will hope.|

22 Then one possessed by a demon, blind and mute, was brought to him and he healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw.

23 And all the crowds were amazed, and said, |Can this be the son of David?|

24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, |This man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.|

25 And knowing their thoughts, he said to them, |Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.

26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

27 If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.

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