Matthew 12:1-39 ▼

1 At that time Jesus went on the Sabbath through the grainfields, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat.

2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Behold, Your disciples do 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 consecrated 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 break the Sabbath, and are innocent?

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

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

8 “For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

9 And departing from there, He went into their synagogue.

10 And behold, there was a man with a withered hand. And they questioned Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—in order that they might accuse Him.

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

12 “Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

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

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

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

16 and warned them not to make Him known,

17 in order that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, might be fulfilled, saying,

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.

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

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

21 “AND IN HIS NAME THE GENTILES WILL HOPE.”

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

23 And all the multitudes were amazed, and began to say, “This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?”

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

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

26 “And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?

27 “And if I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? Consequently they shall be your judges.

28 “But if I cast out 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 binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

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

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

32 “And whoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age, or in the age 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.

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.

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

36 “And I say to you, that every careless word that men shall speak, they shall render account for it in the day of judgment.

37 “For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.”

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”

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