Matthew 12 :: New English Translation (NET)

Sabbath Questions

(Mar 2:23–28; Luk 6:1–5 )

Mat 12:1At 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.

Mat 12:2

Mat 12:2But when the Pharisees saw this they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is against the law to do on the Sabbath."

Mat 12:3

Mat 12:3He said to them, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry -

Mat 12:4

Mat 12:4how 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?

Mat 12:5

Mat 12:5Or have you not read in the law that the priests in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are not guilty?

Mat 12:6

Mat 12:6I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.

Mat 12:7

Mat 12:7If you had known what this means: 'I want mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent.

Lord of the Sabbath

Mat 12:8

Mat 12:8For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."

(Mar 3:1–6; Luk 6:6–11 )

Mat 12:9

Mat 12:9Then Jesus left that place and entered their synagogue.

Mat 12:10

Mat 12:10A 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.

Mat 12:11

Mat 12:11He 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?

Mat 12:12

Mat 12:12How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

Mat 12:13

Mat 12:13Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out and it was restored, as healthy as the other.

Mat 12:14

Mat 12:14But the Pharisees went out and plotted against him, as to how they could assassinate him.

Mat 12:15

Mat 12:15Now when Jesus learned of this, he went away from there. Great crowds followed him, and he healed them all.

Mat 12:16

Mat 12:16But he sternly warned them not to make him known.

Mat 12:17

Mat 12:17This fulfilled what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet:

Mat 12:18

Mat 12:18"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.

Mat 12:19

Mat 12:19He will not quarrel or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.

Mat 12:20

Mat 12:20He will not break a bruised reed or extinguish a smoldering wick, until he brings justice to victory.

Mat 12:21

Mat 12:21And in his name the Gentiles will hope."

The Pharisees Rebuked

(Mar 3:22–27; Luk 11:14–23 )

Mat 12:22

Mat 12:22Then they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. Jesus healed him so that he could speak and see.

Mat 12:23

Mat 12:23All the crowds were amazed and said, "Could this one be the Son of David?"

Mat 12:24

Mat 12:24But when the Pharisees heard this they said, "He does not cast out demons except by the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons!"

Mat 12:25

Mat 12:25Now 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.

Mat 12:26

Mat 12:26So if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

Mat 12:27

Mat 12:27And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges.

Mat 12:28

Mat 12:28But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has already overtaken you.

Mat 12:29

Mat 12:29How 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.

The Unpardonable Sin

Mat 12:30

Mat 12:30Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

(Mar 3:28–30 )

Mat 12:31

Mat 12:31For this reason I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

Mat 12:32

Mat 12:32Whoever 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.

Words Reveal Character

(Mat 7:15–20 )

Mat 12:33

Mat 12:33"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.

Mat 12:34

Mat 12:34Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say anything good, since you are evil? For the mouth speaks from what fills the heart.

Mat 12:35

Mat 12:35The good person brings good things out of his good treasury, and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury.

Mat 12:36

Mat 12:36I tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak.

Mat 12:37

Mat 12:37For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

The Desire for Signs

(Luk 11:29–32 )

Mat 12:38

Mat 12:38Then some of the experts in the law along with some Pharisees answered him, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you."

Mat 12:39

Mat 12:39But 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.

Mat 12:40

Mat 12:40For 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.

Mat 12:41

Mat 12:41The 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!

Mat 12:42

Mat 12:42The 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!

(Luk 11:24–26 )

Mat 12:43

Mat 12:43"When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it passes through waterless places looking for rest but does not find it.

Mat 12:44

Mat 12:44Then it says, 'I will return to the home I left.' When it returns, it finds the house empty, swept clean, and put in order.

Mat 12:45

Mat 12:45Then 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!"

Changed Relationships

(Mar 3:31–35; Luk 8:19–21 )

Mat 12:46

Mat 12:46While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers came and stood outside, asking to speak to him.

Mat 12:47

Mat 12:47Someone told him, "Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting to speak to you."

Mat 12:48

Mat 12:48To the one who had said this, Jesus replied, "Who is my mother and who are my brothers?"

Mat 12:49

Mat 12:49And pointing toward his disciples he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers!

Mat 12:50

Mat 12:50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."

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