The text

Matthew 12

Matthew 12:1WEB

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.

Matthew 12:2WEB

But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, “Behold, your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”

Matthew 12:3WEB

But he said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him:

Matthew 12:4WEB

how he entered into God’s house and ate the show bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?

Matthew 12:5WEB

Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?

Matthew 12:6WEB

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

Matthew 12:7WEB

But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you wouldn’t have condemned the guiltless.

Matthew 12:8WEB

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

Matthew 12:9WEB

He departed from there and went into their synagogue.

Matthew 12:10WEB

And behold, there was a man with a withered hand. They asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?” so that they might accuse him.

Matthew 12:11WEB

He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if this one falls into a pit on the Sabbath day, won’t he grab on to it and lift it out?

Matthew 12:12WEB

Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day.”

Matthew 12:13WEB

Then he told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out; and it was restored whole, just like the other.

Matthew 12:14WEB

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

Matthew 12:15WEB

Jesus, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Great multitudes followed him; and he healed them all,

Matthew 12:16WEB

and commanded them that they should not make him known,

Matthew 12:17WEB

that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,

Matthew 12:18WEB

“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit on him. He will proclaim justice to the nations.

Matthew 12:19WEB

He will not strive, nor shout, neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets.

Matthew 12:20WEB

He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a smoking flax, until he leads justice to victory.

Matthew 12:21WEB

In his name, the nations will hope.”

Matthew 12:22WEB

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

Matthew 12:23WEB

All the multitudes were amazed, and said, “Can this be the son of David?”

Matthew 12:24WEB

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

Matthew 12:25WEB

Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.

Matthew 12:26WEB

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

Matthew 12:27WEB

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

Matthew 12:28WEB

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

Matthew 12:29WEB

Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man and plunder his goods, unless he first bind the strong man? Then he will plunder his house.

Matthew 12:30WEB

“He who is not with me is against me, and he who doesn’t gather with me, scatters.

Matthew 12:31WEB

Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.

Matthew 12:32WEB

Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age, or in that which is to come.

Matthew 12:33WEB

“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree corrupt and its fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by its fruit.

Matthew 12:34WEB

You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.

Matthew 12:35WEB

The good man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil things.

Matthew 12:36WEB

I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.

Matthew 12:37WEB

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

Matthew 12:38WEB

Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”

Matthew 12:39WEB

But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet.

Matthew 12:40WEB

For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the huge fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Matthew 12:41WEB

The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, someone greater than Jonah is here.

Matthew 12:42WEB

The Queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, someone greater than Solomon is here.

Matthew 12:43WEB

“When an unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest, and doesn’t find it.

Matthew 12:44WEB

Then he says, ‘I will return into my house from which I came;’ and when he has come back, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.

Matthew 12:45WEB

Then he goes and takes with himself seven other spirits more evil than he is, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first. Even so will it be also to this evil generation.”

Matthew 12:46WEB

While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.

Matthew 12:47WEB

One said to him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, seeking to speak to you.”

Matthew 12:48WEB

But he answered him who spoke to him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”

Matthew 12:49WEB

He stretched out his hand toward his disciples, and said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers!

Matthew 12:50WEB

For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain.