Matthew 12 - Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Lord of the Sabbath

12 At that time Jesus passed through the grainfields on the Sabbath.^(A) His disciples^(B) were hungry and began to pick and eat some heads of grain. ² But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful^(C) to do on the Sabbath!”

³ He said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry— ⁴ how he entered the house of God, and they ate^[a] the sacred bread, which is not lawful for him or for those with him to eat, but only for the priests?^{(D) 5} Or haven’t you read in the Law^[b] that on Sabbath days the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath and are innocent?^{(E) 6} But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here!^{(F) 7} If you had known what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice,^(G)[c] you would not have condemned the innocent. ⁸ For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”^(H)

The Man with the Paralyzed Hand

⁹ Moving on from there, He entered their synagogue.^{(I) 10} There He saw a man who had a paralyzed hand. And in order to accuse Him they asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”^(J)

¹¹ But He said to them, “What man among you, if he had a sheep^[d] that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, wouldn’t take hold of it and lift it out?^{(K) 12} A man is worth far more than a sheep,^(L) so it is lawful to do what is good on the Sabbath.”

¹³ Then He told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored,^(M) as good as the other. ¹⁴ But the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.^(N)

The Servant of the Lord

¹⁵ When Jesus became aware of this, He withdrew from there. Huge crowds^[e] followed Him, and He healed them all.^{(O) 16} He warned them not to make Him known,^{(P) 17} so that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

¹⁸ Here is 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.^(Q)
19 He will not argue or shout,
and no one will hear His voice in the streets.
²⁰ He will not break a bruised reed,
and He will not put out a smoldering wick,
until He has led justice to victory.^[f]
21 The nations will put their hope in His name.^(R)[g]

A House Divided

²² Then a demon-possessed man^(S) who was blind and unable to speak was brought to Him. He healed him, so that the man^[h] could both speak and see.^{(T) 23} And all the crowds were astounded and said, “Perhaps this is the Son of David!”^(U)

²⁴ When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “The man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.”^(V)

²⁵ Knowing their thoughts,^(W) He told them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. ²⁶ If Satan^(X) drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? ²⁷ And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, who is it your sons drive them out by? For this reason they will be your judges.^{(Y) 28} If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.^{(Z) 29} How can someone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up^(AA) the strong man? Then he can rob his house. ³⁰ Anyone who is not with Me is against Me,^(AB) and anyone who does not gather with Me scatters. ³¹ Because of this,^(AC) I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy,^(AD) but the blasphemy against^[i] the Spirit will not be forgiven.^{[j] 32} Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man,^(AE) it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come.^(AF)

A Tree and Its Fruit

³³ “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad^[k] and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.^{(AG) 34} Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow^(AH) of the heart. ³⁵ A good man produces good things from his storeroom of good,^[l] and an evil man produces evil things from his storeroom of evil.^{(AI) 36} I tell you that on the day of judgment^(AJ) people will have to account^(AK) for every careless word they speak.^{[m] 37} For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

The Sign of Jonah

³⁸ Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”^(AL)

³⁹ But He answered them,^(AM) “An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.^{(AN) 40} For as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish three days and three nights,^(AO) so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. ⁴¹ The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it,^(AP) because they repented at Jonah’s proclamation; and look—something greater than Jonah is here!^{(AQ) 42} The queen of the south^(AR) 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 look—something greater than Solomon is here!

An Unclean Spirit’s Return

⁴³ “When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it roams through waterless places looking for rest but doesn’t find any.^{(AS) 44} Then it says, ‘I’ll go back to my house that I came from.’ And returning, it finds the house vacant, swept, and put in order. ⁴⁵ Then off it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that man’s last condition is worse than the first.^(AT) That’s how it will also be with this evil generation.”

True Relationships

⁴⁶ He^(AU) was still speaking to the crowds when suddenly His mother and brothers were standing outside wanting to speak to Him.^{(AV) 47} Someone told Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to You.”^[n]

⁴⁸ But He replied to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” ⁴⁹ And stretching out His hand toward His disciples,^(AW) He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! ⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven, that person is My brother and sister and mother.”^(AX)

Footnotes

1. Matthew 12:4 Other mss read he ate
2. Matthew 12:5 = The Torah (the Pentateuch)
3. Matthew 12:7 Hs 6:6
4. Matthew 12:11 Or had one sheep
5. Matthew 12:15 Other mss read Many
6. Matthew 12:20 Or until He has successfully put forth justice
7. Matthew 12:21 Is 42:1-4
8. Matthew 12:22 Lit mute
9. Matthew 12:31 Or of
10. Matthew 12:31 Other mss add people
11. Matthew 12:33 Or decayed; lit rotten
12. Matthew 12:35 Other mss read from the storehouse of his heart
13. Matthew 12:36 Lit will speak
14. Matthew 12:47 Other mss omit this v.

Cross references

1. 12:1-8 : Mk 2:23-28; Lk 6:1-5
2. 12:1 : Mt 10:1; 26:56; Mk 3:7; 16:20; Lk 6:13; Jn 12:16
3. 12:2 : Mt 12:10; Lk 13:14; 14:3; Jn 5:10; 7:23; 9:16
4. 12:4 : Ex 25:30; Lv 24:5-9; 1Sm 21:6
5. 12:5 : Nm 28:9-10; 1Ch 9:32; Jn 7:22-23
6. 12:6 : 2Ch 6:18; Mal 3:1; Mt 12:41-42
7. 12:7 : Hs 6:6; Mc 6:8; Mt 9:13
8. 12:8 : Mt 8:20; 9:6; 12:32, 40
9. 12:9-14 : Mk 3:1-6; Lk 6:6-11
10. 12:10 : Mt 12:2; Lk 13:14; 14:3; Jn 9:16
11. 12:11 : Ex 23:4-5; Dt 22:4; Lk 14:5
12. 12:12 : Mt 6:26; 10:31
13. 12:13 : 1Kg 13:4; Mt 8:3; Ac 28:8
14. 12:14 : Mt 26:4; 27:1; Mk 3:6; Lk 6:11; Jn 10:39; 11:53
15. 12:15 : Mt 4:23; 10:23; 19:2; Mk 3:7
16. 12:16 : Mt 8:4; 9:30
17. 12:18 : Mt 3:17; 17:5; Lk 4:18; Jn 3:34
18. 12:18-21 : Is 42:1-4; Jn 10:25
19. 12:22-24 : Lk 11:14-15
20. 12:22 : Mt 4:24; 9:32-34
21. 12:23 : 2Ch 1:1; Mt 1:1; Rm 1:3
22. 12:24 : Mt 9:34; 10:25; Mk 3:22
23. 12:25-29 : Mk 3:23-27; Lk 11:17-22
24. 12:26 : Mt 4:1, 10; 13:19; Ac 13:10
25. 12:27 : 2Kg 2:7; Ac 19:13
26. 12:28 : Lk 17:21; 1Jn 3:8
27. 12:29 : Is 49:24; 53:12
28. 12:30 : Mk 9:40; Lk 9:50; 11:23
29. 12:31-32 : Mk 3:28-30; Lk 12:10
30. 12:31 : Heb 6:4-6; 10:26; 1Jn 5:16
31. 12:32 : Mt 11:19; Mk 2:10; Jn 7:12; 9:24
32. 12:32 : Mk 10:30; Lk 12:10; 20:34-35; Eph 1:21; Ti 2:12; Heb 6:5
33. 12:33 : Mt 7:18-19, 23; Lk 6:43-44; Jn 15:4-7
34. 12:34 : 1Sm 24:13; Mt 3:7; 23:33; Lk 6:45; Eph 4:29
35. 12:35 : Mt 13:52; Col 4:6
36. 12:36 : Mt 12:41; Jn 5:29; 1Jn 4:17
37. 12:36 : Lk 16:2; Ac 19:40; Rm 14:12; Heb 13:17; 1Pt 4:5
38. 12:38 : Mt 16:1; Mk 8:11-12; Lk 11:16; Jn 2:18; 6:30; 1Co 1:22
39. 12:39 : Mk 8:11-12; Lk 11:29-32
40. 12:39 : Is 57:3; Mt 16:4; Mk 8:38
41. 12:40 : Jnh 1:17
42. 12:41 : Jr 3:11; Ezk 16:51; Rm 2:27
43. 12:41 : Jnh 1:2; 3:5
44. 12:42 : 1Kg 10:1; 2Ch 9:1
45. 12:43-45 : Lk 11:24-26
46. 12:45 : Heb 6:4; 2Pt 2:20
47. 12:46-50 : Mk 3:31-35; Lk 8:19-21
48. 12:46 : Mt 13:55; Mk 6:3; Jn 2:12; Ac 1:14; 1Co 9:5; Gl 1:19
49. 12:49 : Mt 10:42; 28:19; Lk 14:26; Jn 8:31; 13:35; 15:8; Ac 6:1
50. 12:50 : Mt 6:1; 7:21; Jn 15:14; Heb 2:11