LORD OF THE SABBATH

12 At that time Jesus passed through the grainfields on the Sabbath.s His disciplest were hungry and began to pick and eat some heads of grain. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “See, your disciples are doing what is not lawfulu 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 ateJ the bread of the Presence—which is not lawful for him or for those with him to eat, but only for the priests?v 5 Or haven’t you read in the law that on Sabbath days the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath and are innocent?w 6 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.x 7 If you had known what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice,K,y you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”z

THE MAN WITH THE SHRIVELED HAND

9 Moving on from there, he entered their synagogue.aa 10 There he saw a man who had a shriveled hand, and in order to accuse him they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”ab

11 He replied to them, “Who among you, if he had a sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, wouldn’t take hold of it and lift it out?ac 12 A person is worth far more than a sheep;ad 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,a as good as the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted against him, how they might kill him.b

THE SERVANT OF THE LORD

15 Jesus was aware of this and withdrew. Large crowdsA followed him, and he healed them all.c 16 He warned them not to make him known,d 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 I delight;

I will put my Spirit on him,

and he will proclaim justice to the nations.e

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.B

21 The nations will put their hope in his name.C,f

A HOUSE DIVIDED

22 Then a demon-possessed mang who was blind and unable to speak was brought to him. He healed him, so that the manD could both speak and see.h 23 All the crowds were astounded and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”i

24 When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.”j

25 Knowing their thoughts,k he told them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 If Satanl drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? For this reason they will be your judges.m 28 If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.n 29 How can someone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions unless he first ties upo the strong man? Then he can plunder his house. 30 Anyone who is not with me is against me,p and anyone who does not gather with me scatters. 31 Therefore,q I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy,r but the blasphemy againstE the Spirit will not be forgiven.F