Matthew 12:1–31

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

12At that time ^wJesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and ^xthey began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. ²But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, ^y“Look, your disciples are doing ^zwhat is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” ³He said to them, ^a“Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: ⁴how he entered the house of God and ate ^bthe bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? ⁵Or have you not read ^cin the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? ⁶I tell you, ^dsomething greater than the temple is here. ⁷And if you had known ^ewhat this means, ^f‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. ⁸For ^gthe Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

A Man with a Withered Hand

⁹He went on from there and ^hentered their synagogue. ¹⁰And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, ⁱ“Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—^jso that they might accuse him. ¹¹He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, ^kif it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? ^12lOf how much more value is a man than a sheep! So ^mit is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” ¹³Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And ⁿthe man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. ¹⁴But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.

God’s Chosen Servant

¹⁵Jesus, aware of this, ^owithdrew from there. And ^pmany followed him, and he healed them all ¹⁶and ^qordered them not to make him known. ^17rThis was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

^18s“Behold, my ^tservant whom I have chosen,

my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased.

^uI will put my Spirit upon him,

and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.

¹⁹He will not quarrel or cry aloud,

nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets;

²⁰a bruised reed he will not break,

and a smoldering wick he will not quench,

until he brings justice to victory;

^21vand in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit

^22wThen a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. ^23xAnd all the people were amazed, and said, ^x“Can this be the Son of David?” ²⁴But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, ^y“It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” ^25zKnowing their thoughts, ^ahe said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. ²⁶And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? ²⁷And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, ^bby whom do ^cyour sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. ²⁸But if it is ^dby the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then ^ethe kingdom of God has come upon you. ²⁹Or ^fhow can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed ^ghe may plunder his house. ^30hWhoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. ³¹ⁱTherefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but ^jthe blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.