Matthew 12:18–50

¹⁸“Here is my servant. I have chosen him.

He is the one I love. I am very pleased with him.

I will put my Spirit on him.

He will announce to the nations that everything will be made right.

¹⁹He will not argue or cry out.

No one will hear his voice in the streets.

²⁰He will not break a bent twig.

He will not put out a dimly burning flame.

He will make everything right.

²¹The nations will put their hope in him.”

Jesus and Beelzebub

²²A man controlled by demons was brought to Jesus. The man was blind and could not speak. Jesus healed him. Then the man could speak and see. ²³All the people were amazed. They said, “Could this be the Son of David?”

²⁴The Pharisees heard this. So they said, “This fellow drives out demons by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of demons.”

²⁵Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he said to them, “Every kingdom that fights against itself will be destroyed. Every city or family that is divided against itself will not stand. ²⁶If Satan drives out Satan, he fights against himself. Then how can his kingdom stand? ²⁷You say I drive out demons by the power of Beelzebub. Then by whose power do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. ²⁸But suppose I drive out demons by the Spirit of God. Then God’s kingdom has come to you.

²⁹“Or think about this. How can you enter a strong man’s house and just take what the man owns? You must first tie him up. Then you can rob his house.

³⁰“Anyone who is not with me is against me. Anyone who does not gather sheep with me scatters them. ³¹So here is what I tell you. Every sin and every evil word spoken against God will be forgiven. But speaking evil things against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. ³²Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. A person like that won’t be forgiven either now or in days to come.

³³“If you make a tree good, its fruit will be good. If you make a tree bad, its fruit will be bad. You can tell a tree by its fruit.

³⁴“You nest of poisonous snakes! How can you who are evil say anything good? Your mouths say everything that is in your hearts. ³⁵A good man says good things. These come from the good that is put away inside him. An evil man says evil things. These come from the evil that is put away inside him. ³⁶But here is what I tell you. On judgment day, people will have to account for every careless word they have spoken. ³⁷By your words you will be found guilty or not guilty.”

The Miraculous Sign of Jonah

³⁸Some of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law came to Jesus. They said, “Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you.”

³⁹He answered, “Evil and unfaithful people ask for a miraculous sign! But none will be given except the sign of the prophet Jonah. ⁴⁰Jonah was in the stomach of a huge fish for three days and three nights. Something like that will happen to the Son of Man. He will spend three days and three nights in the grave.

⁴¹“The men of Nineveh will stand up on judgment day with the people now living. And the Ninevites will prove that those people are guilty. The men of Nineveh turned away from their sins when Jonah preached to them. And now one who is more important than Jonah is here.

⁴²“The Queen of the South will stand up on judgment day with the people now living. And she will prove that they are guilty. She came from very far away to listen to Solomon’s wisdom. And now one who is more important than Solomon is here.

⁴³“What happens when an evil spirit comes out of a man? It goes through dry areas looking for a place to rest. But it doesn’t find it. ⁴⁴Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives there, it finds the house empty. The house has been swept clean and put in order. ⁴⁵Then the evil spirit goes and takes with it seven other spirits more evil than itself. They go in and live there. That man is worse off than before. That is how it will be with the evil people of today.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

⁴⁶While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside. They wanted to speak to him. ⁴⁷Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside. They want to speak to you.”

⁴⁸Jesus replied to him, “Who is my mother? And who are my brothers?” ⁴⁹Jesus pointed to his disciples. He said, “Here is my mother! Here are my brothers! ⁵⁰Anyone who does what my Father in heaven wants is my brother or sister or mother.”