Bible Reading Plan

Matthew 12

Chapter 12

Lord of the Sabbath

¹ 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:

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)