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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Matthew 12 NET Bible</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-LR4HSKRP2H"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-LR4HSKRP2H'); </script><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/matthew/12.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/matthew/12-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NET Bible</a> > Matthew 12</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../matthew/11.htm" title="Matthew 11">◄</a> Matthew 12 <a href="../matthew/13.htm" title="Matthew 13">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">NET Bible</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/net/esv/matthew/12.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="title">Lord of the Sabbath</p><p class="bodytext"><span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on a Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pick heads of wheat and eat them. <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>But when the Pharisees saw this they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is against the law to do on the Sabbath.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>He said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry – <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>how he entered the house of God and they ate the sacred bread, which was against the law for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests? <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>Or have you not read in the law that the priests in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are not guilty? <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>If you had known what this means: ‘<b><i>I want mercy and not sacrifice</i></b>,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”</p> <p class="bodytext"><span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>Then Jesus left that place and entered their synagogue. <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>A man was there who had a withered hand. And they asked Jesus, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” so that they could accuse him. <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>He said to them, “Would not any one of you, if he had one sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, take hold of it and lift it out? <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and it was restored, as healthy as the other. <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>But the Pharisees went out and plotted against him, as to how they could assassinate him.</p> <p class="title">God’s Special Servant</p><p class="bodytext"><span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>Now when Jesus learned of this, he went away from there. Great crowds followed him, and he healed them all. <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>But he sternly warned them not to make him known. <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>This fulfilled what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet:</p> <p class="otpoetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>“<b><i>Here is</i></b> <b><i>my servant whom I have chosen,</i></b></p><p class="otpoetry2"><i><b>the one I love, in whom I take great delight</b>.</i></p><p class="otpoetry2"><i><b>I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations</b>.</i></p> <p class="otpoetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span><b><i>He will not quarrel or cry out,</i></b></p><p class="otpoetry2"><i><b>nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets</b>.</i></p> <p class="otpoetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span><b><i>He will not break a bruised reed or extinguish a smoldering wick,</i></b></p><p class="otpoetry2"><i><b>until he brings justice to victory</b>.</i></p> <p class="otpoetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span><b><i>And in his name the Gentiles</i></b> <i><b>will hope</b>.</i>”</p> <p class="title">Jesus and Beelzebul</p><p class="bodytext"><span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>Then they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. Jesus healed him so that he could speak and see. <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>All the crowds were amazed and said, “Could this one be the Son of David?” <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>But when the Pharisees heard this they said, “He does not cast out demons except by the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons!” <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>Now when Jesus realized what they were thinking, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and no town or house divided against itself will stand. <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>So if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges. <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has already overtaken you. <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>How else can someone enter a strong man’s house and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can thoroughly plunder the house. <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>For this reason I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.</p> <p class="title">Trees and Their Fruit</p><p class="bodytext"><span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit. <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span>Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say anything good, since you are evil? For the mouth speaks from what fills the heart. <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>The good person brings good things out of his good treasury, and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury. <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-36.htm"><b>36</b></a></span>I tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak. <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-37.htm"><b>37</b></a></span>For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”</p> <p class="title">The Sign of Jonah</p><p class="bodytext"><span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-38.htm"><b>38</b></a></span>Then some of the experts in the law along with some Pharisees answered him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-39.htm"><b>39</b></a></span>But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-40.htm"><b>40</b></a></span>For just as Jonah was <b><i>in the belly of the huge fish</i></b> <i><b>for three days and three nights</b></i>, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-41.htm"><b>41</b></a></span>The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them – and now, something greater than Jonah is here! <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-42.htm"><b>42</b></a></span>The queen of the South 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 now, something greater than Solomon is here!</p> <p class="title">The Return of the Unclean Spirit</p><p class="bodytext"><span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-43.htm"><b>43</b></a></span>“When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it passes through waterless places looking for rest but does not find it. <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-44.htm"><b>44</b></a></span>Then it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’ When it returns, it finds the house empty, swept clean, and put in order. <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-45.htm"><b>45</b></a></span>Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so the last state of that person is worse than the first. It will be that way for this evil generation as well!”</p> <p class="title">Jesus’ True Family</p><p class="bodytext"><span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-46.htm"><b>46</b></a></span>While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers came and stood outside, asking to speak to him. <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-47.htm"><b>47</b></a></span> Someone told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting to speak to you.” <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-48.htm"><b>48</b></a></span>To the one who had said this, Jesus replied, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?” <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-49.htm"><b>49</b></a></span>And pointing toward his disciples he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! <span class="reftext"><a href="/matthew/12-50.htm"><b>50</b></a></span>For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”</p></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center"><a href="http://netbible.com/">NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com.<br />Used by permission. 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