Matthew Chapter 12 of 28 about 5 min read

Matthew 12

What happens in this chapter

Chapter summary coming soon.

Verse 1. At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them.

Verse 2. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”

Verse 3. Jesus replied, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?

Verse 4. He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for them to eat, but only for the priests.

Verse 5. Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and yet are innocent?

Verse 6. But I tell you that One greater than the temple is here.

Verse 7. If only you had known the meaning of ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

Verse 8. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Verse 9. Moving on from there, Jesus entered their synagogue,

Verse 10. and a man with a withered hand was there. In order to accuse Jesus, they asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

Verse 11. He replied, “If one of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out?

Verse 12. How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

Verse 13. Then Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored to full use, just like the other.

Verse 14. But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.

Verse 15. Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Large crowds followed Him, and He healed them all,

Verse 16. warning them not to make Him known.

Verse 17. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

Verse 18. “Here is My Servant, whom I have chosen, My beloved, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will proclaim justice to the nations.

Verse 19. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear His voice in the streets.

Verse 20. A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish, till He leads justice to victory.

Verse 21. In His name the nations will put their hope.”

Verse 22. Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed the man so that he could speak and see.

Verse 23. The crowds were astounded and asked, “Could this be the Son of David?”

Verse 24. But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “Only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, does this man drive out demons.”

Verse 25. Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.

Verse 26. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?

Verse 27. And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.

Verse 28. But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Verse 29. Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.

Verse 30. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

Verse 31. Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

Verse 32. 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 one to come.

Verse 33. 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.

Verse 34. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

Verse 35. The good man brings good things out of his good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure.

Verse 36. But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.

Verse 37. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Verse 38. Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”

Verse 39. Jesus replied, “A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

Verse 40. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Verse 41. The men of Nineveh will stand at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now One greater than Jonah is here.

Verse 42. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and now One greater than Solomon is here.

Verse 43. When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it.

Verse 44. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ On its return, it finds the house vacant, swept clean, and put in order.

Verse 45. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and dwell there. And the final plight of that man is worse than the first. So will it be with this wicked generation.”

Verse 46. While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, His mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to Him.

Verse 47. Someone told Him, “Look, Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to You.”

Verse 48. But Jesus replied, “Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?”

Verse 49. Pointing to His disciples, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers.

Verse 50. For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”