Matthew 12 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Lord of the Sabbath

1 At that [fn]time ^G2540 Jesus ^G2424 went ^G4198 through ^G1223 the grainfields ^G4702 on the Sabbath ^G4521, and His disciples ^G3101 became hungry ^G3983 and began ^G757 to pick ^G5089 the heads ^G4719 of grain and eat ^G2068.

2 But when the Pharisees ^G5330 saw ^G3708 this, they said ^G3004 to Him, “Look ^G2400, Your disciples ^G3101 do ^G4160 what ^G3739 is not lawful ^G1832 to do ^G4160 on a Sabbath ^G4521.” 3 But He said ^G3004 to them, “Have you not read ^G314 what ^G5101 David ^G1138 did ^G4160 when ^G3753 he became hungry ^G3983, he and his companions ^G3588 G3326, 4 how ^G4459 he entered ^G1525 the house ^G3624 of God ^G2316, and they ate ^G2068 the [fn]consecrated ^G4286 bread ^G740, which ^G3739 was not lawful ^G1832 for him to eat ^G2068 nor ^G3761 for those ^G3588 with him, but for the priests ^G2409 alone ^G3441? 5 Or ^G2228 have you not read ^G314 in the Law ^G3551, that on the Sabbath ^G4521 the priests ^G2409 in the temple ^G2413 [fn]break ^G953 the Sabbath ^G4521 and are innocent ^G338? 6 But I say ^G3004 to you that something greater ^G3173 than the temple ^G2413 is here ^G5602. 7 But if ^G1487 you had known ^G1097 what ^G5101 this [fn]means ^G1510, ‘I DESIRE ^G2309 [fn]COMPASSION ^G1656, AND NOT A SACRIFICE ^G2378,’ you would not have condemned ^G2613 the innocent ^G338. 8 For the Son ^G5207 of Man ^G444 is Lord ^G2962 of the Sabbath ^G4521.”

Jesus Heals a Man on the Sabbath

9 And departing ^G3327 from ^G1564 there ^G1564, He went ^G2064 into their synagogue ^G4864.

10 And behold ^G2400, a man ^G444 was there whose hand ^G5495 was withered ^G3584. And they questioned ^G1905 [fn]Jesus, saying ^G3004, “Is it lawful ^G1832 to heal ^G2323 on the Sabbath ^G4521?”—so ^G2443 that they might accuse ^G2723 Him. 11 And He said ^G3004 to them, “What ^G5101 man ^G444 [fn]is there among ^G1537 you who ^G3739 has ^G2192 a sheep ^G4263, and if ^G1437 it falls ^G1706 into a pit ^G999 on the Sabbath ^G4521, will not take ^G2902 hold ^G2902 of it and lift ^G1453 it out? 12 How ^G4214 much ^G4214 more ^G1308 valuable ^G1308 then ^G3767 is a man ^G444 than a sheep ^G4263! So ^G5620 then ^G5620, it is lawful ^G1832 to do ^G4160 [fn]good ^G2573 on the Sabbath ^G4521.” 13 Then ^G5119 He *said ^G3004 to the man ^G444, “Stretch ^G1614 out ^G1614 your hand ^G5495!” He stretched ^G1614 it out ^G1614, and it was restored ^G600 to [fn]normal ^G5199, like ^G5613 the other ^G243. 14 But going ^G1831 out ^G1831, the Pharisees ^G5330 took ^G2983 counsel ^G4824 together ^G4824 against ^G2596 Him, as to how ^G3704 they might destroy ^G622 Him.

15 But Jesus ^G2424, [fn]aware ^G1097 of this, withdrew ^G402 from ^G1564 there ^G1564. Many ^G4183 followed ^G190 Him, and He healed ^G2323 them all ^G3956, 16 and warned ^G2008 them not to make ^G4160 Him ^G846 known ^G5318, 17 in order that ^G2443 what ^G3588 was spoken ^G3004 through ^G1223 Isaiah ^G2268 the prophet ^G4396 would be fulfilled ^G4137, saying ^G3004,

18 “BEHOLD ^G2400, MY [fn]SERVANT ^G3816 WHOM ^G3739 I [fn]HAVE CHOSEN ^G140;

MY BELOVED ^G27 IN WHOM ^G3739 MY SOUL ^G5590 [fn]IS WELL-PLEASED ^G2106;

I WILL PUT ^G5087 MY SPIRIT ^G4151 UPON HIM,

AND HE SHALL PROCLAIM ^G518 [fn]JUSTICE ^G2920 TO THE [fn]GENTILES ^G1484.

19 “HE WILL NOT QUARREL ^G2051, NOR ^G3761 CRY ^G2905 OUT;

NOR ^G3761 WILL ANYONE ^G5100 HEAR ^G191 HIS VOICE ^G5456 IN THE STREETS ^G4116.

20 “A BATTERED ^G4937 REED ^G2563 HE WILL NOT BREAK ^G2608 OFF,

AND A SMOLDERING ^G5188 WICK ^G3043 HE WILL NOT PUT ^G4570 OUT,

UNTIL ^G2193 HE [fn]LEADS ^G1544 [fn]JUSTICE ^G2920 TO VICTORY ^G3534.

21 “AND IN HIS NAME ^G3686 THE [fn]GENTILES ^G1484 WILL HOPE ^G1679.”

A Kingdom Divided

22 Then ^G5119 a demon-possessed ^G1139 man who was blind ^G5185 and mute ^G2974 was brought ^G4374 to [fn]Jesus, and He healed ^G2323 him, so ^G5620 that the mute ^G2974 man ^G2974 spoke ^G2980 and saw ^G991.

23 And all ^G3956 the crowds ^G3793 were astounded ^G1839, and were saying ^G3004, “Can ^G3385 this ^G3778 man ^G3385 really be the Son ^G5207 of David ^G1138?” 24 But when the Pharisees ^G5330 heard ^G191 this, they said ^G3004, “This ^G3778 man ^G3778 does not ^G3756 cast out ^G1544 demons ^G1140 except ^G1487 G3361 by ^G1722 [fn]Beelzebul ^G954 the ruler ^G758 of the demons ^G1140.”

25 And knowing ^G6063 their thoughts ^G1761 He said ^G3004 to them ^G846, “[fn]Any ^G3956 kingdom ^G932 divided ^G3307 against ^G2596 itself ^G1438 is laid ^G2049 waste ^G2049; and [fn]any ^G3956 city ^G4172 or ^G2228 house ^G3614 divided ^G3307 against ^G2596 itself ^G1438 will not stand ^G2476. 26 And if ^G1487 Satan ^G4567 casts ^G1544 out ^G1544 Satan ^G4567, he [fn]is divided ^G3307 against ^G1909 himself ^G1438; how ^G4459 then ^G3767 will his kingdom ^G932 stand ^G2476? 27 And if ^G1487 I by [fn]Beelzebul ^G954 cast ^G1544 out ^G1544 demons ^G1140, by whom ^G5101 do your sons ^G5207 cast ^G1544 them out ^G1544? For this ^G1223 G3778 reason ^G1223 G3778 they will be your judges ^G2923. 28 But if ^G1487 I cast ^G1544 out ^G1544 demons ^G1140 by the Spirit ^G4151 of God ^G2316, then ^G686 the kingdom ^G932 of God ^G2316 has come ^G5348 upon you. 29 Or ^G2228 how ^G4459 can ^G1410 anyone ^G5100 enter ^G1525 the strong ^G2478 man’s ^G2478 house ^G3614 and carry ^G726 off ^G726 his property ^G4632, unless ^G1437 G3361 he first ^G4413 binds ^G1210 the strong ^G2478 man? And then ^G5119 he will plunder ^G1283 his house ^G3614.

Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit

30 He who is not with Me is against ^G2596 Me; and he who does not gather ^G4863 with Me scatters ^G4650.

31 “Therefore ^G1223 G3778 I say ^G3004 to you, any ^G3956 sin ^G266 and blasphemy ^G988 shall be forgiven ^G863 people ^G444, but the blasphemy ^G988 against the Spirit ^G4151 shall not be forgiven ^G863. 32 And whoever ^G3739 G1437 [fn]speaks ^G3004 a word ^G3056 against ^G2596 the Son ^G5207 of Man ^G444, it shall be forgiven ^G863 him; but whoever ^G3739 G302 [fn]speaks ^G3004 against ^G2596 the Holy ^G40 Spirit ^G4151, it shall not be forgiven ^G863 him, either ^G3777 in this ^G3778 age ^G165 or ^G3777 in the age to ^G3195 come ^G3195.

The Heart Is Revealed by Words

33 “Either ^G2228 make ^G4160 the tree ^G1186 good ^G2570 and its fruit ^G2590 good ^G2570, or ^G2228 make ^G4160 the tree ^G1186 bad ^G4550 and its fruit ^G2590 bad ^G4550; for the tree ^G1186 is known ^G1097 by its fruit ^G2590.

34 You brood ^G1081 of vipers ^G2191, how ^G4459 can ^G1410 you, being ^G1510 evil ^G4190, speak ^G2980 [fn]what ^G18 is ^G18 good ^G18? For the mouth ^G4750 speaks ^G2980 out of that which ^G4051 fills ^G4051 the heart ^G2588. 35 The good ^G18 man ^G444 brings ^G1544 out ^G1544 of his good ^G18 treasure ^G2344 [fn]what ^G18 is ^G18 good ^G18; and the evil ^G4190 man ^G444 brings ^G1544 out ^G1544 of his evil ^G4190 treasure ^G2344 [fn]what is evil ^G4190. 36 But I tell ^G3004 you that every ^G3956 [fn]careless ^G692 word ^G4487 that people ^G444 [fn]speak ^G2980, they shall give ^G591 an accounting ^G3056 for it in the day ^G2250 of judgment ^G2920. 37 For [fn]by your words ^G3056 you will be justified ^G1344, and [fn]by your words ^G3056 you will be condemned ^G2613.”

The Sign of Jonah

38 Then ^G5119 some ^G5100 of the scribes ^G1122 and Pharisees ^G5330 answered ^G611 and said ^G3004 to Him, “Teacher ^G1320, we want ^G2309 to see ^G3708 [fn]a sign ^G4592 from You.”

39 But He answered ^G611 and said ^G3004 to them, “An evil ^G4190 and adulterous ^G3428 generation ^G1074 eagerly ^G1934 seeks ^G1934 for a sign ^G4592; and yet no ^G3756 sign ^G4592 will be given ^G1325 to it but the sign ^G4592 of Jonah ^G2495 the prophet ^G4396; 40 for just ^G5618 as JONAH ^G2495 WAS THREE ^G5140 DAYS ^G2250 AND THREE ^G5140 NIGHTS ^G3571 IN THE BELLY ^G2836 OF THE SEA ^G2785 MONSTER ^G2785, so ^G3779 will the Son ^G5207 of Man ^G444 be three ^G5140 days ^G2250 and three ^G5140 nights ^G3571 in the heart ^G2588 of the earth ^G1093. 41 The men ^G435 of Nineveh ^G3536 will stand ^G450 up ^G450 with this ^G3778 generation ^G1074 at the judgment ^G2920, and will condemn ^G2632 it because ^G3754 they repented ^G3340 at the preaching ^G2782 of Jonah ^G2495; and behold ^G2400, something greater ^G4183 than Jonah ^G2495 is here ^G5602. 42 The Queen ^G938 of the South ^G3558 will rise ^G1453 up ^G1453 with this ^G3778 generation ^G1074 at the judgment ^G2920 and will condemn ^G2632 it, because ^G3754 she came ^G2064 from the ends ^G4009 of the earth ^G1093 to hear ^G191 the wisdom ^G4678 of Solomon ^G4672; and behold ^G2400, something greater ^G4183 than Solomon ^G4672 is here ^G5602.

43 “Now ^G1161 when ^G3752 the unclean ^G169 spirit ^G4151 goes ^G1831 out ^G1831 of a man ^G444, it passes ^G1330 through ^G1223 waterless ^G504 places ^G5117 seeking ^G2212 rest ^G372, and does not find ^G2147 it. 44 Then ^G5119 it says ^G3004, ‘I will return ^G1994 to my house ^G3624 from which ^G3606 I came ^G1831’; and when it comes ^G2064, it finds ^G2147 it unoccupied ^G4980, swept ^G4563, and put ^G2885 in ^G2885 order ^G2885. 45 Then ^G5119 it goes ^G4198 and takes ^G3880 along ^G3880 with it seven ^G2033 other ^G2087 spirits ^G4151 more ^G4190 wicked ^G4190 than itself ^G1438, and they go ^G1525 in ^G1525 and live ^G2730 there ^G1563; and the last ^G2078 state of that man ^G444 becomes ^G1096 worse ^G5501 than the first ^G4413. That is the way ^G3779 it will also ^G2532 be with this ^G3778 evil ^G4190 generation ^G1074.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

46 While He was still ^G2089 speaking ^G2980 to the crowds ^G3793, behold ^G2400, His mother ^G3384 and brothers ^G80 were standing ^G2476 outside ^G1854, seeking ^G2212 to speak ^G2980 to Him.

47 [fn]Now someone ^G5100 said ^G3004 to Him, “Behold ^G2400, Your mother ^G3384 and Your brothers ^G80 are standing ^G2476 outside ^G1854 seeking ^G2212 to speak ^G2980 to You.” 48 But [fn]Jesus answered ^G611 the one who was telling ^G3004 Him and said ^G3004, “Who ^G5101 is My mother ^G3384 and who ^G5101 are My brothers ^G80?” 49 And stretching ^G1614 out ^G1614 His hand ^G5495 toward ^G1909 His disciples ^G3101, He said ^G3004, “Behold ^G2400 My mother ^G3384 and My brothers ^G80! 50 For whoever ^G3748 G302 does ^G4160 the will ^G2307 of My Father ^G3962 who is in heaven ^G3772, he is My brother ^G80 and sister ^G79 and mother ^G3384.”