Matthew 12

1At that season Jesus went on the sabbath day through the grainfields; and his disciples were hungry and began to pluck ears and to eat.

1Around that time, Jesus walked through some grainfields on the Sabbath day. His disciples were hungry, so they began to pick heads of grain and eat them.

2But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which it is not lawful to do upon the sabbath.

2When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, 'Look, your disciples are doing something that is not allowed on the Sabbath.'

3But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was hungry, and they that were with him;

3Jesus answered them, 'Haven’t you read what David did when he and those with him were hungry?

4how he entered into the house of God, and ate the showbread, which it was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them that were with him, but only for the priests?

4He went into the house of God and ate the sacred bread, which only the priests were allowed to eat, not David or his companions.

5Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are guiltless?

5Or haven’t you read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath rules but are not guilty?

6But I say unto you, that one greater than the temple is here.

6I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.

7But if ye had known what this meaneth, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

7If you knew what it means when God says, "I want mercy, not sacrifice," you wouldn't have condemned these innocent men.

8For the Son of man is lord of the sabbath.

8For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.'

9And he departed thence, and went into their synagogue:

9He left that place and went into their synagogue.

10and behold, a man having a withered hand. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? that they might accuse him.

10A man with a withered hand was there. Hoping to find a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, 'Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?'

11And he said unto them, What man shall there be of you, that shall have one sheep, and if this fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?

11He replied to them, 'If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, won't you take hold of it and pull it out?

12How much then is a man of more value than a sheep! Wherefore it is lawful to do good on the sabbath day.

12A human being is worth much more than a sheep! Therefore, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.'

13Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, as the other.

13Then he said to the man, 'Stretch out your hand.' He stretched it out, and it was restored as healthy as the other one.

14But the Pharisees went out, and took counsel against him, how they might destroy him.

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

15And Jesus perceivingitwithdrew from thence: and many followed him; and he healed them all,

15Aware of this, Jesus left that area. Many people followed him, and he healed all of them.

16and charged them that they should not make him known:

16However, he warned them not to tell anyone who he was.

17that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,

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

18Behold, my servant whom I have chosen; My beloved in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my Spirit upon him, And he shall declare judgment to the Gentiles.

18'Look at my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love and in whom I am well pleased. I will put my Spirit on him, and he will announce justice to the nations.

19He shall not strive, nor cry aloud; Neither shall any one hear his voice in the streets.

19He will not argue or shout; no one will hear his voice in the streets.

20A bruised reed shall he not break, And smoking flax shall he not quench, Till he send forth judgment unto victory.

20He will not break a bent reed or put out a flickering candle until he leads justice to victory.

21And in his name shall the Gentiles hope.

21And the nations will put their hope in his name.'

22Then was brought unto him one possessed with a demon, blind and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the dumb man spake and saw.

22Then people brought him a man possessed by a demon who was both blind and unable to speak. Jesus healed him, so that the man could both talk and see.

23And all the multitudes were amazed, and said, Can this be the son of David?

23All the crowds were amazed and asked, 'Could this be the Son of David?'

24But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This man doth not cast out demons, but by Beelzebub the prince of the demons.

24But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, 'This man only drives out demons by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of demons.'

25And knowing their thoughts he said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

25Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to them, 'Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not survive.

26and if Satan casteth out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?

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

27And if I by Beelzebub cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.

27If I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whose power do your own followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.

28But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then is the kingdom of God come upon you.

28But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has arrived among you.

29Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

29How can anyone enter a strong man's house and steal his property unless he first ties up the strong man? Only then can he rob the house.

30He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.

30Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

31Therefore I say unto you, Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.

31Therefore, I tell you, people can be forgiven for every sin and insult, but insulting the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

32And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in that which is to come.

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, either in this age or in the age to come.

33Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by its fruit.

33Either make the tree good and its fruit will be good, or make the tree bad and its fruit will be bad; for a tree is recognized by its fruit.

34Ye offspring of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

34You bunch of snakes! How can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

35The good man out of his good treasure bringeth forth good things: and the evil man out of his evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

35A good person brings good things out of a good heart, and an evil person brings evil things out of an evil heart.

36And I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

36I tell you that on judgment day, people will have to account for every careless word they have spoken.

37For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

37For your own words will be used to declare you innocent, and your own words will be used to condemn you.'

38Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, Teacher, we would see a sign from thee.

38Then some of the teachers of the law and Pharisees said to him, 'Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you.'

39But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet:

39He answered them, 'An evil and unfaithful generation demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

40for as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

40For just as Jonah was in the belly of a huge fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.

41The men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here.

41The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached; and now one greater than Jonah is here.

42The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

42The 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 listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now one greater than Solomon is here.

43But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of the man, passeth through waterless places, seeking rest, and findeth it not.

43When an evil spirit comes out of a person, it wanders through dry places looking for a place to rest but does not find one.

44Then he saith, I will return into my house whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

44Then it says, "I will go back to the house I left." When it arrives, it finds the house empty, swept clean, and put in order.

45Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this evil generation.

45Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there. In the end, that person is worse off than they were at the beginning. That is how it will be for this evil generation.'

46While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, seeking to speak to him.

46While Jesus was still talking to the crowds, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him.

47And one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, seeking to speak to thee.

47Someone told him, 'Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.'

48But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

48He replied to the person who told him, 'Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?'

49And he stretched forth his hand towards his disciples, and said, Behold, my mother and my brethren!

49Pointing to his disciples, he said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers!

50For whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.

50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.'