Matthew 12

1At that time, Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the grain fields. His disciples were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.Cross-references: Deut 23:25 · Mark 2:23 · Luke 6:1

2But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, “Behold, your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”Cross-references: Ex 20:9 · Ex 23:12 · Ex 31:15 · Ex 35:2 · Num 15:32 · Isa 58:13 · +10 more

3But he said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him:Cross-references: 1Sam 21:3 · Matt 12:5 · Matt 19:4 · Matt 21:16 · Matt 22:31 · Mark 2:25 · +4 more

4how he entered into God’s house and ate the show bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?Cross-references: Ex 25:30 · Ex 29:32 · Lev 8:31 · Lev 24:5

5Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?Cross-references: Num 28:9 · Neh 13:17 · Ezek 24:21 · John 7:22

6But I tell you that one greater than the temple is here.Cross-references: 2Chr 6:18 · Hag 2:7 · Mal 3:1 · Matt 12:41 · Matt 23:17 · John 2:19 · +3 more

7But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you wouldn’t have condemned the guiltless.Cross-references: Job 32:3 · Ps 94:21 · Ps 109:31 · Prov 17:15 · Isa 1:11 · Hos 6:6 · +5 moreExamined: Jehovah's Witnesses →

8For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”Cross-references: Matt 8:20 · Matt 9:6 · Mark 2:28 · Mark 9:4 · Luke 6:5 · John 5:17 · +3 more

9He departed from there and went into their synagogue.Cross-references: Mark 3:1 · Luke 6:6

10And behold, there was a man with a withered hand. They asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?” so that they might accuse him.Cross-references: 1Ki 13:4 · Isa 32:6 · Isa 59:4 · Isa 59:13 · Zech 11:17 · Matt 12:2 · +13 more

11He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if this one falls into a pit on the Sabbath day, won’t he grab on to it and lift it out?Cross-references: Ex 23:4 · Deut 22:4 · Luke 13:15 · Luke 14:5

12Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day.”Cross-references: Matt 6:26 · Matt 10:31 · Mark 3:4 · Luke 6:9 · Luke 12:24

13Then he told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out; and it was restored whole, just like the other.Cross-references: Luke 13:13 · Acts 3:7

14But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how they might destroy him.Cross-references: Matt 26:4 · Matt 27:1 · Mark 3:6 · Luke 6:11 · John 5:18 · John 10:39 · +2 more

15Jesus, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Great multitudes followed him; and he healed them all,Cross-references: Matt 4:23 · Matt 10:23 · Matt 19:2 · Mark 3:7 · Mark 6:56 · Luke 6:12 · +7 more

16and commanded them that they should not make him known,Cross-references: Matt 8:4 · Matt 9:30 · Matt 17:9 · Mark 7:36 · Luke 5:14

17that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,Cross-references: Isa 41:22 · Isa 42:1 · Isa 42:9 · Isa 44:26 · Matt 8:17 · Matt 13:35 · +7 more

18“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit on him. He will proclaim justice to the nations.Cross-references: Ps 89:19 · Isa 11:2 · Isa 32:15 · Isa 42:1 · Isa 49:1 · Isa 49:5 · +33 more

19He will not strive, nor shout, neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets.Cross-references: Zech 9:9 · Matt 11:29 · Luke 17:20 · John 18:36 · 2Cor 10:1 · 2Tim 2:24

20He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a smoking flax, until he leads justice to victory.Cross-references: 2Ki 18:21 · Ps 51:17 · Ps 98:1 · Ps 147:3 · Isa 40:11 · Isa 42:3 · +13 more

21In his name, the nations will hope.”Cross-references: Isa 11:10 · Isa 42:4 · Rom 15:12 · Eph 1:12 · Col 1:27

22Then one possessed by a demon, blind and mute, was brought to him; and he healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.Cross-references: Ps 51:15 · Isa 29:18 · Isa 32:3 · Isa 35:5 · Matt 4:24 · Matt 9:32 · +5 more

23All the multitudes were amazed, and said, “Can this be the son of David?”Cross-references: Matt 9:27 · Matt 9:33 · Matt 15:22 · Matt 15:30 · Matt 21:9 · Matt 22:42 · +2 more

24But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “This man does not cast out demons except by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.”Cross-references: Matt 9:34 · Mark 3:22 · Luke 11:15Examined: The Historical Jesus →

25Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.Cross-references: Ps 139:2 · Isa 9:21 · Isa 19:2 · Jer 17:10 · Amos 4:13 · Matt 9:4 · +11 more

26If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?Cross-references: Matt 4:10 · John 12:31 · John 14:30 · John 16:11 · 2Cor 4:4 · Col 1:13 · +5 more

27If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.Cross-references: Matt 12:41 · Mark 9:38 · Luke 9:49 · Luke 11:19 · Luke 19:22 · Acts 19:13 · +1 more

28But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then God’s Kingdom has come upon you.Cross-references: Isa 9:6 · Dan 2:44 · Dan 7:14 · Matt 6:33 · Matt 12:18 · Matt 21:31 · +14 more

29Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man and plunder his goods, unless he first bind the strong man? Then he will plunder his house.Cross-references: Isa 49:24 · Isa 53:12 · Mark 3:27 · Luke 11:21 · 1John 3:8 · 1John 4:4 · +3 more

30“He who is not with me is against me, and he who doesn’t gather with me, scatters.Cross-references: Gen 49:10 · Josh 5:13 · Josh 24:15 · 1Chr 12:17 · Hos 1:11 · Matt 6:24 · +7 more

31Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.Cross-references: Isa 1:18 · Isa 55:7 · Ezek 33:11 · Mark 3:28 · Luke 12:10 · Acts 7:51 · +7 more

32Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age, or in that which is to come.Cross-references: Job 36:13 · Matt 11:19 · Matt 12:31 · Matt 13:55 · Mark 3:29 · Mark 10:30 · +17 more

33“Either 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.Cross-references: Ezek 18:31 · Amos 5:15 · Matt 3:8 · Matt 7:16 · Matt 23:26 · Luke 3:9 · +5 more

34You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.Cross-references: 1Sam 24:13 · Ps 10:6 · Ps 52:2 · Ps 53:1 · Ps 64:3 · Ps 64:5 · +17 more

35The good man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil things.Cross-references: Ps 37:30 · Prov 10:20 · Prov 12:6 · Prov 12:17 · Prov 15:4 · Prov 15:23 · +8 more

36I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.Cross-references: Eccl 12:14 · Rom 2:16 · Eph 6:4 · Jude 1:14 · Rev 20:12

37For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”Cross-references: Prov 13:3 · James 2:21

38Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”Cross-references: Matt 16:1 · Mark 8:11 · Luke 11:16 · Luke 11:29 · John 2:18 · John 4:48 · +2 more

39But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet.Cross-references: Isa 57:3 · Matt 16:4 · Mark 8:38 · Luke 11:29 · James 4:4

40For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the huge fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.Cross-references: Ps 63:9 · Jonah 1:17 · Jonah 2:2 · Matt 8:20 · Matt 16:21 · Matt 17:23 · +3 more

41The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, someone greater than Jonah is here.Cross-references: Isa 54:17 · Jer 3:11 · Ezek 16:51 · Jonah 1:2 · Jonah 3:5 · Matt 12:6 · +13 more

42The Queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, someone greater than Solomon is here.Cross-references: 1Ki 3:9 · 1Ki 3:12 · 1Ki 3:28 · 1Ki 4:29 · 1Ki 4:34 · 1Ki 5:12 · +14 more

43“When an unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest, and doesn’t find it.Cross-references: Job 1:7 · Job 2:2 · Ps 63:1 · Isa 35:6 · Isa 41:18 · Ezek 47:8 · +7 more

44Then he says, ‘I will return into my house from which I came;’ and when he has come back, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.Cross-references: Ps 81:11 · Hos 7:6 · Matt 12:29 · Matt 13:20 · Luke 11:21 · John 12:6 · +14 more

45Then he goes and takes with himself seven other spirits more evil than he is, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first. Even so will it be also to this evil generation.”Cross-references: Matt 12:24 · Matt 21:38 · Matt 23:15 · Matt 23:24 · Matt 23:32 · Mark 5:9 · +14 more

46While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.Cross-references: Matt 1:18 · Matt 2:11 · Matt 2:13 · Matt 2:20 · Matt 13:55 · Mark 2:21 · +18 more

47One said to him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, seeking to speak to you.”

48But he answered him who spoke to him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”Cross-references: Deut 33:9 · Matt 10:37 · Mark 3:32 · Luke 2:49 · Luke 2:52 · John 2:3 · +1 more

49He stretched out his hand toward his disciples, and said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers!Cross-references: Matt 28:7 · Mark 3:34 · John 17:8 · John 17:20 · John 20:17

50For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”Cross-references: Ps 22:22 · Song 4:9 · Song 4:12 · Song 5:1 · Matt 7:20 · Matt 17:5 · +30 more