Matthew 12:31-37

12:31 For this reason I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, ¹  but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 12:32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. ²  But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, ³  either in this age or in the age to come.

Trees and Their Fruit

12:33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad ⁴  and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit. 12:34 Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say anything good, since you are evil? For the mouth speaks from what fills the heart. 12:35 The good person ⁵  brings good things out of his ⁶  good treasury, ⁷  and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury. 12:36 I ⁸  tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak. 12:37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

[12:31]  ¹ tn Grk “every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men.”

[12:32]  ² tn Grk “it will be forgiven him.”

[12:32]  ³ tn Grk “it will not be forgiven him.”

[12:33]  ³ tn Grk “rotten.” The word σαπρός, modifying both “tree” and “fruit,” can also mean “diseased” (L&N 65.28).

[12:35]  ⁴ tn The Greek text reads here ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpos). The term is generic referring to any person.

[12:35]  ⁵ tn Grk “the”; the Greek article has been translated here and in the following clause (“his evil treasury”) as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).

[12:35]  ⁶ sn The treasury here is a metaphorical reference to a person’s heart (cf. BDAG 456 s.v. θησαυρός 1.b and the parallel passage in Luke 6:45).

[12:36]  ⁵ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.