Matthew 12:1--15:20
Lord of the Sabbath
12:1 At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on a Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pick heads of wheat and eat them.
12:2 But when the Pharisees saw this they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is against the law to do on the Sabbath.”
12:3 He said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry –
12:4 how he entered the house of God and they ate the sacred bread, which was against the law for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests?
12:5 Or have you not read in the law that the priests in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are not guilty?
12:6 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.
12:7 If you had known what this means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.
12:8 For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”
12:9 Then Jesus left that place and entered their synagogue.
12:10 A man was there who had a withered hand. And they asked Jesus, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” so that they could accuse him.
12:11 He said to them, “Would not any one of you, if he had one sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, take hold of it and lift it out?
12:12 How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
12:13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and it was restored, as healthy as the other.
12:14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted against him, as to how they could assassinate him.
God’s Special Servant
12:15 Now when Jesus learned of this, he went away from there. Great crowds followed him, and he healed them all.
12:16 But he sternly warned them not to make him known.
12:17 This fulfilled what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet:
12:18 “Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
the one I love, in whom I take great delight.
I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
12:19 He will not quarrel or cry out,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
12:20 He will not break a bruised reed or extinguish a smoldering wick,
until he brings justice to victory.
12:21 And in his name the Gentiles will hope.”
Jesus and Beelzebul
12:22 Then they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. Jesus healed him so that he could speak and see.
12:23 All the crowds were amazed and said, “Could this one be the Son of David?”
12:24 But when the Pharisees heard this they said, “He does not cast out demons except by the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons!”
12:25 Now when Jesus realized what they were thinking, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and no town or house divided against itself will stand.
12:26 So if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
12:27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges.
12:28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has already overtaken you.
12:29 How else can someone enter a strong man’s house and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can thoroughly plunder the house.
12:30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
12:31 For this reason I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
12:32 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 age to come.
Trees and Their Fruit
12:33 “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.
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 brings good things out of his good treasury, and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury.
12:36 I 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.”
The Sign of Jonah
12:38 Then some of the experts in the law along with some Pharisees answered him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
12:39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
12:40 For just as Jonah was in the belly of the 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.
12:41 The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them – and now, something greater than Jonah is here!
12:42 The 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 hear the wisdom of Solomon – and now, something greater than Solomon is here!
The Return of the Unclean Spirit
12:43 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it passes through waterless places looking for rest but does not find it.
12:44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’ When it returns, it finds the house empty, swept clean, and put in order.
12:45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so the last state of that person is worse than the first. It will be that way for this evil generation as well!”
Jesus’ True Family
12:46 While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers came and stood outside, asking to speak to him.
12:47 Someone told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting to speak to you.”
12:48 To the one who had said this, Jesus replied, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?”
12:49 And pointing toward his disciples he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!
12:50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
The Parable of the Sower
13:1 On that day after Jesus went out of the house, he sat by the lake.
13:2 And such a large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat to sit while the whole crowd stood on the shore.
13:3 He told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow.
13:4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.
13:5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground where they did not have much soil. They sprang up quickly because the soil was not deep.
13:6 But when the sun came up, they were scorched, and because they did not have sufficient root, they withered.
13:7 Other seeds fell among the thorns, and they grew up and choked them.
13:8 But other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.
13:9 The one who has ears had better listen!”
13:10 Then the disciples came to him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”
13:11 He replied, “You have been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but they have not.
13:12 For whoever has will be given more, and will have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.
13:13 For this reason I speak to them in parables: Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear nor do they understand.
13:14 And concerning them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:
‘You will listen carefully yet will never understand,
you will look closely yet will never comprehend.
13:15 For the heart of this people has become dull;
they are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes,
so that they would not see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’
13:16 “But your eyes are blessed because they see, and your ears because they hear.
13:17 For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
13:18 “So listen to the parable of the sower:
13:19 When anyone hears the word about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches what was sown in his heart; this is the seed sown along the path.
13:20 The seed sown on rocky ground is the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy.
13:21 But he has no root in himself and does not endure; when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away.
13:22 The seed sown among thorns is the person who hears the word, but worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth choke the word, so it produces nothing.
13:23 But as for the seed sown on good soil, this is the person who hears the word and understands. He bears fruit, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.”
The Parable of the Weeds
13:24 He presented them with another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a person who sowed good seed in his field.
13:25 But while everyone was sleeping, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.
13:26 When the plants sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds also appeared.
13:27 So the slaves of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’
13:28 He said, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the slaves replied, ‘Do you want us to go and gather them?’
13:29 But he said, ‘No, since in gathering the weeds you may uproot the wheat with them.
13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I will tell the reapers, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned, but then gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
13:31 He gave them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.
13:32 It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest garden plant and becomes a tree, so that the wild birds come and nest in its branches.”
The Parable of the Yeast
13:33 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour until all the dough had risen.”
The Purpose of Parables
13:34 Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the crowds; he did not speak to them without a parable.
13:35 This fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet:
“I will open my mouth in parables,
I will announce what has been hidden from the foundation of the world.”
Explanation for the Disciples
13:36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
13:37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.
13:38 The field is the world and the good seed are the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one,
13:39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.
13:40 As the weeds are collected and burned with fire, so it will be at the end of the age.
13:41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom everything that causes sin as well as all lawbreakers.
13:42 They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
13:43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The one who has ears had better listen!
Parables on the Kingdom of Heaven
13:44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, hidden in a field, that a person found and hid. Then because of joy he went and sold all that he had and bought that field.
13:45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls.
13:46 When he found a pearl of great value, he went out and sold everything he had and bought it.
13:47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea that caught all kinds of fish.
13:48 When it was full, they pulled it ashore, sat down, and put the good fish into containers and threw the bad away.
13:49 It will be this way at the end of the age. Angels will come and separate the evil from the righteous
13:50 and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
13:51 “Have you understood all these things?” They replied, “Yes.”
13:52 Then he said to them, “Therefore every expert in the law who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his treasure what is new and old.”
Rejection at Nazareth
13:53 Now when Jesus finished these parables, he moved on from there.
13:54 Then he came to his hometown and began to teach the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, “Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers?
13:55 Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother named Mary? And aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
13:56 And aren’t all his sisters here with us? Where did he get all this?”
13:57 And so they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own house.”
13:58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.
The Death of John the Baptist
14:1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard reports about Jesus,
14:2 and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead! And because of this, miraculous powers are at work in him.”
14:3 For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,
14:4 because John had repeatedly told him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
14:5 Although Herod wanted to kill John, he feared the crowd because they accepted John as a prophet.
14:6 But on Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod,
14:7 so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked.
14:8 Instructed by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.”
14:9 Although it grieved the king, because of his oath and the dinner guests he commanded it to be given.
14:10 So he sent and had John beheaded in the prison.
14:11 His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.
14:12 Then John’s disciples came and took the body and buried it and went and told Jesus.
The Feeding of the Five Thousand
14:13 Now when Jesus heard this he went away from there privately in a boat to an isolated place. But when the crowd heard about it, they followed him on foot from the towns.
14:14 As he got out he saw the large crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
14:15 When evening arrived, his disciples came to him saying, “This is an isolated place and the hour is already late. Send the crowds away so that they can go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”
14:16 But he replied, “They don’t need to go. You give them something to eat.”
14:17 They said to him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”
14:18 “Bring them here to me,” he replied.
14:19 Then he instructed the crowds to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, and looking up to heaven he gave thanks and broke the loaves. He gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds.
14:20 They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the broken pieces left over, twelve baskets full.
14:21 Not counting women and children, there were about five thousand men who ate.
Walking on Water
14:22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dispersed the crowds.
14:23 And after he sent the crowds away, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.
14:24 Meanwhile the boat, already far from land, was taking a beating from the waves because the wind was against it.
14:25 As the night was ending, Jesus came to them walking on the sea.
14:26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water they were terrified and said, “It’s a ghost!” and cried out with fear.
14:27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them: “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”
14:28 Peter said to him, “Lord, if it is you, order me to come to you on the water.”
14:29 So he said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus.
14:30 But when he saw the strong wind he became afraid. And starting to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
14:31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
14:32 When they went up into the boat, the wind ceased.
14:33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
14:34 After they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret.
14:35 When the people there recognized him, they sent word into all the surrounding area, and they brought all their sick to him.
14:36 They begged him if they could only touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.
Breaking Human Traditions
15:1 Then Pharisees and experts in the law came from Jerusalem to Jesus and said,
15:2 “Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat.”
15:3 He answered them, “And why do you disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition?
15:4 For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death.’
15:5 But you say, ‘If someone tells his father or mother, “Whatever help you would have received from me is given to God,”
15:6 he does not need to honor his father.’ You have nullified the word of God on account of your tradition.
15:7 Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you when he said,
15:8 ‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me,
15:9 and they worship me in vain,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
True Defilement
15:10 Then he called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand.
15:11 What defiles a person is not what goes into the mouth; it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles a person.”
15:12 Then the disciples came to him and said, “Do you know that when the Pharisees heard this saying they were offended?”
15:13 And he replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted.
15:14 Leave them! They are blind guides. If someone who is blind leads another who is blind, both will fall into a pit.”
15:15 But Peter said to him, “Explain this parable to us.”
15:16 Jesus said, “Even after all this, are you still so foolish?
15:17 Don’t you understand that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach and then passes out into the sewer?
15:18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a person.
15:19 For out of the heart come evil ideas, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
15:20 These are the things that defile a person; it is not eating with unwashed hands that defiles a person.”