English Bible Presentation Sharing - Matthew Book, chapter 12, verse 23 in Hcsb Version

Matthew 12 : 1 (HCSB)

At that time Jesus passed through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick and eat some heads of grain.

Matthew 12 : 2 (HCSB)

But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, "Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!"

Matthew 12 : 3 (HCSB)

He said to them, "Haven't you read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry--

Matthew 12 : 4 (HCSB)

how he entered the house of God, and they ate the sacred bread, which is not lawful for him or for those with him to eat, but only for the priests?

Matthew 12 : 5 (HCSB)

Or haven't you read in the Law that on Sabbath days the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath and are innocent?

Matthew 12 : 6 (HCSB)

But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here!

Matthew 12 : 7 (HCSB)

If you had known what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the innocent.

Matthew 12 : 8 (HCSB)

For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

Matthew 12 : 9 (HCSB)

Moving on from there, He entered their synagogue.

Matthew 12 : 10 (HCSB)

There He saw a man who had a paralyzed hand. And in order to accuse Him they asked Him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"

Matthew 12 : 11 (HCSB)

But He said to them, "What man among you, if he had a sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, wouldn't take hold of it and lift it out?

Matthew 12 : 12 (HCSB)

A man is worth far more than a sheep, so it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

Matthew 12 : 13 (HCSB)

Then He told the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out, and it was restored, as good as the other.

Matthew 12 : 14 (HCSB)

But the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.

Matthew 12 : 15 (HCSB)

When Jesus became aware of this, He withdrew from there. Huge crowds followed Him, and He healed them all.

Matthew 12 : 16 (HCSB)

He warned them not to make Him known,

Matthew 12 : 17 (HCSB)

so that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

Matthew 12 : 18 (HCSB)

Here is My Servant whom I have chosen, My beloved in whom My soul delights; I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will proclaim justice to the nations.

Matthew 12 : 19 (HCSB)

He will not argue or shout, and no one will hear His voice in the streets.

Matthew 12 : 20 (HCSB)

He will not break a bruised reed, and He will not put out a smoldering wick, until He has led justice to victory.

Matthew 12 : 21 (HCSB)

The nations will put their hope in His name.

Matthew 12 : 22 (HCSB)

Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to speak was brought to Him. He healed him, so that the man could both speak and see.

Matthew 12 : 23 (HCSB)

And all the crowds were astounded and said, "Perhaps this is the Son of David!"

Matthew 12 : 24 (HCSB)

When the Pharisees heard this, they said, "The man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons."

Matthew 12 : 25 (HCSB)

Knowing their thoughts, He told them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.

Matthew 12 : 26 (HCSB)

If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

Matthew 12 : 27 (HCSB)

And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, who is it your sons drive them out by? For this reason they will be your judges.

Matthew 12 : 28 (HCSB)

If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.

Matthew 12 : 29 (HCSB)

How can someone enter a strong man's house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house.

Matthew 12 : 30 (HCSB)

Anyone who is not with Me is against Me, and anyone who does not gather with Me scatters.

Matthew 12 : 31 (HCSB)

Because of this, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

Matthew 12 : 32 (HCSB)

Whoever 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 the one to come.

Matthew 12 : 33 (HCSB)

"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.

Matthew 12 : 34 (HCSB)

Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.

Matthew 12 : 35 (HCSB)

A good man produces good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil man produces evil things from his storeroom of evil.

Matthew 12 : 36 (HCSB)

I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak.

Matthew 12 : 37 (HCSB)

For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."

Matthew 12 : 38 (HCSB)

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You."

Matthew 12 : 39 (HCSB)

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

Matthew 12 : 40 (HCSB)

For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.

Matthew 12 : 41 (HCSB)

The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at Jonah's proclamation; and look-- something greater than Jonah is here!

Matthew 12 : 42 (HCSB)

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 look-- something greater than Solomon is here!

Matthew 12 : 43 (HCSB)

"When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it roams through waterless places looking for rest but doesn't find any.

Matthew 12 : 44 (HCSB)

Then it says, 'I'll go back to my house that I came from.' And when it arrives, it finds *the house vacant, swept, and put in order.

Matthew 12 : 45 (HCSB)

Then off it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that man's last condition is worse than the first. That's how it will also be with this evil generation."

Matthew 12 : 46 (HCSB)

He was still speaking to the crowds when suddenly His mother and brothers were standing outside wanting to speak to Him.

Matthew 12 : 47 (HCSB)

Someone told Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to You."

Matthew 12 : 48 (HCSB)

But He replied to the one who told Him, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"

Matthew 12 : 49 (HCSB)

And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!

Matthew 12 : 50 (HCSB)

For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven, that person is My brother and sister and mother."