Matthew 12

King James Version

Full text for Matthew Chapter 12

1¶ At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.

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

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

4‹How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?›

5‹Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?›

6‹But I say unto you, That in this place is [one] greater than the temple.›

7‹But if ye had known what [this] meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.›

8‹For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.›

9And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:

10And, behold, there was a man which had [his] hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.

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

12‹How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.›

13Then saith he to the man, ‹Stretch forth thine hand.› And he stretched [it] forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

14¶ Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.

15But when Jesus knew [it], he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;

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

17That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

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 shew judgment to the Gentiles.

19He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man 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.

21And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

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

23And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?

24But when the Pharisees heard [it], they said, This [fellow] doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

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

26‹And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?›

27‹And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast [them] out? therefore they shall be your judges.›

28‹But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.›

29‹Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.›

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

31‹Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy [against] the [Holy] Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.›

32‹And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the [world] to come.›

33‹Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by [his] fruit.›

34‹O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.›

35‹A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.›

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

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

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

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 the prophet Jonas:›

40‹For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.›

41‹The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas [is] here.›

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

43‹When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.›

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

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

46¶ While he yet talked to the people, behold, [his] mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.

47Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

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

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

50‹For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.›

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Jesus confronts the Pharisees over Sabbath observance, defending his disciples and healing a withered hand, declaring himself Lord of the Sabbath. He then heals a demon-possessed man, leading to accusations of casting out devils by Beelzebub, which Jesus refutes, warning against blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. He refuses to give a sign, offering only the sign of Jonas, and redefines his true family as those who do God's will.

Medium Summary

Matthew 12 opens with Jesus defending his disciples for plucking corn on the Sabbath, citing scriptural precedents and declaring himself "Lord even of the sabbath day." He further challenges the Pharisees by healing a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, asserting that it is lawful to do good. The Pharisees then conspire to destroy him, prompting Jesus to withdraw and heal many, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy of a gentle servant. When Jesus heals a blind and dumb man, the Pharisees accuse him of casting out devils by Beelzebub. Jesus refutes this, explaining that a kingdom divided cannot stand, and warns that blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is an unforgivable sin, contrasting it with speaking against the Son of Man. He also teaches that a tree is known by its fruit and that men will be judged by their words. Lastly, Jesus refuses to give a sign to the scribes and Pharisees, offering only the "sign of the prophet Jonas," and redefines his true family as those who do the will of his heavenly Father.

Long Summary

In Matthew chapter 12, Jesus confronts the Pharisees over two Sabbath controversies. First, his disciples pluck corn to eat, prompting accusations of unlawful work. Jesus defends them by recalling David's eating of the shewbread and the blameless work of priests in the temple, concluding that he, as "one greater than the temple" and "Lord even of the sabbath day," permits acts of mercy over strict ritual. Next, he heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, challenging the Pharisees by asking if they would not rescue a sheep from a pit, thereby justifying doing good on the Sabbath. Following these encounters, the Pharisees conspire to destroy Jesus, but he withdraws, healing many and enjoining secrecy, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy of a gentle, non-contentious servant who brings judgment to the Gentiles. Later, Jesus heals a man who is blind, dumb, and demon-possessed, astonishing the crowds. The Pharisees, however, attribute his power to Beelzebub, the prince of devils. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, refutes their accusation with logical arguments, stating that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand, and if Satan casts out Satan, his kingdom is in disarray. He asserts that if he casts out devils by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has come upon them, and speaks of binding the strong man to spoil his house. He then issues a severe warning concerning the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, declaring it an unforgivable sin, distinct from speaking against the Son of Man. Jesus further emphasizes that a person's words and actions reveal their heart, comparing them to a tree and its fruit, and warns that every idle word will be accounted for on the day of judgment. Finally, when scribes and Pharisees demand a sign, Jesus condemns their "evil and adulterous generation," offering only the "sign of the prophet Jonas"—his three days and three nights in the earth. He contrasts their unbelief with the repentance of Nineveh and the wisdom sought by the Queen of the South, who will condemn this generation. He also warns of an unclean spirit returning with seven worse spirits to a swept but empty house, signifying the perilous state of that wicked generation. The chapter concludes with Jesus defining his true family not by blood relation but by spiritual obedience, declaring that whoever does the will of his Father in heaven is his brother, sister, and mother.

Core Concepts

  • Lord of the SabbathJesus asserts his authority over the Sabbath law, prioritizing mercy and human need over strict ceremonial observance, stating he is "Lord even of the sabbath day."
  • Blasphemy Against the Holy GhostThis concept refers to the unforgivable sin of attributing the work of the Holy Spirit (manifested in Jesus' miracles) to Satan, demonstrating a hardened and deliberate rejection of divine truth.
  • The Sign of JonasJesus refuses to give a miraculous sign to a demanding generation, offering only the "sign of the prophet Jonas," which foreshadows his death and resurrection after three days and three nights.
  • Spiritual KinshipJesus redefines family ties, emphasizing that true kinship is not based on blood but on spiritual obedience, where those who do the will of God are considered his brother, sister, and mother.
  • The Heart and Its FruitJesus teaches that a person's words and actions are outward manifestations of their inner character, comparing them to a tree known by its fruit, and warns of accountability for every word spoken.
  • Kingdom DividedJesus uses the analogy of a kingdom divided against itself to refute the Pharisees' accusation that he casts out devils by Beelzebub, arguing that Satan would not work against himself.
  • Prophetic FulfillmentThe chapter highlights Jesus' actions, particularly his withdrawal and healing, as direct fulfillments of Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah, specifically from Isaiah.