Matthew 12
1 Around that time, Jesus traveled through fields on Shabbat.a His students were hungry, and they started to pick grains of wheat and eat them. 2 When the Pharisees saw, they said to him, “Look! Your students are doing what isn’t allowed to be done on Shabbat!”
3 Jesus responded, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry, 4 how he went into the house of God and ate the Bread of the Presence—which he and his companions were not allowed to eat since it was only for the priests?b 5 Or haven’t you read in the Torahc that every week the priests in the temple treat Shabbat as an ordinary dayd but are guiltless?e 6 I’m telling you that something more significantf than the temple is here. 7 If you knew what this means—'I am pleased by committed compassion, not a sacrifice’g—you would not have made a judgment against the guiltless. 8 You see, the Son of Humanity is Lord of Shabbat.”
9 Jesus moved on from that spot and went into their synagogue, 10 and—notably—someone was there who had an atrophied hand. The Phariseesh asked Jesus, “Is it allowable to heal on Shabbat?” so that they could have an excuse to accuse him of something.
11 However, he answered them, “Wouldn’t any one of you—if even a single sheep fell into a pit on Shabbat—wouldn’t you grab onto it and lift it out? 12 A person is so much more valuable than a sheep! Therefore, it’s allowable to make things welli on Shabbat.” 13 Then he said to the person, “Stretch out your hand.” The man stretched it out,j and it was restored and was as healthy as the other. 14 So the Pharisees left, and they conspired against him how they could destroy him.k
15 When Jesus learned about it, he withdrew from there. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them all, 16 but he warned them seriously not to expose him. 17 In this, the words of Isaiah the prophet were lived out, where he said,
18 See my servant, whom I have chosen,
My loved one, with whom I am deeply pleased.
I will breathel my Life-Breath over him,
And he will announce a message of justice to the peoples.m
19 He will not shout or call out,
Nor will anyone hear his voice in the street.
20 He will not damage a crushed reed,
And he won’t extinguish a smoldering wick,
Until he has pushed justice to victory.
21 The peoples will place their hope in being identified with him.n o
22 Then people brought to Jesus someone who was haunted by demons and was blind, deaf, and unable to speak.p Jesus healed him so that he could speak, hear,q and see. 23 All the people in the crowd were amazed and began to ask, “Could this be the Heirr of David?”s
24 When the Pharisees heard about it, they said, “He couldn’t banish demons except by the power of Beelzebul, leader of demons!”
25 When Jesus understood what they were thinking, he challenged them, “Every regimet divided against itself is wiped out, and no communityu or household divided against itself will endure. 26 And if the Adversary banishes the Adversary, itv was divided against itself. Then how will its regime endure? 27 And if I banish demons by the power of Beelzebul, by whose power do your followersw banish them? By that logic, they will be your judges. 28 But if I banish demons by the power of God’s Life-Breath, then God’s Reignx has arrived before your eyes.y 29 How can someone go into a strong person’s house and steal their property if they don’t tie up the strong person first? Only then do they rob the house. 30 Whoever is not working with me is workingz against me, and whoever doesn’t join me in bringing people together drives people away. 31 Because of that, I’m telling you, every deviation and contemptuous speechaa will be let go for people, but speaking with contempt against the Life-Breath will not be let go. 32 It’ll be let go for anyone who says a word against the Son of Humanity, but it won’t be let go for anyone who says something against the Sacredbb Life-breath, either in this age or in the age to come.
33 “Or look at it this way:cc Show me healthy fruit, and the tree is healthy, or show me rotten fruit, and the tree is rotten. A tree is discerned by its fruit. 34 You children of vipers! How can you who are corrupted say anything wholesome?dd The mouth speaks what overflows from the heart. 35 The wholesomeee person spreads wholesome things from their wholesome inner storeroom, and the rotten person spreads rotten things from their rotten inner storeroom. 36 I’m telling you, on the day of justice, people will make amendsff for every careless word they’ve spoken. 37 You will be shown to be just based on your words, or you will be determined to be unjust.”
38 Then some of the Bible scholars and Pharisees replied to Jesus, “Teacher, we want to see your proof.”gg
39 Jesus answered them, “An oppressive and unfaithfulhh groupii demands proof, but no proof will be given to it except Jonah the Prophet’s proof. 40 You see, just as Jonah was in the belly of the sea monsterjj for three days and three nights,kk in the same way, the Son of Humanity will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. 41 The people of Nineveh will stand and testify against this groupll since they transformed their minds because of Jonah’s pronouncement, and—open your eyes!mm—something more significant than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the Southnn will stand up alongside this group and testify against it since she came from the ends of the earth to hear Solomon’s wisdom, and—open your eyes!—something more significant than Solomon is here.oo
43 “But when the unclean spirit-breathpp comes out from someone,qq it goes through dry places looking for rest but doesn’t find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I’ll go back home where I came from,’ and when it arrives, it finds it empty,rr swept clean, and ready to inhabit.ss 45 Then it goes and brings back with it seven other spirit-breaths more rotten than itself, and they go in and live there, and the person ends up worse than they started. That’s how it will be for this oppressive group.”tt
46 While Jesus was still speaking to the crowd—notably—his mother and siblings came and stood outside and asked to speak with him. 47 Someone told him, “Look, your mother and siblings are standing outside wanting to speak with you.”
48 Jesus answered the person, “Who is my mother, and who are my siblings?” 49 Then he gestured with his hand toward his students and said, “Look: my mother and my siblings. 50 Whoever does as my Father intends is my brother and sister and mother.”
FOOTNOTES:
a This is traditionally ‘Sabbath.’ It’s from the Hebrew word Shabbat, which means ‘rest’ and was used to refer to the seventh day of the week as a designated day for resting (See Exodus 20:8-11). Spelling and pronouncing it ‘Sabbath’ instead of Shabbat just needlessly distances it from the Jewish origin. It’s not an accident that this story directly follows Jesus promising rest for those who carry his yoke. See the book Sabbath as Resistance by Walter Brueggemann for more insight into the significance of Shabbat in the Bible.
b Reference to 1 Samuel 21:1-6
c Traditionally, ‘law.’ While ‘law’ is one way to translate the Greek nomos, it is not the only way and does not faithfully capture the meanings of the Hebrew word torah, which is what it is being used to refer to. According to Wilda C. Gafney in Womanist Midrash: A Reintroduction to the Women of the Torah and the Throne (2017), “The Torah is instruction, revelation, and sometimes law. Torah (with a capital T) is the first five books of the Scriptures and all that is in them: story, song, genealogy, geography, legal material, and lessons from the ancestors. Torah (with a little t) is instruction and jurisprudence. So, while there is torah in Torah, not all Torah is torah, and there is torah outside of the five books of the Torah! Toroth (plural of torah) can be found in any of the many genres of Torah. [. . .] The Torah is a locus of divine revelation (and divine self-revelation). The word torah comes from the verb y-r-h, ‘to throw’ (e.g., ‘to cast lots’) or ‘to shoot’ (arrows). With regard to torah, y-r-h also means ‘to throw’ rain or instruction from the heavens; [. . .] In a mystical sense, Torah can be seen as an embodiment of divine Wisdom and for some as the Word of God (with a capital W)” (p. 17).
d The Greek term bebēloō often translates as “profane” or “desecrate,” but it does not imply intentional disrespect. Its root meaning is to make something common or un-sacred, as opposed to being designated for sacred purposes. Priestly work on Shabbat was not viewed as a violation; rather, it represented a unique sacred duty that superseded Shabbat rest. Shabbat’s sacredness could be set aside for temple service, which aligned with the values of the Torah, and Jesus is here arguing that other Torah values also supersede the instructions regarding Shabbat.
e Reference to Numbers 28:9-10
f Literally ‘bigger’
g Citation of Hosea 6:6, and also see Matthew 9:13
h The word ‘Pharisees’ doesn’t appear in this verse, but the word ‘they’ seems to refer to ‘Pharisees’ from verse 2, and specifying the subject of this sentence aids with clarity.
i ‘Do honorably’ or ‘act kindly’ or other synonyms could also be appropriate translations here.
j Notice Jesus didn’t actually do anything, the man whose hand was injured did the action. There was nothing to accuse Jesus of doing.
k See Matthew 10:28
l Literally, ‘set’ or ‘place’ or ‘put’
m Traditionally, ‘Gentiles.’ The word ethnoi literally means ‘nations’ (like ‘nationalities’ not ‘countries’) or ‘people groups’ and is where the English word ‘ethnicity comes from. It is usually—but not always—used in the Bible to refer to people groups other than the one the speaker belongs to, so typically to people groups other than Jews since most speakers/authors are Jewish.
n Literally, ‘in his name.’
o Citation of Isaiah 42:1-4
p The word kophos can be translated as ‘deaf’ or ‘mute’ or maybe most likely in this context as someone unable to speak because they were deaf.
q The word for ‘hear’ is not in the Greek, but it is implied, and the connection would have been more assumed in that culture.
r The most direct translation is ‘son,’ but the word huios was also regularly used more figuratively to refer to an heir or descendants more broadly as well as those who were dedicated to following a particular movement or figure and emulating them.
s Reference to 2 Samuel 7:8-16
t ‘Reign’ emphasizes God’s ways filling and transforming creation, rather than defining a set place or "kingdom." The Greek term basileia points to God’s influence, bringing about peace, justice, and restoration across lives and systems. This term highlights an active, ongoing impact that begins now and will be fully realized in the future through Jesus, focusing on transformation rather than territory.
u Literally, ‘town’ or ‘city’
v The word satanas was not a name. It meant ‘adversary’ in the sense of prosecutor or opponent. It carries the meaning of someone who is against another, trying to sabotage their efforts and their wellbeing, and against someone as a plaintiff in court. It is an enemy, but also someone accusing another of wrongdoing, whether truly or falsely. It’s not just about pointing out something bad, but actively moving to cause adversity for someone else. The concept of Ha Shatan in the Hebrew Bible was not the evil archnemesis of God that Christian teaching has turned it into. It was described as a member of the council of spiritual beings whose role was to test people to see how genuine they were. The clearest example of this is in the book of Job.
w The most direct translation is ‘sons,’ but the word huios was also regularly used more figuratively to refer to an heir or descendant more broadly as well as those who were dedicated to following a particular movement or figure and emulating them.
x This is one of only four times Matthew uses “Kingdom/Reign of God” instead of “Kingdom/Reign of Heaven.” The others are Matthew 19:24, Matthew 21:31, and Matthew 21:43. All of them are about the people who were expected to have priority access to God being denied access or it being given to others instead. It seems like the boldness of naming God directly is meant to emphasize the severity of what Jesus is saying.
y The language Jesus uses seems to parallel 2 Samuel 7:8-16, which would indicate he is attempting to confirm the question the crowd asked in verse 23 while refuting the Pharisees’ response to the question in verse 24.
z The Greek text lacks a term directly corresponding to "working" in this sentence. In English, inserting "working" emphasizes the contextual focus on collaboration rather than personal loyalty. The passage is not a matter of personal allegiance—“you’re loyal to me, or you’re my enemy”—but rather a call to participate actively in Jesus’s mission of gathering and healing. The emphasis lies on whether one’s actions contribute constructively to this purpose or, conversely, disrupt it, ultimately leading people away from God and healing.
aa The Greek term blasphemia is rendered here as “contemptuous speech,” highlighting an aspect of the word's original meanings of “slander,” “defame,” or “belittle.” The term here emphasizes a speech or attitude that treats something sacred—particularly the Life-Breath—with disrespect or dismissal.
bb The Greek word here is hagios, traditionally translated as ‘holy.’
cc The Greek is just the word for ‘or,’ but the point is to make it clear that the next image is a continuation of the previous discussion. Other translations sometimes leave it out and even add a new section heading here, but that’s clearly not appropriate with the construction of the Greek syntax.
dd Parallel to Matthew 3:7-10 and Matthew 7:15-20
ee In Greek, agathos generally means “good,” but more often implying what is beneficial, useful, or constructive, rather than merely “good” in an abstract or moral sense. In literature outside the Bible, agathos often describes things that serve a beneficial purpose or contribute positively to well-being. This meaning is also reflected in the Septuagint, where agathos describes both moral goodness and practical benefits.
ff Or "restitution" or "reparations." The Greek word here is logos, which, beyond its common meanings of "word" or "reason," was also used as an accounting term implying a "settlement" or "reckoning of an account." In this sense, logos here suggests that on the day of justice, people will be held accountable for every careless word, providing a "reckoning" or "settlement" for their words.
gg Traditionally, ‘a sign.’
hh ‘Treacherous’ or ‘disloyal’ or ‘faithless’ could also be good translations here.
ii Or ‘generation’ or ‘lineage’ or any ‘group of people’ that has a shared characteristic or origin, including gender.
jj The word isn’t ‘fish.’ And it seems there wasn’t a word specifically for ‘whale.’ It’s just the word for any giant sea creature that could do such a terrible thing. The Hebrew in Jonah 1:17 is the word for ‘fish,’ but the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible (the Septuagint) uses the same word as is used here: ketos. It’s also the same word the Greek version uses in Genesis 1:21 that is traditionally ‘great sea creatures’ and Robert Alter (2019) translates as ‘great sea monsters.’ It is used several times through the Hebrew Bible of various predatory animals and metaphorically of hostile nations.
kk Citation of Jonah 1:17
ll Or ‘generation’ or ‘lineage’ or any ‘group of people’ that has a shared characteristic or origin, including gender.
mm The Greek is idou, which literally means ‘look.’ It is an idiomatic way to catch the audience’s attention and point out that something noteworthy is happening.
nn Reference to 1 Kings 10:1-3 and 2 Chronicles 9:1-12
oo Possibly another nod to 2 Samuel 7, since Solomon was the son of David, but the Hebrew Bible makes clear he did not live out what is described in 2 Samuel 7, even participating in Molech worship in the Hinnom Valley, which included infant sacrifice.
pp This seems to be referring to the impact and ‘spirit’ of the words discussed in verses 36 and 37.
qq “As they speak” is not in the Greek, but from the context, spreading division and harm by speaking against the Holy Spirit who resides in people seems to be what is in view.
rr Or ‘unoccupied” or “uninhabited”
ss ‘Inhabit’ isn’t in the Greek text, but it’s implied that it’s been organized and furnished for something.
tt Or ‘generation’ or ‘lineage’ or any ‘group of people’ that has a shared characteristic or origin, including gender.