New Testament · Easy read · Matthew
Matthew 12
1At that appointed time Yeshua went through the grain fields on the sabbatons; and His disciples became hungry and began to pick heads of grain and eat.
2But the Pharisees seeing this said to Him: "Behold, Your disciples are doing what is not permitted to do on the sabbaton."
3But He said to them: "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those with him —
4how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which was not permitted for him to eat nor for those with him, but only for the priests alone?"
5Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbatons the priests in the temple profane the sabbaton and are innocent?
6But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here.
7And if you had known what this means — 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice' — you would not have condemned the innocent.
8For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbaton."
9And departing from there, He came into their synagogue.
10And behold, there was a man with a withered hand, and they questioned Him, saying: "Is it permitted to heal on the sabbatons?" — so that they might accuse Him.
11And He said to them: "What man among you will there be who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the sabbatons, will he not take hold of it and lift it out?
12How much more valuable then is a person than a sheep! So it is permitted to do good on the sabbatons."
13Then He said to the man: "Stretch out your hand" — and he stretched it out and it was restored, healthy like the other.
14But the Pharisees went out and took counsel against Him as to how they might destroy Him.
15But Yeshua knowing this withdrew from there, and many crowds followed Him, and He healed them all,
16and He warned them not to make Him known —
17so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, saying:
18"Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased — I will put My spirit upon Him, and He will announce judgment to the nations.
19He will not quarrel nor cry out, nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.
20A bruised reed He will not break off, and a smoldering flax He will not put out, until He leads judgment to victory.
21And in His name the nations will hope."
22Then an evil spirit-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Him, and He healed him so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.
23And all the crowds were amazed and were saying: "This is not the Son of David, is it?"
24But the Pharisees, hearing this, said: "This man does not cast out evil spirits except by Beelzebul the ruler of the evil spirits."
25And Yeshua knowing their intention said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.
26And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself — how then will his kingdom stand?
27And if I cast out evil spirits by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges.
28But if I cast out evil spirits by the spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
29Or how can anyone enter the strong man's house and carry off his property unless he first binds the strong man? — and then he will ransack his house.
30The one who is not with Me is against Me, and the one who does not gather with Me scatters.
31Therefore I say to you: every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the spirit will not be forgiven people.
32And 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 — neither in this age nor in the coming one.
33Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad — for the tree is known by its fruit.
34Brood of vipers! How are you able to say good things, being evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
35The good person brings out good things from his good treasure, and the evil person brings out evil things from his evil treasure.
36And I say to you that for every idle word that people speak, they will give account for it on the day of judgment.
37For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying: "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You."
39But He answered and said to them: "An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.
40For just as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
41The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the proclamation of Jonah — and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
42The Queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon — and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
43Now when the unclean spirit goes out from a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest and does not find it.
44Then it says: 'I will return to my house from which I came,' and coming it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order.
45Then it goes and takes along with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and entering in they dwell there, and the last state of that person becomes worse than the first — so will it also be with this evil generation."
46While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and His brothers were standing outside seeking to speak to Him.
47And someone said to Him: "Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You."
48But He answered and said to the one who told Him: "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"
49And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said: "Behold My mother and My brothers!
50For whoever does the will of My Father who is in the heavens — he is My brother and sister and mother."