Matthew 12

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.

1One Sabbath day, Jesus walked through fields of grain. The Sabbath was the day for resting and worshiping God. His followers were hungry. They picked some heads of grain and ate them.

NoteThe King James Bible says "corn." In old English, corn meant any kind of grain, like wheat or barley. It does not mean corn on the cob.

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.

2The Pharisees saw this and said to Jesus, "Look! Your followers are breaking the Sabbath rules." The Pharisees were religious leaders who cared very much about rules.

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

3Jesus said to them, "Haven't you read what David did? He and his men were hungry.

4How 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?

4David went into God's house and ate the special bread kept there. Only the priests were allowed to eat that bread. Priests were the men who served God at his house.

NoteThis special bread is called "shewbread" in the King James Bible. It was bread that was set out in God's house as a gift to God.

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

5"Or haven't you read this in God's law? On the Sabbath, the priests work in the temple, God's house in Jerusalem. That work breaks the Sabbath rule. Even so, they are not guilty.

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

6"But I tell you, someone greater than the temple is here.

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

7"God once said, 'I want mercy, not sacrifice.' Mercy means kindness. Sacrifice means the animal gifts people brought to God. If you understood that, you would not have blamed men who did nothing wrong.

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

8"For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." Son of Man was the name Jesus used for himself. Lord means the one in charge.

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

9Jesus left that place and went into their synagogue. A synagogue was a building where people met to worship God.

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.

10A man was there whose hand was shriveled and would not work. Some men asked Jesus, "Is it right to heal on the Sabbath?" They asked so they could blame him for something.

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?

11Jesus said to them, "Suppose one of you has a sheep. It falls into a hole on the Sabbath. Wouldn't you take hold of it and lift it out?

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

12"A person is worth so much more than a sheep! So it is right to do good on the Sabbath."

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

13Then Jesus said to the man, "Hold out your hand." The man held it out. His hand was made well, just like his other hand.

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

14Then the Pharisees went outside. They made a plan together to kill Jesus.

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

15Jesus knew about their plan, so he left that place. Large crowds followed him, and he healed every one of them.

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

16He told them firmly not to tell other people who he was.

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

17This happened so the words of Isaiah would come true. Isaiah was a prophet, a man who told people what God said. Isaiah wrote:

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.

18"Look at my servant, the one I chose. I love him, and he makes me glad. I will put my Spirit on him. He will show all the nations what is right and fair.

19He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

19"He will not argue or shout. No one will hear him yelling in the streets.

20A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

20"He will not break a reed that is already bent. He will not blow out a wick that is barely burning. He will keep going until what is right wins.

21And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

21"And people from every nation will put their hope in him."

22Then 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.

22Then people brought a man to Jesus who had an evil spirit inside him. The man could not see and could not speak. Jesus healed him, and the man could speak and see.

NoteThe King James Bible calls the man "dumb." That old word means he could not speak. It does not mean he was not smart.

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

23All the people were amazed. They said, "Could this be the Son of David?" That was a name for the king God had promised, born from David's family.

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

24But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "He drives out evil spirits by Beelzebub, the ruler of the evil spirits."

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:

25Jesus knew what they were thinking. He said, "A kingdom that fights against itself falls apart. A city or a family that fights itself cannot last.

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

26"If Satan drives out Satan, then he is fighting himself. How could his kingdom last? Satan is the leader of the evil spirits.

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

27"If I drive out evil spirits by Beelzebub, then who helps your own people do it? They will be the ones who judge you.

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

28"But if I drive out evil spirits by God's Spirit, then God's kingdom has come to you.

29Or 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.

29"How can anyone go into a strong man's house and take his things? First he must tie the strong man up. Then he can take everything.

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

30"Anyone who is not with me is against me. Anyone who does not gather with me scatters things apart.

31Wherefore 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.

31"So I tell you this. People can be forgiven for every sin and every bad word said against God. But speaking against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

32And 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.

32"Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven. But anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. Not now, and not in the time to come.

33Either 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.

33"A good tree grows good fruit. A bad tree grows bad fruit. You can tell what a tree is like by its fruit.

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

34"You are like a nest of poisonous snakes. You are bad, so how can you say good things? The mouth says what fills the heart.

35A 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.

35"A good person keeps good things inside and brings good things out. A bad person keeps bad things inside and brings bad things out.

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

36"I tell you this. People will have to explain every careless word they say. They will do it on the day God judges everyone.

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

37"Your own words will show that you did right. Or your own words will show that you were guilty."

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

38Then some scribes and Pharisees said, "Teacher, show us a sign." Scribes were men who studied and copied God's law.

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:

39Jesus answered, "Wicked people who have turned away from God ask for a sign. They will get only one sign, the sign of the prophet Jonah.

40For 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.

40"Jonah was inside a huge fish for three days and three nights. In the same way, the Son of Man will be deep inside the earth for three days and three nights.

NoteThe King James Bible says "whale." The word in the first language means a huge sea creature or a great fish.

41The 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.

41"On judgment day the men of Nineveh will stand with the people of today. They will show these people are guilty. The men of Nineveh turned from their sins when Jonah preached. And someone greater than Jonah is here.

42The 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.

42"On judgment day the queen of the south will also stand with the people of today. She will show these people are guilty. She traveled from very far away to hear Solomon's wise words. And someone greater than Solomon is here.

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

43"When an evil spirit comes out of a person, it goes through dry, empty places. It looks for a place to rest and finds none.

44Then 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.

44"Then it says, 'I will go back to the house I left.' It comes back and finds the house empty, swept clean, and tidy.

45Then 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.

45"Then it goes and brings seven other spirits even worse than itself. They all move in and live there. That person ends up worse off than before. That is how it will be for these wicked people today."

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

46While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers came. They stood outside and wanted to speak with him.

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

47Someone told him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside. They want to speak with you."

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

48But Jesus answered the man who told him, "Who is my mother? And who are my brothers?"

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

49He reached out his hand toward his followers and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers!

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

50"Anyone who does what my Father in heaven wants is my brother, my sister, and my mother."