Matthew · Bible in Basic English
Matthew 12 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 At that time Jesus went through the fields on the Sabbath day; and his disciples, being in need of food, were taking the heads of grain.
1 At that time, Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the grain fields. His disciples were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.
2 But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, See, your disciples do that which it is not right to do on the Sabbath.
2 But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, “Behold, your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”
3 But he said to them, Have you no knowledge of what David did when he had need of food, and those who were with him?
3 But he said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him:
4 How he went into the house of God and took for food the holy bread which it was not right for him or for those who were with him to take, but only for the priests?
4 how he entered into God’s house and ate the show bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?
5 Or is it not said in the law, how the Sabbath is broken by the priests in the Temple and they do no wrong?
5 Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?
6 But I say to you that a greater thing than the Temple is here.
6 But I tell you that one greater than the temple is here.
7 But if these words had been in your minds, My desire is for mercy and not for offerings, you would not have been judging those who have done no wrong.
7 But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you wouldn’t have condemned the guiltless.
8 For the Son of man is lord of the Sabbath.
8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
9 And he went from there into their Synagogue:
9 He departed from there and went into their synagogue.
10 And there was a man with a dead hand. And they put a question to him, saying, Is it right to make a man well on the Sabbath day? so that they might have something against him.
10 And behold, there was a man with a withered hand. They asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?” so that they might accuse him.
11 And he said to them, Which of you, having a sheep, if it gets into a hole on the Sabbath day, will not put out a helping hand and get it back?
11 He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if this one falls into a pit on the Sabbath day, won’t he grab on to it and lift it out?
12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! For this reason it is right to do good on the Sabbath day.
12 Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day.”
13 Then said he to the man, Put out your hand. And he put it out, and it was made as well as the other.
13 Then he told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out; and it was restored whole, just like the other.
14 But the Pharisees went out and made designs against him, how they might put him to death.
14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how they might destroy him.
15 And Jesus, having knowledge of this, went away from there, and a great number went after him; and he made them all well,
15 Jesus, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Great multitudes followed him; and he healed them all,
16 Ordering them not to give people word of him:
16 and commanded them that they should not make him known,
17 So that what was said by Isaiah the prophet might come true,
17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
18 See my servant, the man of my selection, my loved one in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my Spirit on him, and he will make my decision clear to the Gentiles.
18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit on him. He will proclaim justice to the nations.
19 His coming will not be with fighting or loud cries; and his voice will not be lifted up in the streets.
19 He will not strive, nor shout, neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
20 The crushed stem will not be broken by him; and the feebly burning light will he not put out, till he has made righteousness overcome all.
20 He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a smoking flax, until he leads justice to victory.
21 And in his name will the Gentiles put their hope.
21 In his name, the nations will hope.”
22 Then they took to him one with an evil spirit, who was blind and had no power of talking: and he made him well so that he had the power of talking and seeing.
22 Then one possessed by a demon, blind and mute, was brought to him; and he healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.
23 And all the people were surprised and said, Is not this the Son of David?
23 All the multitudes were amazed, and said, “Can this be the son of David?”
24 But the Pharisees, hearing of it, said, This man only sends evil spirits out of men by Beelzebub, the ruler of evil spirits.
24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “This man does not cast out demons except by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.”
25 And having knowledge of their thoughts he said to them, Every kingdom having division in itself is made waste, and every town or house having division in itself will come to destruction.
25 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.
26 And if Satan sends out Satan, he makes war against himself; how then will he keep his kingdom?
26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
27 And if I by Beelzebub send evil spirits out of men, by whom do your sons send them out? So let them be your judges.
27 If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.
28 But if I by the Spirit of God send out evil spirits, then is the kingdom of God come on you.
28 But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then God’s Kingdom has come upon you.
29 Or how may one go into a strong man's house and take his goods, if he does not first put cords round the strong man? and then he may take his goods.
29 Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man and plunder his goods, unless he first bind the strong man? Then he will plunder his house.
30 Whoever is not with me is against me; and he who does not take part with me in getting people together, is driving them away.
30 “He who is not with me is against me, and he who doesn’t gather with me, scatters.
31 So I say to you, Every sin and every evil word against God will have forgiveness; but for evil words against the Spirit there will be no forgiveness.
31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.
32 And whoever says a word against the Son of man, will have forgiveness; but whoever says a word against the Holy Spirit, will not have forgiveness in this life or in that which is to come.
32 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 that which is to come.
33 Make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for by its fruit you will get knowledge of the tree.
33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree corrupt and its fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by its fruit.
34 You offspring of snakes, how are you, being evil, able to say good things? because out of the heart's store come the words of the mouth.
34 You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
35 The good man out of his good store gives good things; and the evil man out of his evil store gives evil things.
35 The good man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil things.
36 And I say to you that in the day when they are judged, men will have to give an account of every foolish word they have said.
36 I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
37 For by your words will your righteousness be seen, and by your words you will be judged.
37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees, hearing this, said to him, Master, we are looking for a sign from you.
38 Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
39 But he, answering, said to them, An evil and false generation is looking for a sign; and no sign will be given to it but the sign of the prophet Jonah:
39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet.
40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the stomach of the great fish, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the huge fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
41 The men of Nineveh will come up in the day of judging and give their decision against this generation: because they were turned from their sins at the preaching of Jonah; and now a greater than Jonah is here.
41 The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, someone greater than Jonah is here.
42 The queen of the South will come up in the day of judging and give her decision against this generation: for she came from the ends of the earth to give ear to the wisdom of Solomon; and now a greater than Solomon is here.
42 The Queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, someone greater than Solomon is here.
43 But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of a man, goes through dry places looking for rest, and getting it not.
43 “When an unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest, and doesn’t find it.
44 Then he says, I will go back into my house from which I came out; and when he comes, he sees that there is no one in it, but that it has been made fair and clean.
44 Then he says, ‘I will return into my house from which I came;’ and when he has come back, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.
45 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits worse than himself, and they go in and make it their living-place: and the last condition of that man is worse than the first. Even so will it be with this evil generation.
45 Then he goes and takes with himself seven other spirits more evil than he is, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first. Even so will it be also to this evil generation.”
46 While he was still talking to the people, his mother and his brothers came, desiring to have talk with him.
46 While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.
47 And one said to him, See, your mother and your brothers are outside, desiring to have talk with you.
47 One said to him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, seeking to speak to you.”
48 But he in answer said to him who gave the news, Who is my mother and who are my brothers?
48 But he answered him who spoke to him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”
49 And he put out his hand to his disciples and said, See, my mother and my brothers!
49 He stretched out his hand toward his disciples, and said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers!
50 For whoever does the pleasure of my Father in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.
50 For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
Cross references (49)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Deuteronomy 23:25; Mark 2:23–28; Luke 6:1–5
- 2 Matthew 12:10; John 7:21–24; Exodus 20:9–11; Mark 3:2–5; Exodus 31:15–17
- 3 1 Samuel 21:3–6; Luke 6:3; Mark 2:25–26; Matthew 21:16; Mark 12:10
- 4 Leviticus 24:5–9; Exodus 25:30; Exodus 29:32–33; Leviticus 8:31
- 5 Numbers 28:9–10; John 7:22–23
- 6 Matthew 12:41–42; 2 Chronicles 6:18; 1 Peter 2:4–5; Malachi 3:1; Haggai 2:7–9
- 7 Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13; Micah 6:6–8; Isaiah 1:11–17; Proverbs 17:15
- 8 Luke 6:5; Mark 2:28; John 5:17–23; Mark 9:4–7; Matthew 9:6
- 9 Luke 6:6–11; Mark 3:1–6
- 10 Luke 13:14; John 9:16; John 8:6; Matthew 22:17–18; Luke 11:54
- 11 Deuteronomy 22:4; Luke 14:5; Luke 13:15–17; Exodus 23:4–5
- 12 Matthew 6:26; Luke 6:9; Mark 3:4; Matthew 10:31; Luke 12:24
- 13 Luke 13:13; Acts 3:7–8
- 14 John 11:53; Luke 6:11; Mark 3:6; John 10:39; John 5:18
- 15 Mark 3:7–12; Matthew 10:23; John 7:1; Matthew 19:2; John 11:54
- 16 Matthew 9:30; Matthew 8:4; Matthew 17:9; Mark 7:36; Luke 5:14–15
- 17 Isaiah 42:1–4; Isaiah 42:9; Isaiah 41:22–23; Matthew 13:35; Matthew 21:4
- 18 Isaiah 42:1; Luke 4:18; John 3:34; Acts 10:38; Isaiah 61:1–3
- 19 Matthew 11:29; 2 Timothy 2:24–25; John 18:36–38; 2 Corinthians 10:1; Luke 17:20
- 20 Isaiah 42:3–4; Ezekiel 34:16; Isaiah 61:1–3; Luke 4:18; Psalm 147:3
- 21 Isaiah 11:10; Romans 15:12–13; Isaiah 42:4; Colossians 1:27; Ephesians 1:12–13
- 22 Luke 11:14–15; Mark 7:35–37; Isaiah 29:18; Isaiah 35:5–6; Acts 26:18
- 23 Matthew 9:27; John 4:29; Matthew 22:42–43; Matthew 9:33; John 7:40–42
- 24 Mark 3:22; Matthew 9:34; Luke 11:15
- 25 Galatians 5:15; Jeremiah 17:10; Matthew 9:4; Mark 3:23–27; 1 Corinthians 2:11
- 26 Colossians 1:13; 1 John 5:19; Revelation 20:2–3; John 12:31; Revelation 12:9
- 27 Mark 9:38–39; Acts 19:13–16; Luke 9:49–50; Luke 11:19; Romans 3:19
- 28 Luke 11:20; Daniel 7:14; Matthew 6:33; Acts 10:38; Colossians 1:13
- 29 Isaiah 49:24; Mark 3:27; Luke 11:21–22; 1 John 4:4; Revelation 20:7–9
- 30 Mark 9:40; Luke 11:23; Joshua 24:15; Luke 9:50; 1 John 2:19
- 31 Luke 12:10; Mark 3:28–30; Hebrews 10:29; Hebrews 10:26; Acts 7:51
- 32 Mark 3:29; Hebrews 10:26–29; Hebrews 6:4–6; Luke 12:10; Matthew 12:31
- 33 Luke 6:43–44; Matthew 7:16–20; James 4:8; John 15:4–7; Matthew 3:8–10
- 34 Luke 6:45; Matthew 15:18; Ephesians 4:29; 1 Samuel 24:13; James 3:5–8
- 35 Colossians 4:6; Proverbs 15:4; Proverbs 15:28; Colossians 3:16; Proverbs 25:11–12
- 36 Ecclesiastes 12:14; Romans 2:16; Revelation 20:12; Jude 14–15; Ephesians 6:4–6
- 37 Proverbs 13:3; James 2:21–25
- 38 1 Corinthians 1:22; Mark 8:11–12; Luke 11:29; John 2:18; Luke 11:16
- 39 Matthew 16:4; Luke 11:29–32; James 4:4; Isaiah 57:3; Mark 8:38
- 40 Jonah 1:17; Matthew 27:63–64; John 2:19; Matthew 17:23; Matthew 16:21
- 41 Matthew 12:42; Hebrews 11:7; Romans 2:27; John 3:31; Matthew 12:6
- 42 1 Kings 10:1–13; 2 Chronicles 9:1–12; Hebrews 1:2–4; Luke 11:31–32; John 1:14
- 43 Luke 11:24–26; Luke 8:28–32; Matthew 8:29; Mark 5:7–13; Amos 8:11–13
- 44 1 John 4:4; 1 John 2:19; Psalm 81:11–12; Revelation 13:8–9; Jude 4–5
- 45 Luke 11:26; Hebrews 6:4–8; Mark 5:9; Hebrews 10:26–31; 2 Peter 2:14–22
- 46 Matthew 13:55; John 7:3; John 2:12; John 7:5; Mark 3:31–35
- 48 Mark 3:32–33; Matthew 10:37; Luke 2:52; Deuteronomy 33:9; John 2:3–4
- 49 Mark 3:34; John 17:20; John 20:17–20; Matthew 28:7; John 17:8–9
- 50 Luke 8:21; Mark 3:35; John 15:14; Matthew 28:10; Luke 11:27–28
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
There has been a great question raised touching the late lesson of the Gospel, to the solution of which I am unequal by any power of mine own; but "our sufficiency is of God," to whatever degree we are capable of receiving His aid.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
But Luke saith, "On a double Sabbath." Now what is a double Sabbath? When the cessation from toil is twofold, both that of the regular Sabbath, and that of another feast coming upon it. For they call every cessation from toil, a sabbath.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
For when the unclean spirit of folly has gone forth, and when afterwards he finds them not waiting upon God, but occupied with mere worldly questions, then, "taking seven other spirits more wicked than himself," and inflating the minds of these men with the notion of their being able to conceive of something beyond God, and having fitly prepared them …
The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the utter most parts of the earth to hear the words of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here." Two things we learn from this passage, that a judgment is to take place, and that it …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Whereas, if they were in discord, neither could this have been pointed out, and the doctrine itself had long since been brought to nought: "for every kingdom," saith He, "divided against itself shall not stand." But now even in this shines forth the might of the Spirit, namely, in that it prevailed on these men, engaged as they were in …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)