Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath

(Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-5)

1At that time, Jesus walked through the grain fields on a Sabbath.a His disciples became hungry and began picking heads of grain to eat. 2When the Pharisees saw this, they told him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!”

3But he told them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4How is it that he went into the house of God and ate the Bread of the Presence, which was not lawful for him and his companions to eat but was reservedb for the priests? 5Or haven’t you read in the Law that on every Sabbathc the priests in the Temple violate the Sabbathd and yet are innocent?e 6But I tell you, something greater than the Temple is here! 7If you had known what ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice’f means, you would not have condemned the innocent, 8for the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Jesus Heals a Man with a Paralyzed Hand

(Mark 3:1-6; Luke 6:6-11)

9Moving on from there, Jesusg went into their synagogue. 10Suddenly, a man with a paralyzed hand appeared. The peopleh asked Jesusi if it was lawful to heal on Sabbath days,j intending to accuse him of doing something wrong.

11But he asked them, “Is there a man among you who, if he had one sheep and it fell into a ditch on the Sabbath, wouldn’t take hold of it and pull it out? 12How much more is a human being worth than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on Sabbath days.”k

13Then he told the man, “Hold out your hand.” He held it out and it became normal, as healthy as his other hand. 14The Pharisees, however, went out and plotted against Jesusl to kill him.

Jesus, God’s Chosen Servant

15When Jesus became aware of this, he left that place. Many crowdsm followed him, and he healed all of them, 16ordering them not to make him known. 17This was to fulfill what was declared by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

18“Here is my Servant whom I have chosen,

whom I love, and with whom I am pleased!

I will put my Spirit on him,

and he will proclaim justicen to unbelievers.o

19He will not quarrel or shout,

and no one will hear him shoutingp in the streets.

20He will not snap off a broken reed

or snuff out a smoldering wick

until he has brought justiceq through to victory.

21And in his name unbelieversr will hope.”s

Jesus is Accused of Working with Beelzebul

(Mark 3:20-30; Luke 11:14-23; 12:10)

22Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to talk was brought to him. Jesust healed him so that the manu could speak and see. 23All the crowds were amazed and kept saying, “This man isn’t the Son of David, is he?”

24But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.”

25He knew what they were thinking and told them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26So if Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How, then, can his kingdom stand? 27If I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own followersv drive them out? That is why they will be your judges! 28But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. 29How can someone go into a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions without first tying up the strong man? Then he can ransack his house. 30The person who isn’t with me is against me, and the person who isn’t gathering with me is scattering. 31So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven,w but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the one to come.”

A Tree is Known by Its Fruit

(Luke 6:43-45)

33“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree rotten and its fruit rotten, because a tree is known by its fruit. 34You children of serpents! How can you say anything good when you are evil? The mouth speaks about what overflows from the heart. 35A good person brings good things out of a good treasure house, and an evil person brings evil things out of an evil treasure house. 36I tell you, on Judgment Day people will give an account for every thoughtlessx word they have uttered, 37because by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

The Sign of Jonah

(Mark 8:11-12; Luke 11:29-32)

38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees told Jesus,y “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”

39But he replied to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves a sign. Yet no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah, 40because just as Jonah was in the stomach of the sea creature for three days and three nights,z so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. 41The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment and condemn the people living today,aa because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. But look—something greater than Jonah is here! 42The queen of the south will stand up and condemn the people living today,bb because she came from so far awaycc to hear the wisdom of Solomon. But look! Something greater than Solomon is here!”

The Return of the Unclean Spirit

(Luke 11:24-26)

43“Whenever an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it wanders through waterless places looking for a place to rest, but finds none. 44Then it says, ‘I will go back to my home that I left.’ When it arrives, it finds it empty, swept clean, and put in order. 45Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and settle there. And so the final condition of that person becomes worse than the first. That’s just what will happen to this evil generation!”

The True Family of Jesus

(Mark 3:31-35; Luke 8:19-21)

46While Jesusdd was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47Someone told him, “Look! Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak to you.”ee

48He asked the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49Then pointing with his hand at his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers, 50because whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”