| New Living Translation | NET Bible |
| 1At about that time Jesus was walking through some grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off some heads of grain and eating them. | 1At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on a Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pick heads of wheat and eat them. |
| 2But some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, “Look, your disciples are breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath.” | 2But when the Pharisees saw this they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is against the law to do on the Sabbath." |
| 3Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? | 3He said to them, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry-- |
| 4 He went into the house of God, and he and his companions broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. | 4how he entered the house of God and they ate the sacred bread, which was against the law for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests? |
| 5 And haven’t you read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the Temple may work on the Sabbath? | 5Or have you not read in the law that the priests in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are not guilty? |
| 6 I tell you, there is one here who is even greater than the Temple! | 6I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. |
| 7 But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ | 7If you had known what this means: 'I want mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent. |
| 8 For the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!” Jesus Heals on the Sabbath | 8For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath." |
| 9Then Jesus went over to their synagogue, | 9Then Jesus left that place and entered their synagogue. |
| 10where he noticed a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Does the law permit a person to work by healing on the Sabbath?” (They were hoping he would say yes, so they could bring charges against him.) | 10A man was there who had a withered hand. And they asked Jesus, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" so that they could accuse him. |
| 11And he answered, “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would. | 11He said to them, "Would not any one of you, if he had one sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, take hold of it and lift it out? |
| 12 And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.” | 12How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." |
| 13Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored, just like the other one! | 13Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out and it was restored, as healthy as the other. |
| 14Then the Pharisees called a meeting to plot how to kill Jesus. Jesus, God’s Chosen Servant | 14But the Pharisees went out and plotted against him, as to how they could assassinate him. |
| 15But Jesus knew what they were planning. So he left that area, and many people followed him. He healed all the sick among them, | 15Now when Jesus learned of this, he went away from there. Great crowds followed him, and he healed them all. |
| 16but he warned them not to reveal who he was. | 16But he sternly warned them not to make him known. |
| 17This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him: | 17This fulfilled what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet: |
| 18“Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen. He is my Beloved, who pleases me. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. | 18"Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I take great delight. I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. |
| 19He will not fight or shout or raise his voice in public. | 19He will not quarrel or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. |
| 20He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. Finally he will cause justice to be victorious. | 20He will not break a bruised reed or extinguish a smoldering wick, until he brings justice to victory. |
| 21And his name will be the hope of all the world.” Jesus and the Prince of Demons | 21And in his name the Gentiles will hope." |
| 22Then a demon-possessed man, who was blind and couldn’t speak, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see. | 22Then they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. Jesus healed him so that he could speak and see. |
| 23The crowd was amazed and asked, “Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?” | 23All the crowds were amazed and said, "Could this one be the Son of David?" |
| 24But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.” | 24But when the Pharisees heard this they said, "He does not cast out demons except by the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons!" |
| 25Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart. | 25Now when Jesus realized what they were thinking, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and no town or house divided against itself will stand. |
| 26 And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided and fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive. | 26So if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? |
| 27 And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said. | 27And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges. |
| 28 But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. | 28But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has already overtaken you. |
| 29 For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house. | 29How else can someone enter a strong man's house and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can thoroughly plunder the house. |
| 30 “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me. | 30Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. |
| 31 “So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven—except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. | 31For this reason I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. |
| 32 Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come. | 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 age to come. |
| 33 “A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. | 33"Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit. |
| 34 You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. | 34Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say anything good, since you are evil? For the mouth speaks from what fills the heart. |
| 35 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. | 35The good person brings good things out of his good treasury, and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury. |
| 36 And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. | 36I tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak. |
| 37 The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” The Sign of Jonah | 37For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." |
| 38One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority.” | 38Then some of the experts in the law along with some Pharisees answered him, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you." |
| 39But Jesus replied, “Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. | 39But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. |
| 40 For 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. | 40For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. |
| 41 “The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent. | 41The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them--and now, something greater than Jonah is here! |
| 42 The queen of Sheba will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here—but you refuse to listen. | 42The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon--and now, something greater than Solomon is here! |
| 43 “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. | 43"When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it passes through waterless places looking for rest but does not find it. |
| 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order. | 44Then it says, 'I will return to the home I left.' When it returns, it finds the house empty, swept clean, and put in order. |
| 45 Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation.” The True Family of Jesus | 45Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so the last state of that person is worse than the first. It will be that way for this evil generation as well!" |
| 46As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. | 46While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers came and stood outside, asking to speak to him. |
| 47Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they want to speak to you.” | 47Someone told him, "Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting to speak to you." |
| 48Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” | 48To the one who had said this, Jesus replied, "Who is my mother and who are my brothers?" |
| 49Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. | 49And pointing toward his disciples he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! |
| 50 Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!” | 50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." |
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