Matthew 12:22-50 HCSB Then
a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to speak was brought to Him. He
healed him, so that the man could both speak and see. 23 And all the crowds were astounded and
said, "Perhaps this is the Son of David!" 24 When the Pharisees heard this, they
said, "The man drives out demons only by Beelzebul,
the ruler of the demons." 25
Knowing their thoughts, He told them: "Every
kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house
divided against itself will stand. 26 If Satan drives out
Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27
And if I
drive out demons by Beelzebul, who is it your sons
drive them out by? For this reason they will be your judges. 28
If I drive
out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.
29 How can someone enter a strong man's house and steal his
possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house.
30 Anyone who is not with Me is against Me, and anyone who does not
gather with Me scatters. 31 Because of this, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and
blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 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 the one to come. 33 "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the
tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34
Brood of
vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks
from the overflow of the heart. 35 A good man produces
good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil man produces evil things
from his storeroom of evil. 36 I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to
account for every careless word they speak. 37 For by your words you
will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." 38
Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him,
"Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." 39 But He answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation demands 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 three days and three nights, so the
Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.
41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this
generation and condemn it, because they repented at Jonah's proclamation; and
look--something greater than Jonah is here! 42 The 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
look--something greater than Solomon is here! 43 "When an unclean
spirit comes out of a man, it roams through waterless places looking for rest
but doesn't find any. 44 Then it says, 'I'll go back to my house that I came from.' And
when it arrives, it finds the house vacant, swept, and put in order.
45 Then off it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil
than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that man's last
condition is worse than the first. That's how it will also be with this evil
generation." 46 He was still speaking to the crowds
when suddenly His mother and brothers were standing outside wanting to speak to
Him. 47 Someone
told Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside,
wanting to speak to You." 48
But He replied to the one who told Him, "Who
is My mother and who are My brothers?" 49 And
stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, "Here
are My mother and My brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven, that person is
My brother and sister and mother."
Devotionals: Matthew 12:33-35 Bonsai Marriages
Matthew 12:34 Pulpit Language Part 2
Matthew 12:34-35 What the Blind Man Heard
Matthew 12:46-50 Good Intentions
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