King James Version
Matthew 12
50 verses with commentary
Lord of the Sabbath
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.
View commentary
But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.
View commentary
But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;
View commentary
How 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?
View commentary
Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
View commentary
But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.
View commentary
But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
View commentary
For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
View commentary
A Man with a Withered Hand
And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:
View commentary
And, 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.
View commentary
And 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?
View commentary
How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
View commentary
Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.
View commentary
Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. held: or, took counsel
View commentary
God's Chosen Servant
But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;
View commentary
And charged them that they should not make him known:
View commentary
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
View commentary
Behold 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.
View commentary
He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.
View commentary
A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.
View commentary
And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.
View commentary
Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit
Then 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.
View commentary
And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?
View commentary
But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. Beelzebub: Gr. Beelzebul
View commentary
And 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:
View commentary
And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
View commentary
And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.
View commentary
But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
View commentary
The conclusion—ephthāsen eph' hymas hē basileia tou Theou (ἔφθασεν ἐφ' ὑμᾶς ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ, "the kingdom of God has come upon you")—is the crucial point. The verb phthanō (φθάνω) means to arrive, reach, or overtake. Jesus declares that His exorcisms prove the kingdom of God has invaded Satan's domain and is actively present in His ministry. The kingdom is not merely future but has broken into history in Jesus' person and work. His power over demons demonstrates that the eschatological age has dawned.
This verse establishes that Jesus' miracles are not mere displays of power but kingdom signs—evidence that God's reign is overthrowing Satan's tyranny. When Jesus expels demons, He plunders the strong man's house (v. 29), demonstrating that Satan's kingdom cannot stand against God's kingdom. The kingdom comes not through political revolution but through spiritual liberation from demonic bondage and sin's power.
Or 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.
View commentary
He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
View commentary
Wherefore 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.
View commentary
And 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.
View commentary
A Tree Is Known by Its Fruit
Either 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.
View commentary
O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
View commentary
A 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.
View commentary
But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
View commentary
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
View commentary
The Sign of Jonah
Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
View commentary
But 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:
View commentary
For 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.
View commentary
The 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.
View commentary
A greater than Jonas is here (πλεῖον Ἰωνᾶ ὧδε, pleion Iōna hōde)—The Greek pleion is neuter, meaning 'something greater,' emphasizing not just personal superiority but the superiority of Christ's mission, message, and authority. Jonah brought temporal deliverance; Christ brings eternal salvation. The Ninevites' response to a minor prophet condemns Israel's rejection of the Messiah himself.
The 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.
View commentary
A greater than Solomon is here (πλεῖον Σολομῶνος ὧδε, pleion Solomōnos hōde)—Solomon's wisdom was legendary (1 Kings 4:29-34), yet Christ is Wisdom incarnate (1 Cor 1:30). The queen sought wisdom; Israel rejected it when it stood before them in flesh. Her initiative condemns their apathy.
The Return of an Unclean Spirit
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
View commentary
Walketh through dry places (διέρχεται δι' ἀνύδρων τόπων, dierchetai di' anydrōn topōn)—Ancient belief held that demons inhabited waterless, desolate regions (cf. Isaiah 13:21; 34:14). The spirit seeks anapausis (ἀνάπαυσις, 'rest') but finds none—demons are restless until they possess and destroy.
Then 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.
View commentary
Scholazō means 'vacant, unoccupied'—the house is clean but untenanted. Saroō ('swept') and kosmeō ('garnished/decorated') suggest external improvement, even religious activity, but no new Master. Nature abhors a vacuum; so does the spiritual realm. The reformed but unregenerate person is worse than the openly sinful—more deceived, harder to reach.
Then 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.
View commentary
The last state of that man is worse than the first (τὰ ἔσχατα τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐκείνου χείρονα τῶν πρώτων, ta eschata tou anthrōpou ekeinou cheirona tōn prōtōn)—Reformation without regeneration doesn't produce neutrality but intensifies judgment. Jesus applies this to this wicked generation (τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ τῇ πονηρᾷ, tē genea tautē tē ponēra)—Israel's rejection of Messiah after centuries of prophetic preparation made them worse than pagan nations. Privilege increases responsibility.
Jesus' Mother and Brothers
While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
View commentary
Mark 3:21 provides crucial context: family members came to 'lay hold on him' because they thought 'he is beside himself' (mentally unstable). This wasn't a casual visit but an intervention attempt. Mary, though blessed among women, was not infallible; even she misunderstood Jesus's mission at times (cf. John 2:4).
Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
View commentary
The messenger assumed biological family took precedence, but Jesus's response redefines family around spiritual kinship. Notably absent is 'Joseph,' confirming Joseph had died by this point in Jesus's ministry. The verse provides clear evidence against claims of Mary's perpetual virginity—adelphoi (ἀδελφοί) means 'brothers,' not cousins (which would be anepsioi, ἀνεψιοί).
But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
View commentary
This challenges the Jewish assumption that Abrahamic descent guaranteed spiritual privilege (Matthew 3:9). Jesus's question forces hearers to reconsider the basis of relationship with him—not biology, ethnicity, or religious heritage, but obedient faith. This radically democratizes access to Jesus while raising the standard: family membership requires doing God's will, not merely biological connection.
And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
View commentary
Behold my mother and my brethren! (Ἰδοὺ ἡ μήτηρ μου καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί μου, Idou hē mētēr mou kai hoi adelphoi mou)—Idou (ἰδού) is an attention-grabbing exclamation: 'Look!' or 'Behold!' Jesus identifies his mathētai (μαθηταί, 'disciples/learners') as his true family, establishing the church's relational foundation: shared devotion to Christ creates bonds deeper than blood.
For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
View commentary
The same is my brother, and sister, and mother (οὗτός μου ἀδελφὸς καὶ ἀδελφὴ καὶ μήτηρ ἐστίν, houtos mou adelphos kai adelphē kai mētēr estin)—Jesus includes both genders and uses the intimate term 'mother,' signaling that spiritual kinship with him encompasses every dimension of family relationship. This verse is foundational for understanding the church as family (Galatians 6:10; Ephesians 2:19; 1 Timothy 5:1-2).