1 During that period Jesus {Iesous, Sabbath Wayfarer} went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began picking heads of grain {stachyas: ears of grain} and eating.
2 When the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him {Iesous, Challenged Lord}, “See here, Your disciples are doing what the Sabbath {sabbaton: sacred rest} does not permit.”
3 But He {Iesous, Faithful Teacher} said to them, “Have you not read what David {Dauid: revered Israelite king} did when he was hungry, along with the men who were with him?”
4 He entered the house of God {Theos, Holy Lawgiver} and ate the loaves of presentation {prothesis: consecrated bread}, even though it was not lawful for him to eat them, nor for those with him, but only for the priests.
5 Or have you not read in the Law {nomos: instruction of Moses} that on the Sabbaths the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless {anaitioi: without blame}?
6 But I {Iesous, Greater Than Temple} tell you that what is here surpasses the temple {hierou: sacred sanctuary}.
7 But if you had understood what this means, “I {Theos, Lover Of Mercy} desire mercy and not sacrifice,” you would not have condemned the guiltless {anaitios: wrongly accused}.
8 For the Son of Man {huios tou anthropou, Messianic Ruler} holds authority as Lord {kurios, Supreme Authority} over the Sabbath {sabbaton: covenant rest}.
9 After leaving there, He {Iesous, Purposeful Visitor} went into their synagogue {synagoge: Jewish assembly place}.
10 And behold, there was a man with a withered hand; and they questioned Him {Iesous, Questioned Healer}, saying, “Is it lawful on the Sabbaths {sabbasin: weekly sacred rest} to heal?” so that they might accuse Him.
11 But He {Iesous, Compassionate Teacher} said to them, “Which of you, if he owns a single sheep and it should tumble into a pit on the Sabbaths {sabbaton: weekly holy rest}, will he not grasp it and raise it up?”
12 How much more, therefore, does a human being {anthropos: image-bearing person} matter than a sheep? So then, it is lawful to do what is good {kalos: morally right} on the Sabbath days.
13 Then He {Iesous, Restoring Lord} said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored, whole {hygies: sound, complete}, like the other.
14 But the Pharisees {Pharisaioi: strict religious faction} went out and took counsel against Him {Iesous, Rejected Messiah}, so that they might destroy Him.
15 But Jesus {Iesous, Healing Messiah}, having perceived this, withdrew from there; and many followed Him, and He healed them all {pantas: every single one}.
16 And He {Iesous, Divine Instructor} warned them so that they would not make Him known {phaneron: publicly visible}.
17 This happened so that what was spoken {rhethen: prophetic word} through the prophet Isaiah {Esaiou: inspired herald} would be fulfilled, saying:
18 Behold, My {Theos, Choosing Father} servant, whom I have selected, My beloved, in whom My soul finds delight. I will lay My Spirit {pneuma: Empowering Presence} upon Him, and He will proclaim justice to the nations.
19 He {Christos, Gentle Servant} will not strive nor shout, nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets {plateia: public open space}.
20 A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish, until He brings judgment {krisin: just decision} into victory {nikos: decisive triumph}.
21 And by His {Iesous, Hope for Nations} name, the nations {ethne: non-Jewish peoples} will hope.
22 Then one who was demon-possessed {daimonizomenos: under demonic power}, blind, and mute was brought to Him {Iesous, Compassionate Healer}, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw.
23 And all the crowds were amazed {existanto: astounded beyond comprehension} and were saying, “Might this be the Son of David {huios Dauid, Promised King}?”
24 But the Pharisees {Pharisaioi: strict religious party}, hearing it, said, “This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler {archon: chief authority} of the demons.”
25 But He {Iesous, Discerning Lord}, knowing their thoughts {enthymeseis: inward reasonings}, said to them, “Every kingdom that is split against itself is laid waste, and every city or house that is split against itself will not stand.”
26 And if Satan {Satanas: hostile accuser} casts out Satan, he has been divided against himself. How then will his kingdom {basileia: ruling sphere} stand?
27 And if I {Iesous, Accused Miracle Worker} cast out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore, they themselves will be your judges {kritai: evaluators of conduct}.
28 Yet if I banish the demons {daimonia: unclean spirits} in the Spirit of God {Pneumati Theou, Divine Power}, then the kingdom of God has broken in upon you.
29 Or how can someone enter the house of the strong man {ischyros: dominant adversary} and seize his goods {skeue: valuable possessions}, unless he first binds the strong man? Then he will plunder his house.
30 The one who is not with Me {Iesous, Revealer of Allegiance} is against Me, and the one who does not gather {synago: draw together} with Me scatters.
31 Therefore I say to you, every sin {hamartia: moral failure} and blasphemy will be forgiven for people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit {pneuma, Holy Testifying Presence} will not be forgiven.
32 And whoever utters a word against the Son of Man {huios tou anthropou: Messianic Title} will receive forgiveness; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit {pneuma hagion: Sacred Presence} will not receive forgiveness, neither in this age nor in the age to come.
33 Either make the tree {dendron: inner nature} good and its fruit {karpos: outward conduct} good, or make the tree rotten and its fruit rotten; for the tree is known by its fruit.
34 Offspring of vipers, how are you able to speak good things, being evil? For out of the abundance of the heart {kardia: inner self} the mouth {stoma: spoken words} speaks.
35 The good person {agathos: morally upright} out of the good treasure {thesauros: inner storehouse} brings forth good things, and the evil person out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
36 But I {Iesous, Truthful Judge} say to you that for each worthless word spoken by people, they shall render an account on the day of judgment {krisis: decisive evaluation}.
37 By your own words you will be vindicated {dikaiothese: declared righteous}, and by your own words you will be found guilty {katadikasthese: found guilty}.
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered Him {Iesous, Questioned Teacher}, saying, “Teacher, we desire to behold a sign {semeion: confirming miracle} from You.”
39 But He {Iesous, Righteous Judge} answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet {prophetes: validated messenger}.”
40 Just as Jonah remained in the belly of the sea creature {kētos: massive aquatic being} for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man {huios tou anthropou, Crucified Savior} will remain in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
41 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, because they repented at the preaching {kerugma: public proclamation} of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here {Iesous, Greater Prophet}.
42 The Queen {basilissa notou: distant royal visitor} of the South will be raised up at the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth {perata tes ges: extreme distance} to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
43 When the unclean spirit {pneuma: hostile entity} goes out from the person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest {anapausis: relief from roaming}, and it does not find it.
44 Then it says, “I will return to my house from where I came out,” and when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept {sesaromenon: thoroughly cleaned}, and set in order {kekosmemenon: carefully arranged}.
45 Then it departs and brings along seven other spirits {pneumata: hostile influences} even more wicked than itself; after they enter, they reside there, and that man’s last state becomes worse than his first. In the same way, this wicked generation {genea: stubborn society} will face the same outcome.
46 While He {Iesous, Teaching Son} was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother {meter: immediate family} and His brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him.
47 But someone said to Him {Iesous, Teaching Son}, “Behold, Your mother {meter: birth-giver} and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak to You.”
48 But He {Iesous, Redefining Family Bonds} answered and said to the one speaking to Him, “Who then is My mother, and who are My brothers {adelphoi: male relatives in household}?”
49 And having stretched out His {Iesous, Redefining Family} hand over His disciples {mathetas: dedicated pupils}, He said, “Behold, My mother and My brothers!”
50 For whoever {hostis: any responsive person} does the will of My Father {pater, Heavenly Family Head} in the heavens, such a person is My brother, sister, and mother.