Matthew 12:28-38

28 But if it is 1by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then 2the kingdom of God has come upon you.
29 Or 3how can someone enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed 4he may plunder his house.
30 5Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
31 6Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but 7the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
32 And whoever speaks a word 8against the Son of Man 9will be forgiven, but 10whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in 11this age or in the age to come.

A Tree Is Known by Its Fruit

33 12"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, 13for the tree is known by its fruit.
34 14You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, 15when you are evil? 16For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
35 17The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.
36 I tell you, 18on the day of judgment 19people will give account for 20every careless word they speak,
37 for 21by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

The Sign of Jonah

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, "Teacher, 22we wish to see a sign from you."

Cross References 22

  • 1. [ver. 18]
  • 2. Matthew 19:24; Matthew 21:31, 43; Luke 17:21
  • 3. Isaiah 49:24
  • 4. [Isaiah 53:12]
  • 5. Luke 11:23; [Mark 9:40; Luke 9:50]
  • 6. For ver. 31, 32, see Mark 3:28-30; [Luke 12:10; Hebrews 6:4-6; Hebrews 10:26; 1 John 5:16]
  • 7. [Acts 7:51; Hebrews 10:29]
  • 8. Matthew 11:19; John 7:12; John 9:24
  • 9. 1 Timothy 1:12, 13
  • 10. [See ver. 31 above]
  • 11. [Ephesians 1:21]
  • 12. Matthew 7:16-20
  • 13. Luke 6:43, 44
  • 14. Matthew 3:7; Matthew 23:33
  • 15. Matthew 7:11
  • 16. Matthew 15:18, 19; Luke 6:45; [Matthew 13:52; Ephesians 4:29]
  • 17. [See ver. 34 above]
  • 18. [Ephesians 5:4, 11; 2 Peter 1:8]
  • 19. Ecclesiastes 12:14; Romans 14:12; 1 Peter 4:5
  • 20. See Acts 17:31
  • 21. [Matthew 5:22; James 3:2-12]
  • 22. Matthew 16:1; Mark 8:11, 12; Luke 11:16; Luke 23:8; John 2:18; John 4:48; John 6:30; 1 Corinthians 1:22
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.