Matthew 12:22-37

Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit

22 w Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23 x And all the people were amazed, and said, x "Can this be the Son of David?" 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, y "It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons." 25 z Knowing their thoughts, a he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, b by whom do c your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 But if it is d by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then e the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or f how can someone enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed g he may plunder his house. 30 h Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 i Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but j the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 And whoever speaks a word k against the Son of Man l will be forgiven, but j whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in m this age or in the age to come.

A Tree Is Known by Its Fruit

33 n "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, o for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 p You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, q when you are evil? r For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 r The 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, s on the day of judgment t people will give account for u every careless word they speak, 37 for v by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

  1. Cross References
    Matthew 12:22 - 24
    Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw.
    Luke 11:14 - 15
    Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled.
    Matthew 9:32 - 34
    As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to him.
  2. Cross References
    Matthew 12:22 - 24
    Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw.
    Luke 11:14 - 15
    Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled.
  3. Cross References
    John 4:29
    "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?"
    John 7:26
    And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ?
    John 7:31
    Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, "When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?
    Matthew 9:27
    And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, "Have mercy on us, Son of David.
  4. Cross References
    John 4:29
    "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?"
    John 7:26
    And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ?
    John 7:31
    Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, "When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?
    Matthew 9:27
    And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, "Have mercy on us, Son of David.
  5. Cross References
    Mark 3:22
    And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, "He is possessed by Beelzebul," and "by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.
    Matthew 10:25
    It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.
  6. Cross References
    Matthew 9:4
    But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?
  7. Cross References
    Matthew 12:25 - 29
    Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.
    Mark 3:23 - 27
    And he called them to him and said to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan?
    Luke 11:17 - 22
    But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls.
  8. Cross References
    Matthew 12:25 - 29
    Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.
    Mark 3:23 - 27
    And he called them to him and said to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan?
    Luke 11:17 - 22
    But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls.
  9. Cross References
    Acts 19:13
    Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.
  10. Cross References
    2 Kings 2:7
    Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan.
  11. Cross References
    Matthew 12:18
    Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
  12. Cross References
    Matthew 19:24
    Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.
    Matthew 21:31
    Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you.
    Matthew 21:43
    Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.
    Luke 17:21
    Nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or 'There!' for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.
  13. Cross References
    Isaiah 49:24
    Can the prey be taken from the mighty, or the captives of a tyrant be rescued?
  14. Cross References
    Isaiah 53:12
    Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.
  15. Cross References
    Luke 11:23
    Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
    Mark 9:40
    For the one who is not against us is for us.
    Luke 9:50
    But Jesus said to him, "Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.
  16. Cross References
    Matthew 12:31 - 32
    Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy w...
    Mark 3:28 - 30
    Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven ...
    Luke 12:10
    And everyone who speaks a word against the Son ...
    Hebrews 6:4 - 6
    For it is impossible, in the case of those who ...
    Hebrews 10:26
    For if we go on sinning deliberately after rece...
    1 John 5:16
    If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not...
  17. Cross References
    Acts 7:51
    You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.
    Hebrews 10:29
    How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?
  18. Cross References
    Matthew 12:31 - 32
    Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
    Mark 3:28 - 30
    Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter.
  19. Cross References
    Matthew 11:19
    The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.
    John 7:12
    And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, "He is a good man," others said, "No, he is leading the people astray.
    John 9:24
    So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, "Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.
  20. Cross References
    1 Timothy 1:12 - 13
    I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service.
  21. Cross References
    Matthew 12:31
    Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
  22. Cross References
    Ephesians 1:21
    Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
  23. Cross References
    Matthew 7:16 - 20
    You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
  24. Cross References
    Luke 6:43 - 44
    For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit.
  25. Cross References
    Matthew 3:7
    But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
    Matthew 23:33
    You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?
  26. Cross References
    Matthew 7:11
    If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
  27. Cross References
    Matthew 15:18 - 19
    But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.
    Luke 6:45
    The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
    Matthew 13:52
    And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.
    Ephesians 4:29
    Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
  28. Cross References
    Matthew 12:34
    You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
  29. Cross References
    Ephesians 5:4
    Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.
    Ephesians 5:11
    Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
    2 Peter 1:8
    For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  30. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 12:14
    For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
    Romans 14:12
    So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
    1 Peter 4:5
    But they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
  31. Cross References
    Acts 17:31
    Because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.
  32. Cross References
    Matthew 5:22
    But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire.
    James 3:2 - 12
    For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.