Daily Writing

Wednesday, 10 September 2025

And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Matthew 13:4

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And in his sowing, some, indeed, it fell near the road, and it came, the birds, and it devoured them” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus began His first parable concerning sowing seed while sitting in the boat. Continuing that parable now, He says, “And in his sowing, some, indeed, it fell near the road.”

The word hodos signifies a road of any kind. It can be a highway, a traveling route, a path, etc. It is also used to signify one’s journey at times, with the road being stated as the trip itself. It is also used to speak of a person’s conduct. We do the same thing when we say something like, “This is not a good path you are on.”

In this case, it refers to either a main road which passes through fields to the right and left, or it could refer to foot paths that are between fields on the sides of a main road, providing access to the various fields in a district.

Either way, as the farmer goes out, he reaches into his bag, pulls out a handful of seed, and casts it towards the furrows that were plowed for the next planting. Without a precise aim for each kernel, some of them will miss their intended target.

Of the grain that misses, some of it will fall near the road or path. Because it is in the open, Jesus continues, saying, “and it came, the birds, and it devoured them.”

Some texts amend the first verb to a plural reading. Unless both verbs are plural, that change makes no sense. Rather, the singular verbs mixed with the plural “birds” is probably referring to a flock, speaking both of the individuals and them collectively.

Regardless of this, the point is that the seed lay exposed on a flat, trodden area. It was clearly visible to the birds as they passed by and easy to pick up and devour. This word, katesthió, to devour, is new. The word kata intensifies esthíō, to eat. As such, the birds hungrily devour the seed, it being easy prey.

As Jesus will explain this parable to the disciples, an analysis of His explanation will come at that time.

Life application: Without getting to Jesus’ explanation, we can still think about what may be presented there from a general standpoint. What is it about separation in an open area that makes things an easy target?

One of them is that there is little effort needed to identify or lay hold of something like that. If you have a mob of people beating someone up, there is so much commotion that the eyes won’t focus on any single person. But if one of the people smacking the poor fellow gets tired and takes a break to watch others beat him up, he may step outside of the crowd.

With his hands all bloodied from the pounding, he obviously participated in the pummeling. And yet, he is now in an open and exposed place, standing motionless. The girlfriend of the guy getting wailed on has a chance to look at him, remember what he looks like, and file that away for later identification.

This simple example extends to anything that is alone, motionless, and exposed. A shovel full of dirt may have diamonds in it, but they are not exposed. That same shovel full of dirt might be put into an agitator to help separate the contents, but as long as it remains in motion, only glimpses of any diamonds will be seen. When the diamonds pass into a trough carrying only diamonds, a single diamond will not be discernible from the others.

All three of these traits need to be available for a diamond to be easily identifiable. Once it is alone, not in motion, and exposed, the quality of the diamond will be easier to determine. This is why filling a job requires checking out each candidate individually.

Think about Jesus’ approach to identifying the state of the seed He describes in this example. If you are alone, idle, and exposed, you are an easy target for a foe. Think of fish balls in the ocean. They cluster when a predatory fish is around, swirling as one in a ball. The same is true with swallows in the air, forming what is known as a murmuration. Be sure to check fish balls and murmurations out on YouTube. They are amazing to see.

But why do they do this? It is because the predators are far less likely to catch prey in such a commotion. Now, think about how you can protect yourself in a spiritual manner based on this simple principle.

“Two are better than one,
Because they have a good reward for their labor.
¹⁰ For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls,
For he has no one to help him up.
¹¹ Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm;
But how can one be warm alone?
¹² Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.
And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Glorious God, give us wisdom to keep safe from the enemy that is working against us. Help us to be on the lookout, prepared for his attacks, and capable of overcoming them when he does. Your word tells us how to do these things. So give us the wisdom to pick it up and read it. Amen.

Tuesday, 9 September 2025

Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. Matthew 13:3

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And He spoke to them, many in parables, saying, ‘You behold! He went out, ‘the sowing’ to sow’” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus got into a boat and sat while the multitudes stood on the shore. Next, Matthew records, “And He spoke to them, many in parables.”

There is a new word in Scripture, parabole, a parable. It is derived from para, near, and ballo, to cast. Thus, it signifies to throw alongside. Therefore, it signifies to liken or compare. Using a parable, then, is to state something in a way that is comparable to something else.

Of parables, HELPS Word Studies says they are “a teaching aid cast alongside the truth being taught. This casts additional light by using an arresting or familiar analogy, (which is often fictitious or metaphorical, but not necessarily).” The Topical Lexicon says –

“Fifty times in the Greek New Testament, the word clusters around the ministry of Jesus Christ and appears twice in Hebrews. A parable is more than an illustrative story; it is a spiritual gem embedded in earthy language, inviting faith‐filled listeners to dig for meaning while veiling truth from the hard-hearted.”

As can be seen, the importance of this literary device is not to be underestimated. Jesus will convey truths through these simple but also deep teachings to inform God’s people. They are words to guide them in understanding the workings of God in redemptive history. Understanding this, He begins His first parable of Matthew, “saying, ‘You behold! He went out, ‘the sowing’ to sow.’”

In the Greek, the locative verb (he went out) is first, laying stress on the act. After that, the one who went out is then described as “the sowing.” The meaning is, a person who is set to sow in the fields. The implication is that the ground has been cleared and plowed. Thus, it is ready to receive the seed that will become the next crop.

Life application:  Jesus’ parables are given to make a comparison between two separate things that have a common application. Those separate things are the natural world in which life takes place for humanity, or at least is understood by humanity, and the spiritual realm in which God’s workings take place.

This spiritual realm can be worked out in various ways, such as human reaction to something that occurs, angels working behind the scenes to accomplish tasks, Jesus the Messiah fulfilling His ministry or guiding the effects of His ministry, the working of the Spirit of God, etc.

The fact that a parable is used to describe spiritual things by using common earthly/human events shows that the two concepts are not disparate at all. Rather, when a topic is chosen, such as a sower sowing seed, there will be something in the spiritual realm that somehow mirrors what is going on there.

With only a few words of the parable revealed so far, we can consider what it means for a sower to sow. As noted, there is a person going out from one place to another. At the time of Jesus’ incarnation, He did just that. A sower will sow when the ground is prepared for receiving grain. The time of the law, the word of the prophets, the span of Israel’s existence, and so forth, all were used to prepare the people for His coming.

A sower will obviously have seed to sow. There is a spiritual dynamic of sowing that will take place, intended to bring about a result. Seed, zera in Hebrew, is that which is used to bear more fruit like the one it came from. The word is from zara, to sow (with the implication of producing), exactly what the sower is there to do.

A sower’s seed will be in a bag. The seed will have been kept safely away from things that could harm it until it is ready to be sown. At the time of Jesus, a sower scattered his seed by hand, the symbol of authority and power. The seed will be cast by the action of the arm. The arm, zeroa, speaks of power and exertion but also of effective reach.

Notice the intimate connection between the three words. The basic verb zara (to sow) leads to the nouns zera, seed, and zeroa, arm (for scattering seed). Jesus is beginning His first parable with a thought that goes back to the first page of Scripture, where seed is noted several times, beginning with these words –

“Then God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields (zara) seed (zera), and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed (zera) is in itself, on the earth’; and it was so.” Genesis 1:11

The next time seed is mentioned after Genesis 1 is in Genesis 3 –

“So the Lord God said to the serpent:
‘Because you have done this,
You are cursed more than all cattle,
And more than every beast of the field;
On your belly you shall go,
And you shall eat dust
All the days of your life.
¹⁵ And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed (zera) and her Seed (zera);
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.’” Genesis 3:14, 15

As all seed reproduces after its own kind, what will this Seed of the woman be? There is a physical reality being spoken of to reveal corresponding spiritual truths. Pay attention to what Jesus is saying in His parables. Think about what Scripture says about things as you open the word each day. God is telling us a story of what He is doing in a world that He created for us to understand Him and His ways, and all of it is centered on what He is doing through Jesus Christ.

Lord God, give us wisdom and understanding in Your word. May our pursuit of it bear much fruit in our lives as we seek out the details of this wonderful story of redemption and restoration. Thank You for Your word that tells us of Jesus, and thank You for Jesus, our great Lord and Savior. Amen.

Monday, 8 September 2025

And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. Matthew 13:2

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And they gathered to Him, great crowds, so too He, having in-stepped into the boat, sat. And all the crowd, they had stood on the beach” (CG).

In the previous verse, Chapter 13 began with Jesus going out of the house He was in and sitting by the sea. Next, Matthew records, “And they gathered to Him, great crowds.”

The miracles and teachings of Jesus were of great interest to the people. Therefore, anytime He was in an open area, people would naturally flock to Him. In this case, such great crowds began to surround Him that Matthew next records, “so too He, having in-stepped into the boat, sat.”

Some texts omit the definite article, saying “a boat.” Either way, there was a boat available at the particular location, and so He got in and sat down. This would allow more people to hear and see Him without overcrowding.

Although the exact spot is unknown, there are places along the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee where the land makes a U-shaped formation. In such an area, the number of people who could see and hear Him would increase even more. They could almost encircle Him and listen. Whether this was the case or not at this time, the nature of the shore itself can be determined from the next words, which say, “And all the crowd, they had stood on the beach.”

Here is a new word, aigialos, a beach. It is derived from aisso, to rush, and hals, salt. Although the Sea of Galilee is not a saltwater sea, the idea is that the beach is like one found on a salty sea, where the waters rush upon it. This is likely a beach with sand or small pebbles.

In the immediate area, there are shores with large stones, smaller stones, pebbles, and sand. Some are mixed with large stones leading up to the beach and then small slivers of beach that meet the sea, or vice versa. Doing an image search or watching videos about the area, such as the one at this link, will give a sense of what the shoreline looks like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifTro5uRaT8

Life application: When you gather at church, what is your intent for doing so? The people of Israel surely had various ideas for going out to hear Jesus. Some were probably interested in seeing a miracle. Some may have wanted to hear the wisdom that overflowed from His teachings. There may have been some checking to see if He crossed every t and dotted every i in relation to the law.

Other people may have simply wanted to be close to the increasingly famous Teacher, making that a point of boasting when they talked to their friends, “Oh my, I got to sit in the front row, just feet away from Him!”

Today, people go to churches for such varied reasons as well. If you go each week to see a miracle, healing, or people speaking tongues, that will explain what you think the purpose of church is. If you are going to sit near a famous pastor, that will explain something about you.

Maybe you go because you want to challenge everything you hear, thus showing how much more you know about the sermon subject than the pastor. Each person’s reason for going to a church will be a little bit different because we are all individuals with our own wants, desires, and thoughts about religion.

Consider yourself and what motivates you. Next, consider what you think God would want you to focus on. Does what you want match what you think God would want for you? A few points are certain. God wants to be recognized for who He is, meaning His being, such as what He is like, what His attributes are, and why He has done things the way He has done them.

When we ask people about such things, they are happy to respond because you are showing an interest in them. God wants you to be interested in Him. God also wants you to know His word. It is the word of God that most poignantly reveals Him to us. It is a testament that details creation, spans human history, explains why things are the way they are, and so forth.

God also wants you to see Jesus. His word tells us this explicitly, such as in Hebrews 12:2. However, according to Jesus, it does so in other ways as well. He said this a couple of times in John 5. In reading the Bible, we can find Jesus typologically, pictorially, and in other ways.

So, when you go to church, you should be pursuing these avenues of knowing God. If the church you attend is not doing this, your time in church is misdirected. Be sure to compare if what you do in your pursuit of Christianity is actually based on what Christianity is about.

Read the word, know what it says, and be willing to continue to learn more as you attend a church that explores the many facets of God and His interaction with His creation, especially in relation to Jesus Christ.

Lord God, may our priorities be aligned with Yours more and more each day. Help us to focus on You, and on Your word. May we make a concerted effort to have a closer and more personal relationship with You at all times. Help us in this, O God. Amen.

Sunday, 7 September 2025

On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. Matthew 13:1

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And in that day, Jesus, having departed from the house, He sat by the sea” (CG).

In the previous verse, Chapter 12 finished with Jesus saying that whoever does the will of His Father in heaven is His brother and sister and mother. Chapter 13 now begins with, “And in that day.”

Such words as this will have various meanings based on the context. For example, the Lord may say, “In that day, I will rescue Israel.” Or we may read of the “Day of the Lord.” Such days actually reflect past or future events or extended periods of time. The same terminology is used in English as well.

However, there is no need to assume anything other than a literal rendering of the word here. Therefore, it is either referring to the previous verses or to something coming in the verses ahead. The most obvious and likely meaning is the day on which He had already been speaking. That this is likely is seen in the next words, where it says, “Jesus, having departed from the house.”

Jesus was specifically noted as being inside based on the words of Matthew 12:46 –

“While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.”

Noting His mother and brothers were outside means that He was inside. Now, having departed from that house, it next says, “He sat by the sea.”

This is the Sea of Galilee. The narrative is preparing to enter into more words from Jesus by introducing the location and circumstances.

Life application: Because Jesus was in a house, only a certain number of people could hear His words. That is clearly evidenced by the fact that His mother and brothers wanted to speak with Him. He was engaging the scribes and Pharisees in one setting. Even though His words are recorded now for all to know what went on in the house, at the time, what He said was not heard by the people.

However, Jesus’ heading out and sitting by the sea is a purposeful decision to allow His coming words to be heard and considered by many more people. As you read the gospels, think about what is going on in the surrounding context.

Jesus walks in various locations at various times. If the name of the location is given, it is certain that particular information is being provided to understand a greater picture. It is as if His very movements are forming a picture for us to consider.

Likewise, when He says something, it is quite possible that His words are fulfilling other pictures from the Old Testament Scriptures. For example, Jesus said, “For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (John 6:33).

In that sentence, Jesus equates Himself to the manna given to Israel in the wilderness. That is explained more fully in the surrounding words. But Jesus also noted that He comes down from heaven. In Hebrew, the word yarad, to descend, is used. It is where the name Jordan, or in Hebrew yarden, is derived.

In studying the uses of yarden in the Old Testament, amazing pictures of Christ, the Descender, will be seen. The very topography of the land of Israel is noted in Scripture to tell us greater stories of Jesus, His work, and how it applies to His people.

But typology can be manipulated. It is easy to “make anything say anything” and claim that is what the Bible is saying. So be careful as you read the word and make conclusions about things you read. Also, be careful about how people present typology.

Something may sound right, but be completely wrong. There must be a reasonable connection to what is being said, and the typological representations must be consistently used. If they are properly searched out and presented, truly amazing stories of God’s redemptive plans will shine through.

Consider what God is telling you, both on the surface and how it points to Jesus. This is what Jesus told us would be the case as we read this precious word –

“You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.” John 5:39

Lord God, what an intricate and amazing word You have given us. There are many levels of information being conveyed to us all at the same time. Your word is a marvel and a delight for our minds to consider, wonder at, and rejoice in. Thank You for this precious word. Amen.

Saturday, 6 September 2025

For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.” Matthew 12:50

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

To read the translation of Chapter 12 on YouTube (Click here), or at Rumble (Click here).

“For whoever, if he should do the determination of My Father, the ‘in heavens,’ he – he is – My brother and sister and mother” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus extended His hand toward the disciples and exclaimed, “Here are My mother and My brothers!” In order to explain that, He next says, “For whoever, if he should do the determination of My Father, the ‘in heavens.’”

Jesus sets the parameters for whom He is referring from the previous verse, explaining what He meant. But what is the “determination of My Father” that He is referring to? The answer to the thought is found in John 6 –

“Then they said to Him, ‘What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?’
²⁹ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.’” John 6:26

This explains what Jesus is referring to. Jesus is not (by a long shot) telling His hearers that they must observe the Law of Moses. That is what Jesus came to fulfill. He is not telling us that He is kin to the stock of Israel and that we must bless them to receive a blessing, even if His literal descent is from Israel. He does not say that those who have big churches full of wealthy congregants are His family.

The famous, beautiful, athletic, politically connected, royalty, etc., are excluded without believing in Jesus. Cutting out all categories of people, Jesus identifies those whom He is referring to as those doing “the ‘determination of’” His Father. To exactingly identify them, He next closes out Matthew 12, emphatically saying, “he – he is – My brother and sister and mother.”

Genealogy is excluded. This is why Paul says –

“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:26-29

Paul further says –

“Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? ²¹ For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” 1 Corinthians 1:20, 21

It is true that at the time of Jesus’ ministry, those of Israel who were under the law were expected to observe the law. Nobody should dispute that. But Jesus’ words in John 6, as explained by Paul and the other apostles in the epistles, tell us that we are to have faith in the works of the Son. His works include sinless perfection in His life before the law, His death in fulfillment of it, and His resurrection, which proved that it was so. Belief in this is what God expects of His people. This is the good news of Jesus Christ.

Life application: To cut out much of the theological error that rushes your way from the pulpit, computer, TV screen, etc., remember what God is doing in the world as explained in Scripture. God has a plan of redemption set forth to restore humanity to Himself.

That plan of redemption is based on the work of His Son, Jesus Christ. This plan, centered on His Son, is often co-opted by those who want to control others in various ways. At the time of the early church, it was Judaizers coming in and trusting in the flesh, boasting over those they circumcised.

As the church developed, various cults and sects have arisen to pull people away from the gospel. Eventually, the church became such a large and powerful entity that it exalted itself and its doctrines above the simple gospel. Because of this, the reformation occurred.

In America, a nation that allows freedom of religion, people took advantage of others by proclaiming aberrant ideas through a manipulation of Scripture. Sometimes, there is the exalting of a particular version of Scripture, not Jesus, who is the focus of that Scripture, as a supposed necessary condition for salvation.

Today, unconditionally supporting Israel, a nation that has rejected Jesus at this point, is said to be a necessary condition for receiving God’s blessing. In fact, this false teaching is explicitly taught by many supposed Jesus-centered ministries. It is Jesus, not a person, Bible version, nation, or denomination, who brings salvation.

When should believers support a church? The answer is when that church proclaims the gospel. When should believers exalt a people group or nation? The answer is when that nation exalts Jesus Christ. Israel, as a nation, has not yet done this. But unlike other nations, they are explicitly prophesied as someday doing so. For this reason, prayers for them should be raised to God that His will be done in this rebellious group of people.

At the same time, we should be willing to evangelize and pray for all people, telling them about the saving message of Jesus Christ. This alone will bring people to a right relationship with God.

“So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, ⁹ and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. ¹⁰ Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? ¹¹ But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.” Acts 15:8-11

Lord God, thank You for the simple gospel of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Help us to have our priorities right, clearly thinking through what it means to be in a right standing before You. Your word tells us what it is! It is through faith in Him and what He has done. Yes, thank You for this simple gospel. Amen.

Matthew 12 (CGT)

12 In that time, Jesus, He went – the Sabbaths – through the grainfields, and His disciples, they hungered, and they began to pluck kernels and eat. ² And the Pharisees, having seen, they said to Him, “You behold! Your disciples, they do what it permits not to do in Sabbath.” ³ And He said to them, “Not you read what he did, David, when he hungered, he and those with him? ⁴ How he entered into the house of God and the bread ‘the before-setting’ they ate, which not it is being permitted him to eat, nor those with him, if not the priests only? ⁵ Or not you read in the law that, the Sabbaths, the priests in the temple the Sabbath profane, and they are guiltless? ⁶ And I say to you that the temple – greater, it is here. ⁷ And if you had known what it is, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ not you condemned the guiltless. ⁸ For Lord, He is – even of the Sabbath – the Son of Man.”

⁹ And having departed thence, He went into their synagogue. ¹⁰ And, you behold! Man, he is, having a withered hand. And they queried Him, saying, ‘If it permits, the Sabbaths, to cure?’ That they should accuse Him.

¹¹ And He said to them, “What man, he will be from you, who he will have one sheep, and if this, it should fall into a pit on the Sabbaths, not he will seize it and he will raise it? ¹² Therefore, how much man – he excels a sheep! So too, it permits – the Sabbaths – to do good.” ¹³ Then He says to the man, ‘You outstretch your hand.’ And he outstretched it, and it reconstituted, healthy as the other. ¹⁴ And the Pharisees, they took counsel against Him, having gone out, how they might kill Him.

¹⁵ And Jesus, having known, He withdrew thence. And they followed Him, great crowds. And He cured them all. ¹⁶ And He admonished them that not they should make Him apparent. ¹⁷ That it should be fulfilled, the ‘having been spoken’ through Isaiah the prophet, saying:

¹⁸ “You behold! My Servant whom I chose,
My beloved in whom it approved, My soul,
I will place My Spirit upon Him,
And judgment to the Gentiles, He will proclaim.
¹⁹ Not He will wrangle, nor He will clamor,
Nor anyone – he will hear in the streets His voice.
²⁰ A reed, being battered, not He will break,
And flax being smoldered, not He will extinguish,
Until if He ejects judgment into victory.
²¹ And in His name, Gentiles, they will hope.”

²² Then he was brought to Him ‘being demon possessed,’ blind and mute, and He cured him, so the blind and mute speak and see. ²³ And they were astounded, all the crowds. And they said, “Not any, this, He is the Son of David?”

²⁴ And the Pharisees, having heard, they said, “This, not He ejects the demons if not in Beelzebul, prince of the demons.” ²⁵ And Jesus, having known their thoughts, He said to them, “Every kingdom, having divided against itself, it desolates, and every city or house having divided against itself, not it will stand. ²⁶ And if the Satan, he ejects the Satan, he divided upon himself. How then, it will stand, his kingdom? ²⁷ And if I, I eject demons in Beelzebul, your sons – in whom do they eject? Through this they, they will be your judges. ²⁸ And if in God’s Spirit I, I eject the demons, then it preceded upon you, the ‘God’s kingdom.’ ²⁹ Or how, any, he can enter into the house of the strong and his goods through-seize, if not first he should bind the strong? And then, his house he will through-seize. ³⁰ The ‘not being with Me,’ he is against me. And the ‘not gathering with Me,’ he scatters.

³¹ Through this, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy, it will be forgiven men, but the ‘Spirit blasphemy’ not it will be forgiven men. ³² And whoever if he should speak a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever, if he should speak against the Holy Spirit, not it will be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in the coming.

³³ Either you make the tree good and the fruit of it good, or you make the tree rotten and the fruit of it rotten. For from the fruit, the tree – it is known. ³⁴ Viper’s offspring! You can, how, speak good – being evil? For from the surplus of the heart, the mouth, it speaks.

³⁵ The good man, from the good treasure of the heart, he ejects good, and the evil man, from the evil treasure, he ejects evil. ³⁶ And I say to you that every inactive utterance that if they will speak, men, they will render a word about it in judgment day. ³⁷ For from your words, you will be justified, and from your words, you will be condemned.”

³⁸ Then, they answered, some of the scribes and Pharisees, saying, “Teacher, we desire to see a sign from You.” ³⁹ And having answered, He said to them, “Generation – evil and adulteress – it seeks a sign, and not it will be given it, if not the sign of Jonah the prophet. ⁴⁰ For just as Jonah, he was in the lunker’s belly three days and three nights, thus He will be, the Son of Man, in the earth’s heart three days and three nights. ⁴¹ Men, Nineveh, they will arise in the judgment with this generation and they will sentence it, for they reconsidered at the proclamation of Jonah. And you behold! Jonah’s greater is here! ⁴² Queen, south, she will arise in the judgment with this generation and she will sentence it, for she came from the extremities of the land to hear Solomon’s wisdom. And you behold! Solomon’s greater is here.

⁴³ And when the unclean spirit, it departs from the man, it traverses through waterless spots seeking rest, and it finds not. ⁴⁴ Then it says, ‘I will return to my house whence I departed.’ And having come, it finds ‘holidaying,’ having been swept and having been arranged. ⁴⁵ Then it traverses, and it takes with itself seven other spirits, itself eviler, and having entered, it dwells there. And the last of that man, it becomes worse than the first. Thus it will be also – this evil generation.”

⁴⁶ And He yet speaking to the crowds, you behold, His mother and His brothers had stood without seeking to speak to Him. ⁴⁷ And, he said, someone to Him, “You behold! Your mother and Your brothers, they have stood without seeking to speak to You.” ⁴⁸ And answering, He said to the ‘telling Him’, “Who, she is, My mother, and who, they are, My brothers?” ⁴⁹ And having extended His hand to His disciples, He said, “You behold! My mother and My brothers. ⁵⁰ For whoever, if he should do the determination of My Father, the ‘in heavens,’ he – he is – My brother and sister and mother.”