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Right and Wrong Then He entered the synagogue again. Now a man was there whose hand was shriveled up. And the Pharisees watched Jesus (ready to accuse Him) to see if He would heal this man on the Sabbath. Then Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up, here in the middle!” And He asked the people, “What is lawful on the Sabbath, to do good, or to do evil? To save life, or to kill?” But they were silent. He looked around at them, angrily (for He was deeply grieved at the hardness of their hearts). Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!” And the man stretched it out, and it was fully restored, strong as the other hand. But when the Pharisees left, they went immediately to plot with the Herodians against Jesus, to find a way to destroy Him. The Twelve Jesus returned with His disciples to the sea. And a large crowd followed Him from Galilee, and from Judea, and from Jerusalem, and from Idumea and beyond Jordan, and from the area around Tyre and Sidon. A very great crowd had come to Him, having heard all the things He was doing. He told His disciples that a small boat should wait near Him because of the crowds, to keep them from crushing in on Him. For He had healed so many that whoever had a disease would push in against Him, just to touch Him. And the unclean spirits fell at His feet whenever they saw Him, crying out “You are the Son of God!” But He sharply ordered them not to make Him known. He went up along the mountain and called to Himself the men He wanted, and they went to Him. He picked twelve who were to stay with Him, and these He called apostles [ones who are sent]. And because He would also send them out to preach, He gave them authority to heal the sick, and to cast out demons. So He designated the twelve. To Simon He added the name, Peter [Rock]. And He nicknamed Zebedee’s sons (James and John), Boanerges (which means, “Sons of Thunder”). There was also Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, and James the son of Alpheus, Thaddeus, Simon the Zealous. And also Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him. Then He entered a house and again such a crowd gathered there that they couldn’t even eat bread. And when His family heard of it they went out to get Him, because they said, “He’s out of His mind.” And some Scribes who had come down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul!” And, “By the prince of demons He casts out demons!” Calling the Scribes near, Jesus responded to them using illustrations: “How can Satan drive out Satan? And if a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom won’t stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. So then, if Satan has risen up against himself, and has been divided, he cannot stand, but comes to an end. “No one can simply walk into the house of the mighty to take what he wants, unless he first locks up the mighty one. Then he can take what he wants. “I tell you this truth: All things will be forgiven, all the sins of the human race, and whatever blasphemies they have committed. But whoever slanders the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, but stands guilty of eternal judgment.” (Because they had said, “He has an unclean spirit!”) Then His brothers and mother arrived. And, standing outside, they sent word to Him, calling for Him. People were crowded in all around Him. So they said to Him, “Look, Your mother, and Your brothers and sisters are outside asking for You!” But He answered, “Who is My mother and My brothers?” And turning all the way around to look at those sitting around Him, He said, “Look, here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does what God wants, that person is My brother, and My sister, and mother!”
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