8. for the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
9. Jesus left that place and went to a synagogue,
10. where there was a man who had a paralysed hand. Some people were there who wanted to accuse Jesus of doing wrong, so they asked him, “Is it against our Law to heal on the Sabbath?”
11. Jesus answered, “What if one of you has a sheep and it falls into a deep hole on the Sabbath? Will you not take hold of it and lift it out?
12. And a human being is worth much more than a sheep! So then, our Law does allow us to help someone on the Sabbath.”
13. Then he said to the man with the paralysed hand, “Stretch out your hand.”He stretched it out, and it became well again, just like the other one.
14. Then the Pharisees left and made plans to kill Jesus.
15. When Jesus heard about the plot against him, he went away from that place; and large crowds followed him. He healed all those who were ill
16. and gave them orders not to tell others about him.
17. He did this so as to make what God had said through the prophet Isaiah come true:
18. “Here is my servant, whom I have chosen,the one I love, and with whom I am pleased.I will send my Spirit upon him,and he will announce my judgement to the nations.
19. He will not argue or shout,or make loud speeches in the streets.
20. He will not break off a bent reed,or put out a flickering lamp.He will persist until he causes justice to triumph,
21. and in him all peoples will put their hope.”
22. Then some people brought to Jesus a man who was blind and could not talk because he had a demon. Jesus healed the man, so that he was able to talk and see.
23. The crowds were all amazed at what Jesus had done. “Could he be the Son of David?” they asked.
24. When the Pharisees heard this, they replied, “He drives out demons only because their ruler Beelzebul gives him power to do so.”
25. Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he said to them, “Any country that divides itself into groups which fight each other will not last very long. And any town or family that divides itself into groups which fight each other will fall apart.