Matthew 12 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended

Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)

Plucking grain on the Sabbath 12:1–8

vv. 1–2 — the plucking and the charge

At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath;independent — the temporal heading — the Sabbath controversies open; τοῖς σάββασιν, the chapter's contested word

and his disciples were hungryindependent — the hunger — the fact the defense will lean on (ἐπείνασεν, v. 3)

and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.independent — plucking by hand permitted (Deut 23:25) — the charge is Sabbath labor, not theft

But the Pharisees, seeing it, said to him:independent — ἰδόντες — the surveillance motif begins; the speech-frame

'Look, your disciples are doingcontent — the charge — 'your disciples,' aimed through them at the teacher

what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath.'relative — reaping, in rabbinic reckoning — one of the thirty-nine forbidden labors

vv. 3–8 — the answer: David, the priests, Hosea, the Son of Man

But he said to them:independent — the reply frame — one εἶπεν carries the whole defense (vv. 3–8)

'Have you not readcontent — the counter-question — scribal expertise turned against itself (cf. 12:5; 19:4; 21:16, 42; 22:31)

what David didcontent — indirect question — 1 Sam 21:1–6: David at Nob

when he was hungry, and those with him —conditional — temporal ὅτε (typed cnd; no temporal key) — hunger names the precedent's point of contact with v. 1

how he entered the house of Godcontent — the indirect question resumed with πῶς — the tent at Nob called God's house

and ate the bread of the Presence,content — singular ἔφαγεν printed ('he ate') — the rival plural ἔφαγον is the noted crux

which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those with him,relative — neuter ὃ over the plural ἄρτους — the act as a whole unlawful; ἐξόν, the participle of ἔξεστιν (v. 2)

but only for the priests?phrase modifier — exceptive εἰ μή — Lev 24:5–9: the priests' bread, eaten by laymen

Or have you not read in the Lawcontent — the second precedent — now from the Torah itself, not the Prophets' narrative

that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbathcontent — Num 28:9–10 — the Sabbath offerings double the labor; βεβηλοῦσιν, a deliberately hard word

and are guiltless?content — ἀναίτιοι — the word returns at v. 7: the disciples share the priests' innocence

But I tell youcontent — the authoritative λέγω ὑμῖν — from precedent to pronouncement

that something greater than the temple is here.content — μεῖζον neuter — 'something greater': the kingdom-presence, not baldly 'someone'; the a-fortiori hinge

But if you had knownconditional — second-class condition, contrary to fact — you did not know; protasis leaning on the apodosis below

what this means:content — indirect question — the citation formula of 9:13 repeated verbatim

'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,'content — Hos 6:6 — cited a second time (9:13); mercy as the Law's weightier sense

you would not have condemned the guiltless.content — ἄν + aorist — the unreal apodosis; τοὺς ἀναιτίους echoes v. 5

For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.'cause — the christological ground — the argument ends in authority, not casuistry

The man with the withered hand 12:9–14

vv. 9–10 — the test question

And going on from there,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἦλθεν; the controversy moves indoors

he came into their synagogue.independent — αὐτῶν — 'their' synagogue: the distance between Jesus and his opponents already audible

And behold, a man with a withered hand.independent — verbless ἰδού-presentation — the test case simply stands there

And they questioned him,independent — the interrogation — the man is a pretext, the question a trap

saying:participial — pleonastic speech-participle — the frame

'Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?'content — interrogative εἰ — ἔξεστιν a third time; in Mark Jesus asks this question, here it is asked of him

— so that they might accuse him.purpose — the narrator unmasks the motive — κατηγορεῖν, the courtroom verb; v. 14 is already in view

vv. 11–13 — the sheep, the man, the healing

He said to them:independent — the reply frame

'What man will there be among youcontent — the appeal to their own practice — only Matthew gives this Sabbath argument here

who will have one sheep,relative — πρόβατον ἕν — a single sheep: the poor man's whole flock, so the rescue is certain

and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath,conditional — protasis leaning forward on the apodosis below — the Sabbath emergency

will he not take hold of it and lift it out?content — οὐχί expects yes — their own halakhah concedes the rescue; ἐγερεῖ, the raising verb

How much more, then, is a man worth than a sheep!content — the qal wahomer drawn — πόσῳ οὖν: from sheep to man (cf. 6:26; 10:31)

So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.'purpose — ὥστε + indicative — the inference drawn (typed pur; no result key): ἔξεστιν answers the trap's ἔξεστιν

Then he says to the man:independent — historic present λέγει — the argument turns to act

'Stretch out your hand.'content — the healing is a bare command — no touch, no visible 'work' for the accusers

And he stretched it out,independent — the obedience — the withered hand does the impossible thing

and it was restored, sound like the other.independent — divine passive ἀπεκατεστάθη — restoration, the double augment noted by the grammars

v. 14 — the plot

But the Pharisees, going out,participial — preposed aorist participle — they exit the synagogue to plot; leans on ἔλαβον

took counsel against him,independent — συμβούλιον λαμβάνειν — a Matthean idiom (22:15; 27:1, 7; 28:12); the passion begins here

how they might destroy him.purpose — ὅπως of the deliberated aim — ἀπολέσωσιν: the mercy-question ends in a death plan

The chosen Servant — Isaiah 42 fulfilled 12:15–21

vv. 15–16 — withdrawal, healing, silence

But Jesus, knowing it,participial — preposed aorist participle — aware of the plot; leans on ἀνεχώρησεν

withdrew from there.independent — ἀνεχώρησεν — Matthew's withdrawal verb (2:14; 4:12; 14:13): retreat, not defeat

And many followed him,independent — πολλοί read with most editions — a few witnesses add ὄχλοι ('great crowds')

and he healed them all,independent — πάντας — the healing unrestricted, the publicity refused

and he ordered themindependent — ἐπετίμησεν — the injunction to silence (cf. 8:4; 9:30; 16:20)

that they should not make him known,purpose — ἵνα of the command's content-purpose — hiddenness as policy

vv. 17–21 — the formula quotation: Isaiah 42:1–4, the Gospel's longest

so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled:purpose — the fulfillment formula — the silence itself fulfils Scripture; Matthew's longest formula citation follows

'Behold, my servantcontent — Isa 42:1 — παῖς: servant, or child; the baptismal voice (3:17) echoes through the Song

whom I have chosen,relative — ᾑρέτισα — Matthew's rendering, closer to the Hebrew 'my chosen' than the LXX's Jacob-Israel gloss

my belovedphrase modifier — verbless apposition — ὁ ἀγαπητός, the very word of 3:17 and 17:5

with whom my soul is well pleased.relative — εὐδόκησεν — the baptismal verb; Servant and Son fused

I will put my Spirit upon him,content — the Spirit-anointing — narrated at 3:16, invoked again at v. 28

and he will proclaim justice to the nations.content — κρίσις — justice/judgment, the Song's keyword (vv. 18, 20); τοῖς ἔθνεσιν anticipates 28:19

He will not quarrel or cry aloud,content — the unquarreling Servant — the ground of the withdrawal of v. 15

nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.content — no street-voice — the ground of the silence commanded in v. 16

A bruised reed he will not break,content — the bruised reed — gentleness toward the broken: the healed 'all' of v. 15

and a smoldering wick he will not quench,content — the smoldering wick — the second image of the almost-extinguished

until he brings justice to victory.conditional — temporal ἕως ἄν (typed cnd; no temporal key) — εἰς νῖκος: gentleness bounded by triumph

And in his name the nations will hope.'content — Isa 42:4 LXX — the Song ends on the Gentiles' hope, framing the Gospel with 28:19

The Beelzebul controversy — one long answer 12:22–37

vv. 22–24 — the healing and the two verdicts

Then there was brought to him a demoniac, blind and mute;independent — τυφλὸς καὶ κωφός printed — some witnesses give only one term; the triple affliction sharpens the sign

and he healed him,independent — the exorcism told in one verb — the debate, not the deed, is Matthew's interest

so that the mute man spoke and saw.purpose — ὥστε + infinitive — actual result (typed pur; no result key): speech and sight restored

And all the crowds were amazedindependent — iterative imperfect — the amazement runs on

and were saying:independent — the crowd's speech-frame

'Can this be the Son of David?'content — μήτι — the hesitant, hoping question: surely not… or could he be? The Davidic title from the genealogy

But the Pharisees, hearing it, said:independent — ἀκούσαντες — they answer the crowd's question, not the healing

'This man does not cast out the demons except by Beelzebul, ruler of the demons.'content — the Beelzebul charge — 9:34 repeated and now answered; contemptuous οὗτος

vv. 25–30 — the divided kingdom and the strong man

But knowing their thoughts,participial — preposed causal participle — he answers what they said among themselves; leans on εἶπεν

he said to them:independent — one εἶπεν — the whole speech of vv. 25–37 hangs from this verb

'Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste,content — the axiom — μερισθεῖσα: division as self-destruction

and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.content — the axiom scaled down — kingdom, city, house: no unit survives division

And if Satan casts out Satan,conditional — first εἰ-protasis, leaning forward — their charge granted for argument's sake

he is divided against himself;content — the absurdity — the axiom's verb applied to Satan

how then will his kingdom stand?content — the rhetorical collapse — σταθήσεται from v. 25; Satan has a βασιλεία to lose

And if I cast out the demons by Beelzebul,conditional — second εἰ-protasis — the charge now in the first person

by whom do your sons cast them out?content — the ad hominem — 'your sons,' the Pharisees' own exorcists, caught by the same logic

Therefore they themselves will be your judges.content — the verdict handed to their own — κριταί: the accusers accused

But if I cast out the demons by the Spirit of God,conditional — third εἰ-protasis — the true alternative: ἐν πνεύματι θεοῦ, the Servant's anointing (v. 18)

then the kingdom of God has come upon you.content — ἄρα ἔφθασεν — 'has arrived,' not merely drawn near: the chapter's most weighed aorist

Or how can anyone enter the strong man's house and plunder his goods,content — the strong-man parable — ὁ ἰσχυρός: Satan's house entered (cf. Isa 49:24–25)

unless he first binds the strong man?conditional — exceptive ἐὰν μή, following its clause — the binding precedes the plunder: the exorcisms presuppose Satan bound

And then he will plunder his house.content — διαρπάσει — the intensified plunder-verb: every exorcism is spoil taken

The one who is not with me is against me,content — no neutrality — μετ' ἐμοῦ or κατ' ἐμοῦ: the middle ground abolished

and the one who does not gather with me scatters.content — gathering or scattering — the shepherd's image; the inverse stands at Mark 9:40

vv. 31–32 — blasphemy against the Spirit

Therefore I tell you,content — διὰ τοῦτο — the warning drawn from the charge just made

every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven to men,content — the breadth first — πᾶσα: forgiveness is the rule, divine passive ἀφεθήσεται

but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.content — the one exception — calling the Spirit's work demonic (v. 24), the sin here in progress

And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him;content — indefinite relative with conditional force — a word against the veiled Son of Man is remissible

but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come.content — οὔτε … οὔτε — the two-age formula: unforgivable absolutely, not merely now

vv. 33–37 — the tree, the treasure, the words

Either make the tree good and its fruit good,content — the either — ποιήσατε: judge the tree and fruit together (cf. 7:16–20)

or make the tree bad and its fruit bad;content — the or — you may not call the fruit (the exorcism) bad and the tree's power good

for by the fruit the tree is known.cause — the γάρ ground — the epistemic rule the Pharisees have violated

Brood of vipers,content — verbless vocative — the Baptist's word (3:7) now on Jesus' lips; the bad tree named

how can you speak good things,content — the impossibility — speech cannot rise above its source

being evil?participial — causal participle — the nature that disables the speech

For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.cause — the maxim — περίσσευμα: the mouth spills what the heart holds

The good man out of his good treasure brings out good things,content — θησαυρός — the heart as storehouse; some witnesses add τῆς καρδίας; ἐκβάλλει, the chapter's exorcism verb, reused

and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil things.content — the dark mirror — πονηρός three times: man, treasure, product

And I tell youcontent — the second λέγω ὑμῖν — the warning sharpened to the judgment day

that every idle wordcontent — casus pendens — the object suspended, resumed by περὶ αὐτοῦ below; ἀργόν: workless, idle

that men will speak —relative — the relative inside the suspension — λαλεῖν a third time

they will render account for it on the day of judgment;content — the resumption — ἀποδώσουσιν λόγον: a word rendered for every word; κρίσις from v. 18 returns as assize

for by your words you will be justified,cause — the γάρ ground, turned singular — σου: each hearer alone before the standard

and by your words you will be condemned.'cause — καταδικασθήσῃ — the verb of v. 7: those who condemned the guiltless face condemnation by their own words

The sign of Jonah and the returning spirit 12:38–45

vv. 38–39 — the demand and the refusal

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him,independent — ἀπεκρίθησαν — they 'answer' the blasphemy warning with a demand for credentials

saying:participial — pleonastic speech-participle — the frame

'Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.'content — Διδάσκαλε — the outsider's address in Matthew; a sign demanded after a chapter of them

But he, answering,participial — preposed participle — leans on εἶπεν

said to them:independent — the reply frame — the speech runs to v. 45

'An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign,content — μοιχαλίς — adulterous in the prophets' sense: faithless to its God (Hos 1–3)

and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.content — divine passive δοθήσεται — one sign only, and it is a burial

vv. 40–42 — Jonah and the Queen of the South

For just as Jonah was in the belly of the sea-monster three days and three nights,comparative — Jon 1:17 (2:1 LXX) — the ὥσπερ half of the correlation, leaning forward on the οὕτως clause

so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.content — the sign decoded — the first passion prediction in figure; 'heart of the earth,' the tomb

Men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generationcontent — ἀναστήσονται — pagan Nineveh stands up in court against Israel's teachers

and will condemn it,content — κατακρινοῦσιν — condemnation by comparison

because they repented at the preaching of Jonah —cause — Jon 3:5 — Nineveh repented at one sermon from a reluctant prophet

and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.content — verbless ἰδού-clause — πλεῖον neuter, as μεῖζον in v. 6: the refrain of surpassing presence

The queen of the South will be raised at the judgment with this generationcontent — 1 Kgs 10:1–10 — the queen of Sheba; ἐγερθήσεται pairs with ἀναστήσονται

and will condemn it,content — the second witness — a Gentile woman against 'this generation'

because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon —cause — she traveled the world for wisdom; this generation will not cross the room

and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.content — the refrain doubled — greater than prophet and than king: temple (v. 6), Jonah, Solomon

vv. 43–45 — the returning spirit: the parable of the empty house

Now when the unclean spirit has gone out of the man,conditional — temporal ὅταν (typed cnd; no temporal key) — leaning forward; the exorcism theme returns as parable

it passes through waterless placescontent — narrative present — ἄνυδροι τόποι, the demons' desert haunt

seeking rest,participial — purpose-tinged participle — the restless spirit

and does not find it.content — the failed search — no rest outside the man

Then it says:content — speech within the speech — the demon's soliloquy framed

'I will return to my housecontent — τὸν οἶκόν μου — the spirit still calls the man its property

from which I came out';relative — ὅθεν — the eviction remembered, not accepted

and coming,participial — preposed aorist participle — leans on εὑρίσκει; the editions' ἐλθόν, with variants noted

it finds it standing empty, swept, and put in order.content — the fatal triad — σχολάζοντα: vacant; cleansed but unoccupied

Then it goescontent — narrative present — the counter-move

and takes along with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself,content — ἑπτά — fullness of evil; πονηρότερα picks up the chapter's πονηρός-thread

and entering,participial — preposed aorist participle, neuter plural — leans on κατοικεῖ

they settle there;content — neuter plural subject with singular κατοικεῖ — tagged, not smoothed; κατοικεῖν: permanent residence now

and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.content — the proverb of the worse end — cf. 2 Pet 2:20

So will it be for this evil generation also.'content — the application — only Matthew: the swept, empty house is 'this evil generation' (v. 39)

The true family 12:46–50

vv. 46–47 — the family outside

While he was still speaking to the crowds,participial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning; the interruption arrives mid-speech

behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside,independent — ἔξω — the placement is the point: the natural family outside, the disciples within

seeking to speak to him.participial — purpose participle — ζητεῖν again; their errand is left unstated

And someone said to him:independent — the whole verse is absent from ℵ*, B, L and bracketed in some editions — printed here, since v. 48 presupposes the report

'Behold, your mother and your brothers are standing outside,content — the report — v. 46 relayed in the second person; ἔξω again

seeking to speak to you.'participial — the participle repeated verbatim from v. 46

vv. 48–50 — the family redefined

But he, answering,participial — preposed participle — leans on εἶπεν

said to the one telling him:independent — the reply frame — addressed to the messenger, spoken over the crowd

'Who is my mother,content — the shocking question — kinship itself put in question

and who are my brothers?'content — the second half — not a repudiation but a redefinition in progress

And stretching out his hand toward his disciples,participial — preposed aorist participle — the gesture answers the question before the words do; ἐκτείνας echoes v. 13

he said:independent — the speech-frame

'Behold, my mother and my brothers!content — verbless ἰδού-clause — the ἰδού of vv. 46–47 turned around: the family found inside

For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven — he is my brother and sister and mother.'content — indefinite relative resumed by αὐτός — kinship by obedience (7:21); ἀδελφή added: sisters expressly included; the Father in heaven, no earthly father named

Analysis. Matthew 12 is the chapter where the Sabbath question becomes the plot to kill (v. 14), and the layout alternates short narrative frames with long suspended answers. The narrative lines sit flush left — τότε and δέ rather than Mark's καί, the historic present λέγει flagged at v. 13 — and every word of Jesus hangs blue (cnt) beneath its verb of saying: the two-precedent Sabbath defense under εἶπεν (v. 3), with the Hosea citation nested three deep inside the indirect question 'what this means'; the sheep-in-the-pit argument under εἶπεν (v. 11); and the chapter's great central catena, vv. 25–37, thirteen verses of continuous speech held at constant depth 1 under the single εἶπεν of v. 25 — divided kingdom, plundered strong man, the unforgivable blasphemy, the tree and its fruit, the idle words — so that the page itself shows one unbroken answer to the Beelzebul charge. Conditional protases lean forward, anchorless, on their apodoses: εἰ δὲ ἐγνώκειτε (v. 7, contrary to fact), ἐὰν ἐμπέσῃ (v. 11), the three parallel εἰ-protases of vv. 26–28 that climax in ἄρα ἔφθασεν — the kingdom has arrived — and the temporal ὅταν of v. 43 (typed cnd). At the chapter's hinge stands Matthew's longest formula quotation: ἵνα πληρωθῇ (v. 17) hangs as purpose under ἐπετίμησεν — the command to silence itself fulfils Isa 42:1–4 — and the Servant Song descends as a coordinate catena under λέγοντος: the unquarreling voice, the unbroken reed, the nations' hope. Cruxes the layout takes a side on or flags: at v. 4 the singular ἔφαγεν is printed ('he ate,' against the plural ἔφαγον); μεῖζον and πλεῖον (vv. 6, 41–42) are kept neuter — 'something greater'; μήτι in v. 23 is rendered as the crowd's hesitant, hopeful question; the casus pendens of v. 36 (πᾶν ῥῆμα ἀργόν … περὶ αὐτοῦ) is shown as a suspended line resumed; v. 47, absent from ℵ*, B and others, is printed with the bracket noted, since the question of v. 48 presupposes the report; and in v. 45 the neuter plural εἰσελθόντα with singular κατοικεῖ is tagged rather than smoothed.