Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the one to come.
Parallel translations
- WEB Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in that which is to come.
- KJV And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
- NKJV Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.
- NASB And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.
- NLT Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Speaking against the Son of Man is forgivable, but speaking against the Holy Spirit is not, in this age or the next.
Overview
A word against Jesus, perhaps in ignorance, may yet be repented of and forgiven. But persistently and knowingly calling the Spirit's clear work demonic reflects a hardness beyond repentance. The warning is severe yet aimed at the obstinate, not the troubled conscience that longs for grace.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 23
- Mark 3:29But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of eternal sin.”
- Heb 10:26–29If we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remains,
- Heb 6:4–6It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,
- Luke 12:10And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
- Matt 12:31Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
- John 7:39He was speaking about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. For the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.
- 1 Tim 1:13I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy.
- Acts 3:19Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away,
- Titus 2:12It instructs us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives in the present age,
- John 7:12Many in the crowds were whispering about Him. Some said, “He is a good man.” But others replied, “No, He deceives the people.”
- Job 36:13The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when He binds them, they do not cry for help.
- Luke 23:34Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots.
- Eph 1:21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
- 1 Tim 1:15This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.
- Luke 7:34The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at this glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’
- Matt 11:19The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at this glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is vindicated by her actions.”
- Acts 3:14–15You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.
- Acts 26:9–11So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
- Mark 10:30will fail to receive a hundredfold in the present age—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, along with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.
- John 7:52“Aren’t you also from Galilee?” they replied. “Look into it, and you will see that no prophet comes out of Galilee.”
- Luke 20:34–35Jesus answered, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.
- Luke 16:23–26In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham from afar, with Lazarus by his side.
- Matt 13:55“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother’s name Mary, and aren’t His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 12:32 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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