A medical instrument has a shaft, which has a distal end and a proximal end, with a jaw head which is arranged at the distal end and is pivotable out from the longitudinal axis of the shaft, wherein the jaw head has two jaw parts, of which at least one is pivotable, furthermore, with a first actuation element for pivoting the jaw head, and with a second actuation element for pivoting the pivotable jaw part, wherein the actuation elements are received in the shaft, and with control elements which are arranged at the proximal end of the shaft and are used for controlling the movement of the actuation elements. The actuation elements are arranged extending coaxially with respect to each other, and that the actuation elements are received in the shaft so as to be rotatable jointly about the shaft axis and to be rotatable relative to the shaft.