< Matthew 12 >

1 At that time, Jesus went out through the ripe grain on the Sabbath. And his disciples, being hungry, began to separate the grain and to eat.
About that time Jesus passed on the Sabbath through the wheatfields; and His disciples became hungry, and began to gather ears of wheat and eat them.
2 Then the Pharisees, seeing this, said to him, “Behold, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbaths.”
But the Pharisees saw it and said to Him, "Look! your disciples are doing what the Law forbids them to do on the Sabbath."
3 But he said to them: “Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him:
"Have you never read," He replied, "what David did when he and his men were hungry?
4 how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?
how he entered the House of God and ate the Presented Loaves, which it was not lawful for him or his men to eat, nor for any except the priests?
5 Or have you not read in the law, that on the Sabbaths the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath, and they are without guilt?
And have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the Temple break the Sabbath without incurring guilt?
6 But I say to you, that something greater than the temple is here.
But I tell you that there is here that which is greater than the Temple.
7 And if you knew what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would never have condemned the innocent.
And if you knew what this means, 'It is mercy I desire, not sacrifice', you would not have condemned those who are without guilt.
8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
For the Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath."
9 And when he had passed from there, he went into their synagogues.
Departing thence He went to their synagogue,
10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand, and they questioned him, so that they might accuse him, saying, “Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbaths?”
where there was a man with a shrivelled arm. And they questioned Him, "Is it right to cure people on the Sabbath?" Their intention was to bring a charge against Him.
11 But he said to them: “Who is there among you, having even one sheep, if it will have fallen into a pit on the Sabbath, would not take hold of it and lift it up?
"Which of you is there," He replied, "who, if he has but a single sheep and it falls into a hole on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out?
12 How much better is a man than a sheep? And so, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbaths.”
Is not a man, however, far superior to a sheep? Therefore it is right to do good on the Sabbath."
13 Then he said to the man, “Extend your hand.” And he extended it, and it was restored to health, just like the other one.
Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your arm." And he stretched it out, and it was restored quite sound like the other.
14 Then the Pharisees, departing, took council against him, as to how they might destroy him.
But the Pharisees after leaving the synagogue consulted together against Him, how they might destroy Him.
15 But Jesus, knowing this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he cured them all.
Aware of this, Jesus departed elsewhere; and a great number of people followed Him, all of whom He cured.
16 And he instructed them, lest they make him known.
But He gave them strict injunctions not to blaze abroad His doings,
17 Then what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah was fulfilled, saying:
that those words of the Prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled,
18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I will place my Spirit over him, and he shall announce judgment to the nations.
"This is My servant whom I have chosen, My dearly loved One in whom My soul takes pleasure. I will put My spirit upon Him, and He will announce justice to the nations.
19 He shall not contend, nor cry out, neither shall anyone hear his voice in the streets.
He will not wrangle or raise His voice, nor will His voice be heard in the broadways.
20 He shall not crush the bruised reed, and he shall not extinguish the smoking wick, until he sends forth judgment unto victory.
A crushed reed He will not utterly break, nor will He quench the still smouldering wick, until He has led on Justice to victory.
21 And the Gentiles shall hope in his name.”
And on His name shall the nations rest their hopes."
22 Then one who had a demon, who was blind and mute, was brought to him. And he cured him, so that he spoke and saw.
At that time a demoniac was brought to Him, blind and dumb; and He cured him, so that the dumb man could speak and see.
23 And all the crowds were stupefied, and they said, “Could this be the son of David?”
And the crowds of people were all filled with amazement and said, "Can this be the Son of David?"
24 But the Pharisees, hearing it, said, “This man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebub, the prince of the demons.”
The Pharisees heard it and said, "This man only expels demons by the power of Baal-zebul, the Prince of demons."
25 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself will become desolate. And every city or house divided against itself will not stand.
Knowing their thoughts He said to them, "Every kingdom in which civil war has raged suffers desolation; and every city or house in which there is internal strife will be brought low.
26 So if Satan casts out Satan, then he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
And if Satan is expelling Satan, he has begun to make war on himself: how therefore shall his kingdom last?
27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your own sons cast them out? Therefore, they shall be your judges.
And if it is by Baal-zebul's power that I expel the demons, by whose power do your disciples expel them? They therefore shall be your judges.
28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has arrived among you.
But if it is by the power of the Spirit of God that I expel the demons, it is evident that the Kingdom of God has come upon you.
29 Or how can anyone enter into the house of a strong man, and plunder his belongings, unless he first restrains the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.
Again, how can any one enter the house of a strong man and carry off his goods, unless first of all he masters and secures the strong man: then he will ransack his house.
30 Whoever is not with me, is against me. And whoever does not gather with me, scatters.
"The man who is not with me is against me, and he who is not gathering with me is scattering abroad.
31 For this reason, I say to you: Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.
This is why I tell you that men may find forgiveness for every other sin and impious word, but that for impious speaking against the Holy Spirit they shall find no forgiveness.
32 And anyone who will have spoken a word against the Son of man shall be forgiven. But whoever will have spoken against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven, neither in this age, nor in the future age. (aiōn g165)
And whoever shall speak against the Son of Man may obtain forgiveness; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, neither in this nor in the coming age shall he obtain forgiveness." (aiōn g165)
33 Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree evil and its fruit evil. For certainly a tree is known by its fruit.
"Either grant the tree to be wholesome and its fruit wholesome, or the tree poisonous and its fruit poisonous; for the tree is known by its fruit.
34 Progeny of vipers, how are you able to speak good things while you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
O vipers' brood, how can you speak what is good when you are evil? For it is from the overflow of the heart that the mouth speaks.
35 A good man offers good things from a good storehouse. And an evil man offers evil things from an evil storehouse.
A good man from his good store produces good things, and a bad man from his bad store produces bad things.
36 But I say to you, that for every idle word which men will have spoken, they shall render an account in the day of judgment.
But I tell you that for every careless word that men shall speak they will be held accountable on the day of Judgement.
37 For by your words shall you be justified, and by your words shall you be condemned.”
For each of you by his words shall be justified, or by his words shall be condemned."
38 Then certain ones from the scribes and the Pharisees responded to him, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
Then He was accosted by some of the Scribes and of the Pharisees who said, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign given by you."
39 And answering, he said to them: “An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign. But a sign will not be given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
"Wicked and faithless generation!" He replied, "they clamour for a sign, but none shall be given to them except the sign of the Prophet Jonah.
40 For just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights, so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
For just as Jonah was three days in the sea-monster's belly, so will the Son of Man be three days in the heart of the earth.
41 The men of Nineveh shall arise in judgment with this generation, and they shall condemn it. For, at the preaching of Jonah, they repented. And behold, there is a greater than Jonah here.
There will stand up men of Nineveh at the Judgement together with the present generation, and will condemn it; because they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and mark! there is One greater than Jonah here.
42 The Queen of the South shall arise in judgment with this generation, and she shall condemn it. For she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And behold, there is a greater than Solomon here.
The Queen of the south will awake at the Judgement together with the present generation, and will condemn it; because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and mark! there is One greater than Solomon here.
43 Now when an unclean spirit departs from a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, and he does not find it.
"No sooner however has the foul spirit gone out of the man, then he roams about in places where there is no water, seeking rest but finding none.
44 Then he says, ‘I will return to my house, from which I departed’. And arriving, he finds it vacant, swept clean, and decorated.
Then he says, 'I will return to my house that I left;' and he comes and finds it unoccupied, swept clean, and in good order.
45 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and live there. And in the end, the man becomes worse than he was at first. So, too, shall it be with this most wicked generation.”
Then he goes and brings back with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they come in and dwell there; and in the end that man's condition becomes worse than it was at first. So will it be also with the present wicked generation."
46 While he was still speaking to the crowds, behold, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak with him.
While He was still addressing the people His mother and His brothers were standing on the edge of the crowd desiring to speak to Him.
47 And someone said to him: “Behold, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, seeking you.”
So some one told Him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and desire to speak to you."
48 But responding to the one speaking to him, he said, “Which one is my mother, and who are my brothers?”
"Who is my mother?" He said to the man; "and who are my brothers?"
49 And extending his hand to his disciples, he said: “Behold: my mother and my brothers.
And pointing to His disciples He added, "See here are my mother and my brothers.
50 For anyone who does the will of my Father, who is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
To obey my Father who is in Heaven--that is to be my brother and my sister and my mother."

< Matthew 12 >