Matthew 12
1 Around that time Jesus was walking through fields of grain on the Sabbath day. His disciples were hungry so they started to pick ears of grain and eat them.
At that time Jesus went through the corn on the sabbath: and his disciples being hungry, began to pluck the ears, and to eat.
2 When the Pharisees saw this they said to Jesus, “Look at your disciples—they're doing what isn't allowed on the Sabbath!”
And the Pharisees seeing them, said to him: Behold thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days.
3 But Jesus told them, “Haven't you read what David did when he and his men were hungry?
But he said to them: Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and they that were with him:
4 He went into the house of God, and he and his men ate the sacred bread that they weren't allowed to eat since it's only for the priests.
How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the loaves of proposition, which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for them that were with him, but for the priests only?
5 Haven't you read in the law that on the Sabbath day the priests in the Temple break the Sabbath but are not considered guilty?
Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple break the sabbath, and are without blame?
6 However, I tell you that someone is here who is greater than the Temple!
But I tell you that there is here a greater than the temple.
7 If you'd known the meaning of this Scripture, ‘I want mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you wouldn't have condemned an innocent man.
And if you knew what this meaneth: I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: you would never have condemned the innocent.
8 For the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath.
9 Then Jesus left and went into their synagogue.
And when he has passed from thence, he came into their synagogues.
10 A man was there with a crippled hand. “Does the law allow healing on the Sabbath?” they asked him, looking for a reason to accuse him.
And behold there was a man who had a withered hand, and they asked him, saying: Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
11 “Suppose you have a sheep and it falls into a hole in the ground on the Sabbath. Don't you grab hold of it and pull it out?” Jesus asked them.
But he said to them: What man shall there be among you, that hath one sheep: and if the same fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not take hold on it and lift it up?
12 “Don't you think a human being is worth much more than a sheep? So yes, you are allowed to do good on the Sabbath.”
How much better is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do a good deed on the sabbath days.
13 Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” The man held out his hand, and it was healed, just as healthy as the other hand.
Then he saith to the man: Stretch forth thy hand; and he stretched it forth, and it was restored to health even as the other.
14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted how to kill Jesus.
And the Pharisees going out made a consultation against him, how they might destroy him.
15 Knowing this, Jesus left, with large crowds following him. He healed all of them,
But Jesus knowing it, retired from thence: and many followed him, and he healed them all.
16 but instructed them not to tell people who he was.
And he charged them that they should not make him known.
17 This fulfilled what Isaiah the prophet said:
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaias the prophet, saying:
18 “This is my servant whom I've chosen, The one I love, who pleases me. I will put my Spirit on him, And he will tell the foreigners what's right.
Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul hath been well pleased. I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.
19 He won't argue, he won't shout out, And nobody will hear his voice in the streets.
He shall not contend, nor cry out, neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.
20 He won't break a damaged reed, And he won't extinguish a smoking wick, Until he has proved that his judgment is right,
The bruised reed he shall not break: and smoking flax he shall not extinguish: till he send forth judgment unto victory.
21 And foreigners will put their hope in him.”
And in his name the Gentiles shall hope.
22 Then a man was brought to Jesus who was demon-possessed and blind and dumb. Jesus healed him, so that the dumb man could speak and see.
Then was offered to him one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb: and he healed him, so that he spoke and saw.
23 All the crowds were amazed, and asked, “Could this really be the son of David?”
And all the multitudes were amazed, and said: Is not this the son of David?
24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they replied, “This man can only throw out demons through the power of Beelzebub, the chief of demons!”
But the Pharisees hearing it, said: This man casteth not out the devils but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
25 Knowing what they were thinking, Jesus told them, “Any kingdom that is divided against itself will be destroyed. No town or household that is divided against itself can stand.
And Jesus knowing their thoughts, said to them: Every kingdom divided against itself shall be made desolate: and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.
26 If Satan drives out Satan, then he's divided against himself—so how could his kingdom stand?
And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself: how then shall his kingdom stand?
27 If I'm throwing out demons in the name of Beelzebub, in whose name are your people throwing out demons? Your own people prove you're wrong!
And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.
28 But if I'm throwing out demons through the power of the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you!
But if I by the Spirit of God cast out devils, then is the kingdom of God come upon you.
29 Can you enter a strong man's house and take his belongings unless you tie him up first? If you do that then you can take everything in his house.
Or how can any one enter into the house of the strong, and rifle his goods, unless he first bind the strong? and then he will rifle his house.
30 Those who are not with me are against me, and those who do not gather together with me do the opposite: they are scattering.
He that is not with me, is against me: and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth.
31 That's why I'm telling you that every sin and blasphemy you commit will be forgiven, except blasphemy against the Spirit which won't be forgiven.
Therefore I say to you: Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but the blasphemy of the Spirit shall not be forgiven.
32 Those who say something against the Son of man will be forgiven, but those who say something against the Holy Spirit won't be forgiven, neither in this life nor the next. (aiōn g165)
And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but he that shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come. (aiōn g165)
33 Either decide that the tree is good, and its fruit is good, or decide that the tree is bad and its fruit is bad—for the tree is known by its fruit.
Either make the tree good and its fruit good: or make the tree evil, and its fruit evil. For by the fruit the tree is known.
34 You viper's brood, how can you who are evil say anything good? For your mouth simply says what your mind is busy thinking about.
O generation of vipers, how can you speak good things, whereas you are evil? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
35 A good person brings out good from their store of good things, and an evil person brings out evil from their store of evil things.
A good man out of a good treasure bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of an evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
36 I tell you, people will have to account for every careless thing they say on the Day of Judgment.
But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall render an account for it in the day of judgment.
37 For what you say will either vindicate you or condemn you.”
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
38 Then some of the religious teachers and Pharisees came to him and said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign.”
Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying: Master we would see a sign from thee.
39 “Evil people who don't trust in God are the ones who look for a miraculous sign. The only sign they will be given is the sign of the prophet Jonah,” Jesus told them.
Who answering said to them: An evil and adulterous generation seeketh a sign: and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.
40 “In the same way Jonah was in the belly of a huge fish for three days and three nights, the Son of man will lie in the earth for three days and three nights.
For as Jonas was in the whale’s belly three days and three nights: so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.
41 The people of Nineveh will rise in the judgment together with this generation and they will condemn it because they repented in response to Jonah's message—and as you see, there's someone greater than Jonah here!
The men of Ninive shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they did penance at the preaching of Jonas. And behold a greater than Jonas here.
42 The Queen of the South will be raised in the judgment together with this generation and will condemn it because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon—and as you see, there's someone greater than Solomon here!
The queen of the south shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold a greater than Solomon here.
43 When an evil spirit leaves someone, it wanders through deserted places looking for rest, and finds nowhere to stay.
And when an unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest, and findeth none.
44 So it says, ‘I'll go back to the place I left,’ and when it returns it finds the place empty, all clean and tidy.
Then he saith: I will return into my house from whence I came out. And coming he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
45 Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits even more evil than it is, and it enters and lives there. So the person ends up worse than they were at the beginning. That's the way it will be with this evil generation.”
Then he goeth, and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is made worse than the first. So shall it be also to this wicked generation.
46 While he was speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers arrived and stood outside, wanting to talk to him.
As he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold his mother and his brethren stood without, seeking to speak to him.
47 Someone came and told him, “Look, your mother and brothers are outside, wanting to talk to you.”
And one said unto him: Behold thy mother and thy brethren stand without, seeking thee.
48 “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Jesus asked.
But he answering him that told him, said: Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?
49 He pointed at his disciples, and said, “Look, they are my mother and my brothers!
And stretching forth his hand towards his disciples, he said: Behold my mother and my brethren.
50 For those who do the will of my heavenly Father, they are my brother, sister, and mother!”
For whosoever shall do the will of my Father, that is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.
