< Matthew 12 >
1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath through the grain-fields; and his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck the ears of grain, and to eat.
2 But the Pharisees, seeing it, said to him, Lo! thy disciples are doing that which it is not lawful to do on the sabbath.
3 But he said to them, Have ye not read what David did, when he and those who were with him were hungry?
4 how he went into the house of God, and they ate the show-bread, which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but for the priests alone?
5 Or have ye not read in the Law, that on the sabbaths the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
6 But I say to you, that something greater than the temple is here.
7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice,” ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
8 For the Son of man is lord of the sabbath.
9 And departing thence, he went into their synagogue.
10 And, lo! there was a man having a withered hand. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath? that they might accuse him.
11 And he said to them, Who of you that owneth one sheep, if it fall into a pit on the sabbath, will not lay hold of it, and lift it out?
12 Of how much more worth now is a man than a sheep! So then it is lawful to do well on the sabbath.
13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored sound as the other.
14 Then the Pharisees went out, and consulted together against him, how they might destroy him.
15 But Jesus, knowing it, withdrew from thence; and many followed him; and he healed them all,
16 and strictly charged them not to make him known;
17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
18 “Behold my servant, whom I chose; my beloved, with whom my soul is well pleased; I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will declare judgment to the nations.
19 He will not strive, nor cry aloud, nor will any one hear his voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed he will not break, and smoking flax he will not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.
21 And in his name will nations hope.”
22 Then was brought to him one possessed by a demon, blind and dumb; and he healed him, so that the dumb man spoke and saw.
23 And all the multitudes were amazed, and said, Is this the son of David?
24 But the Pharisees, hearing it, said, This man doth not cast out the demons, except through Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.
25 And he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and no city or house divided against itself will stand.
26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?
27 And if I cast out the demons through Beelzebul, through whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore shall they be judges of you.
28 But if I cast out the demons through the Spirit of God, then hath the kingdom of God already come to you.
29 Or how can one enter into a strong man's house, and seize upon his goods, unless he first bind the strong man, and then plunder his house?
30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
31 Therefore I say to you, All manner of sin and evil-speaking will be forgiven to men; but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
32 And whoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaketh against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this world, or in the world to come. (aiōn )
33 Either say that the tree is good, and its fruit good; or say that the tree is bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers!
34 How can ye, evil as ye are, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
35 The good man, from his good treasure, bringeth out good things; and the evil man, from his evil treasure, bringeth out evil things.
36 And I say to you, that for every idle word that men shall speak, they will give account in the day of judgment.
37 For by thy words thou wilt be justified, and by thy words thou wilt be condemned.
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, Teacher, we wish to see a sign from thee.
39 But he answered and said to them, A wicked and adulterous generation is seeking for a sign; and no sign will be given to it, but the sign of Jonah the prophet.
40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
41 The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and, lo! something more than Jonah is here.
42 The queen of the south will rise up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and lo! something more than Solomon is here.
43 But when the unclean spirit is gone out from a man, it goeth through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth it not.
44 Then it saith, I will return to my house whence I came out. And on coming, it findeth it empty, and swept, and put in order.
45 Then it goeth and taketh with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they enter in, and dwell there; and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first. So will it be also with this wicked generation.
46 While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, lo! his mother and his brothers were standing without, seeking to speak with him.
47 And one said to him, Behold, thy mother and thy brothers are standing without, seeking to speak with thee.
48 But he answered and said to him that told him, Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?
49 And stretching forth his hand toward his disciples, be said, Behold, my mother and my brothers!
50 For whoever doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.
