Κατα Ματθαιον 12
1 Ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ καιρῷ, ἐπορεύθη ὁ ˚Ἰησοῦς τοῖς Σάββασιν διὰ τῶν σπορίμων· οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπείνασαν, καὶ ἤρξαντο τίλλειν στάχυας καὶ ἐσθίειν.
About the same time Jesus walked through the cornfields one Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and began to pick some ears of wheat and eat them.
2 Οἱ δὲ Φαρισαῖοι ἰδόντες, εἶπαν αὐτῷ, “Ἰδοὺ, οἱ μαθηταί σου ποιοῦσιν ὃ οὐκ ἔξεστιν ποιεῖν ἐν Σαββάτῳ.”
But, when the Pharisees saw this, they said, ‘Look! Your disciples are doing what it is not allowable to do on a Sabbath!’
3 Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, “Οὐκ ἀνέγνωτε τί ἐποίησεν Δαυὶδ, ὅτε ἐπείνασεν καὶ οἱ μετʼ αὐτοῦ;
‘Haven’t you read,’ replied Jesus, ‘what David did, when he and his companions were hungry –
4 Πῶς εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ˚Θεοῦ, καὶ τοὺς ἄρτους τῆς Προθέσεως ἔφαγον, ὃ οὐκ ἐξὸν ἦν αὐτῷ φαγεῖν, οὐδὲ τοῖς μετʼ αὐτοῦ, εἰ μὴ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν μόνοις;
how he went into the house of God, and how they ate the consecrated bread, through it was not allowable for him or his companions to eat it, but only for the priests?
5 Ἢ οὐκ ἀνέγνωτε ἐν τῷ νόμῳ ὅτι τοῖς Σάββασιν οἱ ἱερεῖς ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ τὸ Σάββατον βεβηλοῦσιν, καὶ ἀναίτιοί εἰσιν;
And haven’t you read in the law that, on the Sabbath, the priest in the Temple break the Sabbath and yet are not guilty?
6 Λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι τοῦ ἱεροῦ μεῖζόν ἐστιν ὧδε.
Here, however, I tell you, there is something greater than the Temple!
7 Εἰ δὲ ἐγνώκειτε τί ἐστιν: ‘Ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν’, οὐκ ἂν κατεδικάσατε τοὺς ἀναιτίους.
Had you learned the meaning of the words – “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,” you would not have condemned those who are not guilty.
8 ˚Κύριος γάρ ἐστιν τοῦ Σαββάτου ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Ἀνθρώπου.”
For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.’
9 Καὶ μεταβὰς ἐκεῖθεν, ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν αὐτῶν.
Passing on, Jesus went into their synagogue,
10 Καὶ ἰδοὺ, ἄνθρωπος χεῖρα ἔχων ξηράν. Καὶ ἐπηρώτησαν αὐτὸν λέγοντες, “Εἰ ἔξεστιν τοῖς Σάββασιν θεραπεύειν;” Ἵνα κατηγορήσωσιν αὐτοῦ.
and there he saw a man with a withered hand. Some people asked Jesus whether it was allowable to work a cure on the Sabbath – so that they might have a charge to bring against him.
11 Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, “Τίς ἔσται ἐξ ὑμῶν ἄνθρωπος, ὃς ἕξει πρόβατον ἕν, καὶ ἐὰν ἐμπέσῃ τοῦτο τοῖς Σάββασιν εἰς βόθυνον, οὐχὶ κρατήσει αὐτὸ καὶ ἐγερεῖ;
But Jesus said to them, ‘Which of you, if he had only one sheep, and that sheep fell into a pit on the Sabbath, would not lay hold of it and pull it out?
12 Πόσῳ οὖν διαφέρει ἄνθρωπος προβάτου; Ὥστε ἔξεστιν τοῖς Σάββασιν καλῶς ποιεῖν.”
How much more precious a person is than a sheep! Therefore it is allowable to do good on the Sabbath.’
13 Τότε λέγει τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ, “Ἔκτεινόν σου τὴν χεῖρα.” Καὶ ἐξέτεινεν, καὶ ἀπεκατεστάθη, ὑγιὴς ὡς ἡ ἄλλη.
Then he said to the man. ‘Stretch out your hand.’ The man stretched it out; and it had become as sound as the other.
14 Ἐξελθόντες δὲ, οἱ Φαρισαῖοι συμβούλιον ἔλαβον κατʼ αὐτοῦ, ὅπως αὐτὸν ἀπολέσωσιν.
On coming out, the Pharisees plotted against Jesus, to put him to death.
15 Ὁ δὲ ˚Ἰησοῦς γνοὺς, ἀνεχώρησεν ἐκεῖθεν. Καὶ ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ πολλοί, καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν αὐτοὺς πάντας,
Jesus, however, became aware of it, and went away from that place. A number of people followed him, and he cured them all;
16 καὶ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτοῖς ἵνα μὴ φανερὸν αὐτὸν ποιήσωσιν.
but he warned them not to make him known,
17 Ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος,
in fulfilment of these words in the prophet Isaiah –
18 “Ἰδοὺ, ὁ παῖς μου ὃν ᾑρέτισα, ὁ ἀγαπητός μου ὃν εὐδόκησεν ἡ ψυχή μου. Θήσω τὸ ˚Πνεῦμά μου ἐπʼ αὐτόν, καὶ κρίσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἀπαγγελεῖ.
“Here is my chosen servant, who I love and who pleases me! I will breathe my spirit on him, and he will announce a time of judgment to the Gentiles.
19 Οὐκ ἐρίσει, οὐδὲ κραυγάσει, οὐδὲ ἀκούσει τις ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ.
He will not contend, nor cry aloud, Neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets;
20 Κάλαμον συντετριμμένον οὐ κατεάξει, καὶ λίνον τυφόμενον οὐ σβέσει, ἕως ἂν ἐκβάλῃ εἰς νῖκος τὴν κρίσιν.
a bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not quench, until he has brought the judgment to a victorious issue,
21 Καὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ ἔθνη ἐλπιοῦσιν.”
and on his name will the Gentiles rest their hopes.”
22 Τότε προσηνέχθη αὐτῷ δαιμονιζόμενος, τυφλὸς καὶ κωφός, καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν αὐτόν, ὥστε τὸν κωφὸν λαλεῖν καὶ βλέπειν.
Then some people brought to Jesus a possessed man, who was blind and dumb; and he cured him, so that the man who had been dumb both talked and saw.
23 Καὶ ἐξίσταντο πάντες οἱ ὄχλοι καὶ ἔλεγον, “Μήτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς Δαυίδ;”
At this all the people were astounded. ‘Is it possible that this is the son of David?’ they exclaimed.
24 Οἱ δὲ Φαρισαῖοι ἀκούσαντες εἶπον, “Οὗτος οὐκ ἐκβάλλει τὰ δαιμόνια, εἰ μὴ ἐν τῷ Βεεζεβοὺλ, ἄρχοντι τῶν δαιμονίων.”
But the Pharisees heard of it and said, ‘He drives out demons only by the help of Beelzebul the chief of the demons.’
25 Εἰδὼς δὲ τὰς ἐνθυμήσεις αὐτῶν, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, “Πᾶσα βασιλεία μερισθεῖσα καθʼ ἑαυτῆς ἐρημοῦται, καὶ πᾶσα πόλις ἢ οἰκία μερισθεῖσα καθʼ ἑαυτῆς οὐ σταθήσεται.
Jesus, however, was aware of what was passing in their minds, and said to them, ‘Any kingdom divided against itself becomes a desolation, and any town or household divided against itself will not last.
26 Καὶ εἰ ὁ Σατανᾶς τὸν Σατανᾶν ἐκβάλλει, ἐφʼ ἑαυτὸν ἐμερίσθη. Πῶς οὖν σταθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ;
So, if Satan drives Satan out, he must be divided against himself; and how, then, can his kingdom last?
27 Καὶ εἰ ἐγὼ ἐν Βεεζεβοὺλ ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιμόνια, οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν ἐν τίνι ἐκβάλλουσιν; Διὰ τοῦτο, αὐτοὶ κριταὶ ἔσονται ὑμῶν.
And, if it is by Beelzebul’s help that I drive out demons, by whose help is it that your own sons drive them out? Therefore they will themselves be your judges.
28 Εἰ δὲ ἐν ˚Πνεύματι ˚Θεοῦ ἐγὼ ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιμόνια, ἄρα ἔφθασεν ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς ἡ Βασιλεία τοῦ ˚Θεοῦ.
But, if it is by the help of the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God must already be upon you.
29 Ἢ πῶς δύναταί τις εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν τοῦ ἰσχυροῦ καὶ τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ ἁρπάσαι, ἐὰν μὴ πρῶτον δήσῃ τὸν ἰσχυρόν; Καὶ τότε τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ διαρπάσει.
How, again, can anyone get into a strong man’s house and carry off his goods, without first securing him? Not until then will he plunder his house.
30 Ὁ μὴ ὢν μετʼ ἐμοῦ κατʼ ἐμοῦ ἐστιν, καὶ ὁ μὴ συνάγων μετʼ ἐμοῦ σκορπίζει.
Anyone who is not with me is against me, and the person who does not help me to gather is scattering.
31 Διὰ τοῦτο λέγω ὑμῖν, πᾶσα ἁμαρτία καὶ βλασφημία ἀφεθήσεται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, ἡ δὲ τοῦ ˚Πνεύματος βλασφημία οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται.
Therefore, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and slander; but slander against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
32 Καὶ ὃς ἐὰν εἴπῃ λόγον κατὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Ἀνθρώπου, ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ· ὃς δʼ ἂν εἴπῃ κατὰ τοῦ ˚Πνεύματος τοῦ Ἁγίου, οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ, οὔτε ἐν τούτῳ τῷ αἰῶνι οὔτε ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι. (aiōn g165)
Whoever speaks against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in the present age, or in the age to come. (aiōn g165)
33 Ἢ ποιήσατε τὸ δένδρον καλὸν καὶ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ καλόν, ἢ ποιήσατε τὸ δένδρον σαπρὸν καὶ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ σαπρόν· ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ καρποῦ, τὸ δένδρον γινώσκεται.
‘You must assume either that both tree and fruit are good, or that both tree and fruit are worthless; since it is by its fruits that a tree is known.
34 Γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν, πῶς δύνασθε ἀγαθὰ λαλεῖν, πονηροὶ ὄντες; Ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ περισσεύματος τῆς καρδίας, τὸ στόμα λαλεῖ.
You children of snakes! How can you, evil as you are, say anything good? For what fills the heart will rise to the lips.
35 Ὁ ἀγαθὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ θησαυροῦ ἐκβάλλει ἀγαθά, καὶ ὁ πονηρὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ θησαυροῦ ἐκβάλλει πονηρά.
A good person, from his good stores, produces good things; while an evil person, from his evil stores, produces evil things.
36 Λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι πᾶν ῥῆμα ἀργὸν ὃ λαλήσουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, ἀποδώσουσιν περὶ αὐτοῦ λόγον ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως.
I tell you that for every careless thing that people say, they must answer on the “day of judgment.”
37 Ἐκ γὰρ τῶν λόγων σου δικαιωθήσῃ, καὶ ἐκ τῶν λόγων σου καταδικασθήσῃ.”
For it is by your words that you will be acquitted, and by your words that you will be condemned.’
38 Τότε ἀπεκρίθησαν αὐτῷ τινες τῶν γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων λέγοντες, “Διδάσκαλε, θέλομεν ἀπὸ σοῦ σημεῖον ἰδεῖν.”
At this point, some teachers of the Law and Pharisees spoke up. ‘Teacher,’ they said, ‘we want to see some sign from you.’
39 Ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, “Γενεὰ πονηρὰ καὶ μοιχαλὶς σημεῖον ἐπιζητεῖ, καὶ σημεῖον οὐ δοθήσεται αὐτῇ, εἰ μὴ τὸ σημεῖον Ἰωνᾶ τοῦ προφήτου.
‘It is a wicked and unfaithful generation,’ answered Jesus, ‘that is asking for a sign, and no sign will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
40 Ὥσπερ γὰρ ‘ἦν Ἰωνᾶς ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ τοῦ κήτους τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας’, οὕτως ἔσται ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Ἀνθρώπου ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ τῆς γῆς τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας.
For, just as Jonah was inside the sea-monster three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
41 Ἄνδρες Νινευῖται ἀναστήσονται ἐν τῇ κρίσει μετὰ τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης, καὶ κατακρινοῦσιν αὐτήν· ὅτι μετενόησαν εἰς τὸ κήρυγμα Ἰωνᾶ, καὶ ἰδοὺ, πλεῖον Ἰωνᾶ ὧδε.
At the judgment, the people of Nineveh will stand up with this generation, and will condemn it, because they repented at Jonah’s proclamation; and here is more than a Jonah!
42 Βασίλισσα νότου ἐγερθήσεται ἐν τῇ κρίσει μετὰ τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης, καὶ κατακρινεῖ αὐτήν· ὅτι ἦλθεν ἐκ τῶν περάτων τῆς γῆς ἀκοῦσαι τὴν σοφίαν Σολομῶνος, καὶ ἰδοὺ, πλεῖον Σολομῶνος ὧδε.
At the judgment the Queen of the South will rise up with the present generation, and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon; and here is more than a Solomon!
43 Ὅταν δὲ τὸ ἀκάθαρτον πνεῦμα ἐξέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, διέρχεται διʼ ἀνύδρων τόπων ζητοῦν ἀνάπαυσιν καὶ οὐχ εὑρίσκει.
No sooner does a foul spirit leave a person, than it passes through places where there is no water, in search of rest, and does not find it.
44 Τότε λέγει, ‘Εἰς τὸν οἶκόν μου ἐπιστρέψω ὅθεν ἐξῆλθον.’ Καὶ ἐλθὸν, εὑρίσκει σχολάζοντα σεσαρωμένον καὶ κεκοσμημένον.
Then it says “I will go back to the home which I left”; but, on coming there, it finds it unoccupied, and swept, and put in order.
45 Τότε πορεύεται καὶ παραλαμβάνει μεθʼ ἑαυτοῦ ἑπτὰ ἕτερα πνεύματα πονηρότερα ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ εἰσελθόντα κατοικεῖ ἐκεῖ· καὶ γίνεται τὰ ἔσχατα τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐκείνου χείρονα τῶν πρώτων. Οὕτως ἔσται καὶ τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ τῇ πονηρᾷ.”
Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in, and make their home there; and the last state of that man proves to be worse than the first. So, too, will it be with this wicked generation.’
46 Ἔτι αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος τοῖς ὄχλοις, ἰδοὺ, ἡ μήτηρ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ εἱστήκεισαν ἔξω, ζητοῦντες αὐτῷ λαλῆσαι.
While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers were standing outside, asking to speak to him.
47 Εἶπεν δέ τις αὐτῷ, “Ἰδοὺ, ἡ μήτηρ σου καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί σου ἔξω ἑστήκασιν ζητοῦντές σοι λαλῆσαι.”
Someone told him this, and Jesus replied,
48 Ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν τῷ λέγοντι αὐτῷ, “Τίς ἐστιν ἡ μήτηρ μου καὶ τίνες εἰσὶν οἱ ἀδελφοί μου;”
‘Who is my mother? And who are my brothers?’
49 Καὶ ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ εἶπεν, “Ἰδοὺ, ἡ μήτηρ μου καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί μου.
Then, stretching out his hands towards his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers!
50 Ὅστις γὰρ ἂν ποιήσῃ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς, αὐτός μου ἀδελφὸς, καὶ ἀδελφὴ, καὶ μήτηρ ἐστίν.”
For anyone who does the will of my Father who is in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.’
