Matthew, 12

1. At that time Jesus went through the cornfields one Sabbath day. His disciples were hungry and began to pick ears of corn and eat them.

1. At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the sabbath; his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.

2. The Pharisees noticed it and said to him, 'Look, your disciples are doing something that is forbidden on the Sabbath.'

2. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the sabbath."

3. But he said to them, 'Have you not read what David did when he and his followers were hungry-

3. He said to them, "Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him:

4. how he went into the house of God and they ate the loaves of the offering although neither he nor his followers were permitted to eat them, but only the priests?

4. how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?

5. Or again, have you not read in the Law that on the Sabbath day the Temple priests break the Sabbath without committing any fault?

5. Or have you not read in the law how on the sabbath the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are guiltless?

6. Now here, I tell you, is something greater than the Temple.

6. I tell you, something greater than the temple is here.

7. And if you had understood the meaning of the words: Mercy is what pleases me, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the blameless.

7. And if you had known what this means, `I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless.

8. For the Son of man is master of the Sabbath.'

8. For the Son of man is lord of the sabbath."

9. He moved on from there and went to their synagogue;

9. And he went on from there, and entered their synagogue.

10. now a man was there with a withered hand. They asked him, 'Is it permitted to cure somebody on the Sabbath day?' hoping for something to charge him with.

10. And behold, there was a man with a withered hand. And they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath?" so that they might accuse him.

11. But he said to them, 'If any one of you here had only one sheep and it fell down a hole on the Sabbath day, would he not get hold of it and lift it out?

11. He said to them, "What man of you, if he has one sheep and it falls into a pit on the sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out?

12. Now a man is far more important than a sheep, so it follows that it is permitted on the Sabbath day to do good.'

12. Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the sabbath."

13. Then he said to the man, 'Stretch out your hand.' He stretched it out and his hand was restored, as sound as the other one.

13. Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, whole like the other.

14. At this the Pharisees went out and began to plot against him, discussing how to destroy him.

14. But the Pharisees went out and took counsel against him, how to destroy him.

15. Jesus knew this and withdrew from the district. Many followed him and he cured them all

15. Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all,

16. but warned them not to make him known.

16. and ordered them not to make him known.

17. This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

17. This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

18. Look! My servant whom I have chosen, my beloved, in whom my soul delights, I will send my Spirit upon him, and he will present judgement to the nations;

18. "Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles.

19. he will not brawl or cry out, his voice is not heard in the streets,

19. He will not wrangle or cry aloud, nor will any one hear his voice in the streets;

20. he will not break the crushed reed, or snuff the faltering wick,

20. he will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick, till he brings justice to victory;

21. until he has made judgement victorious; in him the nations will put their hope.

21. and in his name will the Gentiles hope."

22. Then they brought to him a blind and dumb demoniac; and he cured him, so that the dumb man could speak and see.

22. Then a blind and dumb demoniac was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the dumb man spoke and saw.

23. All the people were astounded and said, 'Can this be the son of David?'

23. And all the people were amazed, and said, "Can this be the Son of David?"

24. But when the Pharisees heard this they said, 'The man drives out devils only through Beelzebul, the chief of the devils.'

24. But when the Pharisees heard it they said, "It is only by Be-el'zebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons."

25. Knowing what was in their minds he said to them, 'Every kingdom divided against itself is heading for ruin; and no town, no household divided against itself can last.

25. Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand;

26. Now if Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself; so how can his kingdom last?

26. and if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?

27. And if it is through Beelzebul that I drive devils out, through whom do your own experts drive them out? They shall be your judges, then.

27. And if I cast out demons by Be-el'zebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.

28. But if it is through the Spirit of God that I drive out devils, then be sure that the kingdom of God has caught you unawares.

28. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

29. 'Or again, how can anyone make his way into a strong man's house and plunder his property unless he has first tied up the strong man? Only then can he plunder his house.

29. Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house.

30. 'Anyone who is not with me is against me, and anyone who does not gather in with me throws away.

30. He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.

31. And so I tell you, every human sin and blasphemy will be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

31. Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

32. And anyone who says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but no one who speaks against the Holy Spirit will be forgiven either in this world or in the next.

32. And whoever says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

33. 'Make a tree sound and its fruit will be sound; make a tree rotten and its fruit will be rotten. For the tree can be told by its fruit.

33. "Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit.

34. You brood of vipers, how can your speech be good when you are evil? For words flow out of what fills the heart.

34. You brood of vipers! how can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

35. Good people draw good things from their store of goodness; bad people draw bad things from their store of badness.

35. The good man out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.

36. So I tell you this, that for every unfounded word people utter they will answer on Judgement Day,

36. I tell you, on the day of judgment men will render account for every careless word they utter;

37. since it is by your words you will be justified, and by your words condemned.'

37. for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

38. Then some of the scribes and Pharisees spoke up. 'Master,' they said, 'we should like to see a sign from you.'

38. Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you."

39. He replied, 'It is an evil and unfaithful generation that asks for a sign! The only sign it will be given is the sign of the prophet Jonah.

39. But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign; but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

40. For as Jonah remained in the belly of the sea-monster for three days and three nights, so will the Son of man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.

40. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

41. On Judgement Day the men of Nineveh will appear against this generation and they will be its condemnation, because when Jonah preached they repented; and look, there is something greater than Jonah here.

41. The men of Nin'eveh will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

42. On Judgement Day the Queen of the South will appear against this generation and be its condemnation, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and look, there is something greater than Solomon here.

42. The queen of the South will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.

43. 'When an unclean spirit goes out of someone it wanders through waterless country looking for a place to rest, and cannot find one.

43. "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest, but he finds none.

44. Then it says, "I will return to the home I came from." But on arrival, finding it unoccupied, swept and tidied,

44. Then he says, `I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.

45. it then goes off and collects seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and set up house there, and so that person ends up worse off than before. That is what will happen to this wicked generation.'

45. Then he goes and brings with him seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. So shall it be also with this evil generation."

46. He was still speaking to the crowds when suddenly his mother and his brothers were standing outside and were anxious to have a word with him.

46. While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.

47. still speaking to the crowds when suddenly his mother and his brothers were standing outside and were anxious to have a word with him.

47.

48. But to the man who told him this Jesus replied, 'Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?'

48. But he replied to the man who told him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?"

49. And stretching out his hand towards his disciples he said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers.

49. And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers!

50. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.'

50. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother."