Matthew

The Gospel according to Saint Matthew, chapter 12, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 12 New English Translation

LORD of the Sabbath

   1 At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on a Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pick heads of wheat and eat them. 2 But when the Pharisees saw this they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is against the law to do on the Sabbath." 3 He said to them, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry - 4 how he entered the house of God and they ate the sacred bread, which was against the law for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests? 5 Or have you not read in the law that the priests in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are not guilty? 6 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7 If you had known what this means: 'I want mercy and not sacrifice, ' you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is LORD of the Sabbath."
   9 Then Jesus left that place and entered their synagogue. 10 A man was there who had a withered hand. And they asked Jesus, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" so that they could accuse him. 11 He said to them, "Would not any one of you, if he had one sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, take hold of it and lift it out? 12 How much more valuable is a person 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 it was restored, as healthy as the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted against him, as to how they could assassinate him.

God's Special Servant

   15 Now when Jesus learned of this, he went away from there. Great crowds followed him, and he healed them all. 16 But he sternly warned them not to make him known. 17 This fulfilled what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet:
   18 "Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I take great delight. I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
   19 He will not quarrel or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
   20 He will not break a bruised reed or extinguish a smoldering wick, until he brings justice to victory.
   21 And in his name the Gentiles will hope."

Jesus and Beelzebul

   22 Then they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. Jesus healed him so that he could speak and see. 23 All the crowds were amazed and said, "Could this one be the Son of David?" 24 But when the Pharisees heard this they said, "He does not cast out demons except by the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons!" 25 Now when Jesus realized what they were thinking, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and no town or house divided against itself will stand. 26 So if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges. 28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has already overtaken you. 29 How else can someone enter a strong man's house and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can thoroughly plunder the house. 30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 For this reason I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Whoever speaks 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.

Trees and Their Fruit

   33 "Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say anything good, since you are evil? For the mouth speaks from what fills the heart. 35 The good person brings good things out of his good treasury, and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury. 36 I tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

The Sign of Jonah

   38 Then some of the experts in the law along with some Pharisees answered him, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you." 39 But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. 41 The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them - and now, something greater than Jonah is here! 42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon - and now, something greater than Solomon is here!

The Return of the Unclean Spirit

   43 "When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it passes through waterless places looking for rest but does not find it. 44 Then it says, 'I will return to the home I left.' When it returns, it finds the house empty, swept clean, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so the last state of that person is worse than the first. It will be that way for this evil generation as well!"

Jesus' True Family

   46 While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers came and stood outside, asking to speak to him. 47 Someone told him, "Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting to speak to you." 48 To the one who had said this, Jesus replied, "Who is my mother and who are my brothers?" 49 And pointing toward his disciples he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."

King James Version

   1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.
   2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.
   3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;
   4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?
   5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
   6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.
   7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
   8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
   9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:
   10 ¶ And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
   11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
   12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
   13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.
   14 ¶ Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.
   15 But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;
   16 And charged them that they should not make him known:
   17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
   18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.
   19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.
   20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.
   21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.
   22 ¶ Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
   23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?
   24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
   25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
   26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
   27 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 cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
   29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
   30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
   31 ¶ Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
   32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
   33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
   34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
   35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
   36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
   37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
   38 ¶ Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
   39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
   40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
   41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
   42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
   43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
   44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
   45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
   46 ¶ While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
   47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
   48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
   49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
   50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.