The Holy Bible · Matthew

Matthew 12

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1At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples became hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and eat.

2When the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Behold, Your disciples do what it is not lawful to do on a Sabbath.”

3He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he and those with him became hungry:

4how he entered the house of God, and they ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him or those with him to eat, but only for the priests?

5Or have you not read in the Law that on Sabbaths the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?

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

7If you had known what ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice’ means, you would not have condemned the guiltless.

8For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

9Moving on from there, He entered their synagogue.

10And behold, a man had a withered hand. They asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on Sabbaths?” so that they might accuse Him.

11He said to them, “Who among you, if he has one sheep and it falls into a pit on a Sabbath, will not grasp it and lift it out?

12How much more valuable, then, is a human being than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on Sabbaths.”

13Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other.

14The Pharisees went out and took counsel against Him, how they might destroy Him.

15But Jesus, knowing this, withdrew from there. Many followed Him, and He healed them all.

16He sternly warned them not to make Him known,

17so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled:

18“Behold, My Servant whom I chose, My beloved in whom My soul was well pleased. I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will proclaim justice to the nations.

19He will not quarrel or cry out, nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.

20He will not break a bruised reed or extinguish a smoldering wick, until He brings justice forth to victory.

21And nations will hope in His name.”

22Then a man oppressed by a demon, blind and mute, was brought to Him. He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw.

23All the crowds were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”

24But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “This Man casts out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.”

25Knowing their thoughts, He said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.

26If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

27And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.

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

29Or how can someone enter the strong man’s house and seize his belongings unless he first binds the strong man? Then he will plunder his house.

30Whoever is not with Me is against Me, and whoever does not gather with Me scatters.

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

32Whoever 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 coming one.

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

34Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

35The good person brings forth good things from the good treasure, and the evil person brings forth evil things from the evil treasure.

36But I tell you that people will give account on the day of judgment for every idle word they speak.

37For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from You.”

39He answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.

40For just as Jonah was in the sea creature’s belly three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.

41Men of Nineveh will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at Jonah’s proclamation; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

42The queen of the south will be raised at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear Solomon’s wisdom; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.

43When the unclean spirit leaves a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finds none.

44Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ When it comes, it finds it vacant, swept, and put in order.

45Then it goes and takes with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself; they enter and dwell there, and that person’s last condition becomes worse than the first. So it will also be with this evil generation.”

46While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.

47Someone said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers stand outside, seeking to speak with You.”

48He answered the one speaking to Him, “Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?”

49Stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold, My mother and My brothers!

50For whoever does the will of My Father in the heavens is My brother and sister and mother.”

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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 working draft awaiting specialist review.