Matthew Twelve

   At that time, Jesus walked on the sabbath through the wheat fields; and his disciples became hungry, and they began to pluck ears of wheat and eat. But when the Pharisees saw them, they
said to him, Behold, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the sabbath. But he said to them, Have you not read what David did, when he and those who were with him were hungry? How he entered into the house of God, and did eat bread that was on the table of the Lord, that which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or, have you not read in the book of law, that the priests in the temple disregard the sabbath, and yet are blameless? But I say to you, that there is one here, who is greater than the temple. But if you only knew what it means, I want mercy and not sacrifice, you would not condemn those who are blameless. For the Son of man is Lord of the sabbath.

   ¶ And Jesus departed from thence and came to their synagogue. And there was a man there whose hand was withered. And they questioned him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath? that they might accuse him. He said to them, Who is the man among you who has only one sheep, and if it should fall into a pit on the sabbath, would he not take hold of it and lift it up? How much more important is a man than a sheep? It is therefore lawful to do good on the sabbath. Then he said to the man, Stretch out your hand. And he stretched out his hand, and it was restored like the other.

   ¶ And the Pharisees went out, and they took counsel concerning him, so as to do away with him. But Jesus knew of it, and departed from thence; and a great many people followed him, and he healed them all. And he charged them not to say where he was, So that what was said by the prophet
Isaiah might be fulfilled, who said, Behold my servant with whom I am pleased, my beloved one, in whom my soul rejoices; I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will preach justice to the peoples. He will not argue, nor will he cry aloud; and no man will hear his voice in the street. He will not break even a bruised reed, and he will not extinguish a flickering lamp, until he brings justice to victory; And in his name will the peoples find hope.

   ¶ Then they brought near to him a lunatic, who was also dumb and blind; and he healed him, so that the dumb and blind man could speak and see. All the people were amazed and said, Perhaps this man is the son of David? But when the Pharisees heard of it, they said, This man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebub, the prince of demons. But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them, Every kingdom which is divided against itself, will be destroyed; and every house or city that is divided against itself, will not stand. And if Satan cast out Satan. he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? So if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by what do your sons cast them out? for this reason they will be your judges. And if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come near to you. Or, how can a man enter into a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, except he first bind the strong man, and then he plunders his house?

    ¶ He who is not with me is against me; and he who does not gather with me, shall be dispersed. Therefore I say to you, that all sins and blasphemies will be forgiven to men; but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven to men. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven, neither in this world nor in the world to come. Either produce like a good tree with good fruits, or produce like a bad tree with bad fruits; for a tree is known by its fruits. O generation of scorpions, how can you speak good things when you are bad? For the mouth speaks from the fullness of the heart. A good man brings out good things from good treasures, and a bad man brings out bad things from bad treasures. For I say to you, that for every foolish word which men speak, they will have to answer for it on the day of judgment. For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be found guilty.

   ¶ Then some of the men of the scribes and Pharisees answered and said to him, Teacher, we would like to see a sign from you. But he answered and said to them, An evil and adulterous generation wants a sign; and no sign will be given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was in the whale’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. Even the men of Nineveh will rise up in judgment with this generation, and find it guilty; for they repented through the preaching of Jonah, and behold, a greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the south will rise up in judgment with this generation, and find it guilty; for she came from the far ends of the earth that she might hear Solomon’s wisdom, and behold a greater than Solomon is here. When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, it travels in places where there is no water, and seeks rest, and does not find it. Then it says, I will return to my own house from whence I came out; so it comes back and finds it empty, warm, and well furnished. Then it goes away and brings with it seven other spirits worse than itself, and they enter and live in it; and the end of that man becomes worse than at first. Such will happen to this evil generation.

   ¶ While he was speaking to the people, his mother and his brothers came and stood outside, and wanted to speak with him. Then a man said to him, Behold your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they want to speak with you. But he answered and said to him who told him, Who is my mother and who are my brothers? And he pointed his hand to his disciples and said, Behold my mother, and behold my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven, he is my brother and my sister and my mother.