Matthew 12

1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath through the cornfields; and his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck the ears and to eat.⋮

2 But the Pharisees, seeing it, said to him, Behold, thy disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on sabbath.⋮

3 But he said to them, Have ye not read what David did when he was hungry, and they that were with him?⋮

4 How he entered into the house of God, and ate the shewbread, which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those with him, but for the priests only?⋮

5 Or have ye not read in the law that on the sabbaths the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?⋮

6 But I say unto you, that there is here what is greater than the temple.⋮

7 But if ye had known what is: I will have mercy and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.⋮

8 For the Son of man is Lord of the sabbath.⋮

9 And, going away from thence, he came into their synagogue.⋮

10 And behold, there was a man having his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath? that they might accuse him.⋮

11 But he said to them, What man shall there be of you who has one sheep, and if this fall into a pit on the sabbath, will not lay hold of it and raise it up?⋮

12 How much better then is a man than a sheep! So that it is lawful to do well on the sabbath.⋮

13 Then he says to the man, Stretch out thy hand. And he stretched it out, and it was restored sound as the other.⋮

14 But the Pharisees, having gone out, took counsel against him, how they might destroy him.⋮

15 But Jesus knowing it, withdrew thence, and great crowds followed him; and he healed them all:⋮

16 and charged them strictly that they should not make him publicly known:⋮

17 that that might be fulfilled which was spoken through Esaias the prophet, saying,⋮

18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved, in whom my soul has found its delight. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he shall shew forth judgment to the nations.⋮

19 He shall not strive or cry out, nor shall any one hear his voice in the streets;⋮

20 a bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, until he bring forth judgment unto victory;⋮

21 and on his name shall the nations hope.⋮

22 Then was brought to him one possessed by a demon, blind and dumb, and he healed him, so that the dumb man spake and saw.⋮

23 And all the crowds were amazed and said, Is this man the Son of David?⋮

24 But the Pharisees, having heard it, said, This man does not cast out demons, but by Beelzebub, prince of demons.⋮

25 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not subsist.⋮

26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom subsist?⋮

27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, your sons, by whom do they cast them out? For this reason they shall be your judges.⋮

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

29 Or how can any one enter into the house of the strong man and plunder his goods, unless first he bind the strong man? and then he will plunder his house.⋮

30 He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathers not with me scatters.⋮

31 For this reason I say unto you, Every sin and injurious speaking shall be forgiven to men, but speaking injuriously of the Spirit shall not be forgiven to men.⋮

32 And whosoever shall have spoken a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age nor in the coming one.⋮

33 Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt. For from the fruit the tree is known.⋮

34 Offspring of vipers! how can ye speak good things, being wicked? For of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.⋮

35 The good man out of the good treasure brings forth good things; and the wicked man out of the wicked treasure brings forth wicked things.⋮

36 But I say unto you, that every idle word which men shall say, they shall render an account of it in judgment-day:⋮

37 for by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.⋮

38 Then answered him some of the scribes and Pharisees, saying, Teacher, we desire to see a sign from thee.⋮

39 But he, answering, said to them, A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and a sign shall not be given to it save the sign of Jonas the prophet.⋮

40 For even as Jonas was in the belly of the great fish three days and three nights, thus shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.⋮

41 Ninevites shall stand up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and behold, more than Jonas is here.⋮

42 A queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, more than Solomon is here.⋮

43 But when the unclean spirit has gone out of the man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and does not find it.⋮

44 Then he says, I will return to my house whence I came out; and having come, he finds it unoccupied, swept, and adorned.⋮

45 Then he goes and takes with himself seven other spirits worse than himself, and entering in, they dwell there; and the last condition of that man becomes worse than the first. Thus shall it be to this wicked generation also.⋮

46 But while he was yet speaking to the crowds, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, seeking to speak to him.⋮

47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren are standing without, seeking to speak to thee.⋮

48 But he answering said to him that spoke to him, Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?⋮

49 And, stretching out his hand to his disciples, he said, Behold my mother and my brethren;⋮

50 for whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in the heavens, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.⋮