Matthew 12

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
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.	1 At that time Jesus went through the cornfields one Sabbath day. His disciples were hungry and beganto pick ears of corn and eat them.
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.	2 The Pharisees noticed it and said to him, 'Look, your disciples are doing something that is forbiddenon the Sabbath.'
3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;	3 But he said to them, 'Have you not read what David did when he and his fol owers were hungry-
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?	4 how he went into the house of God and they ate the loaves of the offering although neither he nor hisfol owers were permitted to eat them, but only 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?	5 Or again, have you not read in the Law that on the Sabbath day the Temple priests break the Sabbathwithout committing any fault?
6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.	6 Now here, I tel you, is something 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.	7 And if you had understood the meaning of the words: Mercy is what pleases me, not sacrifice, youwould not have condemned the blameless.
8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.	8 For the Son of man is master of the Sabbath.'
9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:	9 He moved on from there and went to 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.	10 now a man was there with a withered hand. They asked him, 'Is it permitted to cure somebody on theSabbath day?' hoping for something to charge him with.
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?	11 But he said to them, 'If any one of you here had only one sheep and it fell down a hole on theSabbath day, would he not get hold of 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.	12 Now a man is far more important than a sheep, so it fol ows that it is permitted on the Sabbath day todo good.'
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.	13 Then he said to the man, 'Stretch out your hand.' He stretched it out and his hand was restored, assound as the other one.
14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.	14 At this the Pharisees went out and began to plot against him, discussing how to destroy him.
15 But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;	15 Jesus knew this and withdrew from the district. Many fol owed him and he cured them al
16 And charged them that they should not make him known:	16 but warned them not to make him known.
17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,	17 This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:
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.	18 Look! My servant whom I have chosen, my beloved, in whom my soul delights, I wil send my Spiritupon him, and he wil present judgement to the nations;
19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.	19 he wil not brawl or cry out, his voice is not heard 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.	20 he wil not break the crushed reed, or snuff the faltering wick,
21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.	21 until he has made judgement victorious; in him the nations will put their hope.
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.	22 Then they brought to him a blind and dumb demoniac; and he cured him, so that the dumb man couldspeak and see.
23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?	23 Al the people were astounded and said, 'Can this be 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.	24 But when the Pharisees heard this they said, 'The man drives out devils only through Beelzebul, thechief 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:	25 Knowing what was in their minds he said to them, 'Every kingdom divided against itself is heading forruin; and no town, no household divided against itself can last.
26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?	26 Now if Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself; so how can his kingdom last?
27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.	27 And if it is through Beelzebul that I drive devils out, through whom do your own experts drive themout? They shal be your judges, then.
28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.	28 But if it is through the Spirit of God that I drive out devils, then be sure that the kingdom of God hascaught you unawares.
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.	29 'Or again, how can anyone make his way into a strong man's house and plunder his property unlesshe has first tied up the strong man? Only then can he plunder his house.
30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.	30 'Anyone who is not with me is against me, and anyone who does not gather in with me throws away.
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.	31 And so I tel you, every human sin and blasphemy will be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spiritwil not be forgiven.
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.	32 And anyone who says a word against the Son of man wil be forgiven; but no one who speaks againstthe Holy Spirit wil be forgiven either in this world or in the next.
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.	33 'Make a tree sound and its fruit wil be sound; make a tree rotten and its fruit will be rotten. For thetree can be told by its 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.	34 You brood of vipers, how can your speech be good when you are evil? For words flow out of what fil sthe heart.
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.	35 Good people draw good things from their store of goodness; bad people draw bad things from theirstore of badness.
36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.	36 So I tel you this, that for every unfounded word people utter they wil answer on Judgement Day,
37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.	37 since it is by your words you wil be justified, and by your words condemned.'
38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.	38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees spoke up. 'Master,' they said, 'we should like to see a sign from you.'
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:	39 He replied, 'It is an evil and unfaithful generation that asks for a sign! The only sign it wil be given isthe sign of the prophet Jonah.
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.	40 For as Jonah remained in the belly of the sea-monster for three days and three nights, so wil the Sonof man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
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.	41 On Judgement Day the men of Nineveh will appear against this generation and they wil be itscondemnation, because when Jonah preached they repented; and look, there is something greater than Jonahhere.
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.	42 On Judgement Day the Queen of the South wil appear against this generation and be itscondemnation, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and look, there issomething greater than Solomon here.
43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.	43 'When an unclean spirit goes out of someone it wanders through waterless country looking for aplace to rest, and cannot find one.
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.	44 Then it says, "I wil return to the home I came from." But on arrival, finding it unoccupied, swept andtidied,
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.	45 it then goes off and col ects seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and set uphouse there, and so that person ends up worse off than before. That is what will happen to this wickedgeneration.'
46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.	46 He was still speaking to the crowds when suddenly his mother and his brothers were standingoutside and were anxious to have a word with him.
47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.	47 still speaking to the crowds when suddenly his mother and his brothers were standing outside andwere anxious to have a word with him.
48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?	48 But to the man who told him this Jesus replied, 'Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?'
49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!	49 And stretching out his hand towards his disciples he said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers.
50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.	50 Anyone who does the wil of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.'