Matthew 12

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
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.	1 At that time, Jesus went out through the ripe grain on the Sabbath. And his disciples, being hungry, began to separate the grain and to eat.
2 The Pharisees noticed it and said to him, 'Look, your disciples are doing something that is forbiddenon the Sabbath.'	2 Then the Pharisees, seeing this, said to him, “Behold, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbaths.”
3 But he said to them, 'Have you not read what David did when he and his fol owers were hungry-	3 But he said to them: “Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him:
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?	4 how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?
5 Or again, have you not read in the Law that on the Sabbath day the Temple priests break the Sabbathwithout committing any fault?	5 Or have you not read in the law, that on the Sabbaths the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath, and they are without guilt?
6 Now here, I tel you, is something greater than the Temple.	6 But I say to you, that something greater than the temple is here.
7 And if you had understood the meaning of the words: Mercy is what pleases me, not sacrifice, youwould not have condemned the blameless.	7 And if you knew what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would never have condemned the innocent.
8 For the Son of man is master of the Sabbath.'	8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
9 He moved on from there and went to their synagogue;	9 And when he had passed from there, he went into their synagogues.
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.	10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand, and they questioned him, so that they might accuse him, saying, “Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbaths?”
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?	11 But he said to them: “Who is there among you, having even one sheep, if it will have fallen into a pit on the Sabbath, would not take hold of it and lift it up?
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.'	12 How much better is a man than a sheep? And so, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbaths.”
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.	13 Then he said to the man, “Extend your hand.” And he extended it, and it was restored to health, just like the other one.
14 At this the Pharisees went out and began to plot against him, discussing how to destroy him.	14 Then the Pharisees, departing, took council against him, as to how they might destroy him.
15 Jesus knew this and withdrew from the district. Many fol owed him and he cured them al	15 But Jesus, knowing this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he cured them all.
16 but warned them not to make him known.	16 And he instructed them, lest they make him known.
17 This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:	17 Then what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah was fulfilled, saying:
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;	18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I will place my Spirit over him, and he shall announce judgment to the nations.
19 he wil not brawl or cry out, his voice is not heard in the streets,	19 He shall not contend, nor cry out, neither shall anyone hear his voice in the streets.
20 he wil not break the crushed reed, or snuff the faltering wick,	20 He shall not crush the bruised reed, and he shall not extinguish the smoking wick, until he sends forth judgment unto victory.
21 until he has made judgement victorious; in him the nations will put their hope.	21 And the Gentiles shall hope in his name.”
22 Then they brought to him a blind and dumb demoniac; and he cured him, so that the dumb man couldspeak and see.	22 Then one who had a demon, who was blind and mute, was brought to him. And he cured him, so that he spoke and saw.
23 Al the people were astounded and said, 'Can this be the son of David?'	23 And all the crowds were stupefied, and they said, “Could this be the son of David?”
24 But when the Pharisees heard this they said, 'The man drives out devils only through Beelzebul, thechief of the devils.'	24 But the Pharisees, hearing it, said, “This man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebub, the prince of the demons.”
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.	25 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself will become desolate. And every city or house divided against itself will not stand.
26 Now if Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself; so how can his kingdom last?	26 So if Satan casts out Satan, then he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
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.	27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your own sons cast them out? Therefore, they shall be your judges.
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.	28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has arrived among you.
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.	29 Or how can anyone enter into the house of a strong man, and plunder his belongings, unless he first restrains the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.
30 'Anyone who is not with me is against me, and anyone who does not gather in with me throws away.	30 Whoever is not with me, is against me. And whoever does not gather with me, scatters.
31 And so I tel you, every human sin and blasphemy will be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spiritwil not be forgiven.	31 For this reason, I say to you: Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.
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.	32 And anyone who will have spoken a word against the Son of man shall be forgiven. But whoever will have spoken against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven, neither in this age, nor in the future age.
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.	33 Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree evil and its fruit evil. For certainly a tree is known by its fruit.
34 You brood of vipers, how can your speech be good when you are evil? For words flow out of what fil sthe heart.	34 Progeny of vipers, how are you able to speak good things while you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
35 Good people draw good things from their store of goodness; bad people draw bad things from theirstore of badness.	35 A good man offers good things from a good storehouse. And an evil man offers evil things from an evil storehouse.
36 So I tel you this, that for every unfounded word people utter they wil answer on Judgement Day,	36 But I say to you, that for every idle word which men will have spoken, they shall render an account in the day of judgment.
37 since it is by your words you wil be justified, and by your words condemned.'	37 For by your words shall you be justified, and by your words shall you be condemned.”
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees spoke up. 'Master,' they said, 'we should like to see a sign from you.'	38 Then certain ones from the scribes and the Pharisees responded to him, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
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.	39 And answering, he said to them: “An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign. But a sign will not be given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
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.	40 For just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights, so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
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.	41 The men of Nineveh shall arise in judgment with this generation, and they shall condemn it. For, at the preaching of Jonah, they repented. And behold, there is a greater than Jonah 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.	42 The Queen of the South shall arise in judgment with this generation, and she shall condemn it. For she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And behold, there is a greater than Solomon here.
43 'When an unclean spirit goes out of someone it wanders through waterless country looking for aplace to rest, and cannot find one.	43 Now when an unclean spirit departs from a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, and he does not find it.
44 Then it says, "I wil return to the home I came from." But on arrival, finding it unoccupied, swept andtidied,	44 Then he says, ‘I will return to my house, from which I departed’. And arriving, he finds it vacant, swept clean, and decorated.
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.'	45 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and live there. And in the end, the man becomes worse than he was at first. So, too, shall it be with this most wicked generation.”
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.	46 While he was still speaking to the crowds, behold, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak with him.
47 still speaking to the crowds when suddenly his mother and his brothers were standing outside andwere anxious to have a word with him.	47 And someone said to him: “Behold, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, seeking you.”
48 But to the man who told him this Jesus replied, 'Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?'	48 But responding to the one speaking to him, he said, “Which one is my mother, and who are my brothers?”
49 And stretching out his hand towards his disciples he said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers.	49 And extending his hand to his disciples, he said: “Behold: my mother and my brothers.
50 Anyone who does the wil of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.'	50 For anyone who does the will of my Father, who is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.”