Matthew 12

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
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.	1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the sabbath; his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.
2 Then the Pharisees, seeing this, said to him, “Behold, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbaths.”	2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the sabbath."
3 But he said to them: “Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him:	3 He said to them, "Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him:
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?	4 how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?
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?	5 Or have you not read in the law how on the sabbath the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are guiltless?
6 But I say to you, that something greater than the temple is here.	6 I tell you, something greater than the temple is here.
7 And if you knew what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would never have condemned the innocent.	7 And if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless.
8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”	8 For the Son of man is lord of the sabbath."
9 And when he had passed from there, he went into their synagogues.	9 And he went on from there, and entered their synagogue.
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?”	10 And behold, there was a man with a withered hand. And they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath?" so that they might accuse him.
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?	11 He said to them, "What man of you, if he has one sheep and it falls into a pit on the sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out?
12 How much better is a man than a sheep? And so, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbaths.”	12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the sabbath."
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.	13 Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, whole like the other.
14 Then the Pharisees, departing, took council against him, as to how they might destroy him.	14 But the Pharisees went out and took counsel against him, how to destroy him.
15 But Jesus, knowing this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he cured them all.	15 Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all,
16 And he instructed them, lest they make him known.	16 and ordered them not to make him known.
17 Then what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah was fulfilled, saying:	17 This was to fulfill 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 place my Spirit over him, and he shall announce judgment to the nations.	18 "Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
19 He shall not contend, nor cry out, neither shall anyone hear his voice in the streets.	19 He will not wrangle or cry aloud, nor will any one hear his voice in the streets;
20 He shall not crush the bruised reed, and he shall not extinguish the smoking wick, until he sends forth judgment unto victory.	20 he will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick, till he brings justice to victory;
21 And the Gentiles shall hope in his name.”	21 and in his name will the Gentiles hope."
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.	22 Then a blind and dumb demoniac was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the dumb man spoke and saw.
23 And all the crowds were stupefied, and they said, “Could this be the son of David?”	23 And all the people were amazed, and said, "Can this be the Son of David?"
24 But the Pharisees, hearing it, said, “This man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebub, the prince of the demons.”	24 But when the Pharisees heard it they said, "It is only by Be-elzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons."
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.	25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand;
26 So if Satan casts out Satan, then he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?	26 and if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?
27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your own sons cast them out? Therefore, they shall be your judges.	27 And if I cast out demons by Be-elzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.
28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has arrived among you.	28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
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.	29 Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house.
30 Whoever is not with me, is against me. And whoever does not gather with me, scatters.	30 He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.
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.	31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
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.	32 And whoever says 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 age to come.
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.	33 "Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit.
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.	34 You brood of vipers! how can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
35 A good man offers good things from a good storehouse. And an evil man offers evil things from an evil storehouse.	35 The good man out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.
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.	36 I tell you, on the day of judgment men will render account for every careless word they utter;
37 For by your words shall you be justified, and by your words shall you be condemned.”	37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
38 Then certain ones from the scribes and the Pharisees responded to him, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”	38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you."
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.	39 But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign; but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
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.	40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
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.	41 The men of Nineveh will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is 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.	42 The queen of the South will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
43 Now when an unclean spirit departs from a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, and he does not find it.	43 "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest, but he finds none.
44 Then he says, ‘I will return to my house, from which I departed’. And arriving, he finds it vacant, swept clean, and decorated.	44 Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.
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.”	45 Then he goes and brings with him seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. So shall it be also with this evil generation."
46 While he was still speaking to the crowds, behold, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak with him.	46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood outside, asking to speak to him.
47 And someone said to him: “Behold, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, seeking you.”	47 .
48 But responding to the one speaking to him, he said, “Which one is my mother, and who are my brothers?”	48 But he replied to the man who told him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?"
49 And extending his hand to his disciples, he said: “Behold: my mother and my brothers.	49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brethren!
50 For anyone who does the will of my Father, who is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.”	50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother."