Matthew 12

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
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 was going through a field of grain on the sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them.
2 The Pharisees noticed it and said to him, 'Look, your disciples are doing something that is forbiddenon the Sabbath.'	2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the sabbath."
3 But he said to them, 'Have you not read what David did when he and his fol owers were hungry-	3 He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry,
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 went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering, which neither he nor his companions but only the priests could lawfully eat?
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 sabbath the priests serving in the temple violate the sabbath and are innocent?
6 Now here, I tel you, is something greater than the Temple.	6 I say to you, 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 If you knew what this meant, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned these innocent men.
8 For the Son of man is master of the Sabbath.'	8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath."
9 He moved on from there and went to their synagogue;	9 Moving on from there, he went into their synagogue.
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 there who had a withered hand. They questioned him, "Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath?" so that they might accuse him.
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 He said to them, "Which one of you who has a sheep that falls into a pit on the sabbath will not take hold of it and lift it out?
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 more valuable a person is than a sheep. So it is lawful to do good on the sabbath."
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, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and it was restored as sound as the other.
14 At this the Pharisees went out and began to plot against him, discussing how to destroy him.	14 But the Pharisees went out and took counsel against him to put him to death.
15 Jesus knew this and withdrew from the district. Many fol owed him and he cured them al	15 When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place. Many (people) followed him, and he cured them all,
16 but warned them not to make him known.	16 but he warned them not to make him known.
17 This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:	17 This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet:
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 I delight; I shall place my spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
19 he wil not brawl or cry out, his voice is not heard in the streets,	19 He will not contend or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
20 he wil not break the crushed reed, or snuff the faltering wick,	20 A bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory.
21 until he has made judgement victorious; in him the nations will put their hope.	21 And in his name the Gentiles will hope."
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 they brought to him a demoniac who was blind and mute. He cured the mute person so that he could speak and see.
23 Al the people were astounded and said, 'Can this be the son of David?'	23 All the crowd was astounded, and said, "Could this perhaps 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 when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "This man drives out demons only by the power of Beelzebul, the prince of 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 he knew what they were thinking and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and no town or house divided against itself will stand.
26 Now if Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself; so how can his kingdom last?	26 And if Satan drives out Satan, 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 drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will 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 it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon 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 How can anyone enter a strong man's house and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can 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 Therefore, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit will 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 whoever speaks 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 '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 declare the tree good and its fruit is good, or declare the tree rotten and its fruit is rotten, for 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 You brood of vipers, how can you say good things when you are evil? For from the fullness 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 person brings forth good out of a store of goodness, but an evil person brings forth evil out of a store of evil.
36 So I tel you this, that for every unfounded word people utter they wil answer on Judgement Day,	36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will render an account for every careless word they speak.
37 since it is by your words you wil be justified, and by your words condemned.'	37 By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will 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 some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, "Teacher, we wish 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 He said to them in reply, "An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.
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 Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth 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 At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and there is something 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 At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something 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 "When an unclean spirit goes out of a person it roams through arid regions searching for rest but finds none.
44 Then it says, "I wil return to the home I came from." But on arrival, finding it unoccupied, swept andtidied,	44 Then it says, 'I will return to my home from which I came.' But upon returning, it finds it empty, swept clean, and put in order.
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 it goes and brings back with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they move in and dwell there; and the last condition of that person is worse than the first. Thus it will be with this evil 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, his mother and his brothers appeared outside, wishing 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 (Someone told him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.")
48 But to the man who told him this Jesus replied, 'Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?'	48 But he said in reply to the one who told him, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?"
49 And stretching out his hand towards his disciples he said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers.	49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are 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 whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother."