The Gospel According to St. Matthew

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 12 -

(1 Samuel 21:1–7; Mark 2:23–28; Luke 6:1–5)

At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them.

When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”

Jesus replied, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?

He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread,(a) which was not lawful for them to eat, but only for the priests.

Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and yet are innocent?

But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.

If only you had known the meaning of ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’(b) you would not have condemned the innocent.

For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

(Mark 3:1–6; Luke 6:6–11)

Moving on from there, Jesus entered their synagogue,

and a man with a withered hand was there. In order to accuse Jesus, they asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

He replied, “If one of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out?

How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

Then Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored to full use, just like the other.

But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.

God’s Chosen Servant

(Isaiah 42:1–9)

Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Large crowds followed Him, and He healed them all,

warning them not to make Him known.

This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

“Here is My Servant, whom I have chosen, My beloved, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will proclaim justice to the nations.

He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear His voice in the streets.

A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish, till He leads justice to victory.

In His name the nations will put their hope.”(c)

A House Divided

(Mark 3:20–27; Luke 11:14–23)

Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed the man so that he could speak and see.

The crowds were astounded and asked, “Could this be the Son of David?”

But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “Only by Beelzebul,(d) the prince of demons, does this man drive out demons.”

Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.

If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?

And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.

But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.

He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

The Unpardonable Sin

(Mark 3:28–30)

Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

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 one to come.

Good and Bad Fruit

(Luke 6:43–45)

Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.

You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.

The good man brings good things out of his good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure.

But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.

For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

The Sign of Jonah

(Jonah 3:1–10; Luke 11:29–32)

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”

Jesus replied, “A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

The men of Nineveh will stand at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now One greater than Jonah is here.

The Queen of the South will rise 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 now One greater than Solomon is here.

An Unclean Spirit Returns

(Luke 11:24–26)

When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it.

Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ On its return, it finds the house vacant, swept clean, and put in order.

Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and dwell there; and the final plight of that man is worse than the first. So will it be with this wicked generation.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

(Mark 3:31–35; Luke 8:19–21)

While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, His mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to Him.

Someone told Him, “Look, Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to You.”(e)

But Jesus replied, “Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?”

Pointing to His disciples, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers.

For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”

Footnotes

(a)12:4 Or the Bread of the Presence

(b)12:7 Hosea 6:6

(d)12:24 WH Beezeboul; Vulgate Beelzebub; also in verse 27

(e)12:47 WH does not include verse 47.

(1 Samuel 21:1–7; Mark 2:23–28; Luke 6:1–5)

At that time, Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the grain fields. His disciples were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.

But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, “Behold, your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”

But he said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him:

how he entered into God’s house and ate the show bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? (a)

Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?

But I tell you that one greater than the temple is here.

But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ (b) you wouldn’t have condemned the guiltless.

For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

(Mark 3:1–6; Luke 6:6–11)

He departed from there and went into their synagogue.

And behold, there was a man with a withered hand. They asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?” so that they might accuse him.

He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if this one falls into a pit on the Sabbath day, won’t he grab on to it and lift it out?

Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day.”

Then he told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out; and it was restored whole, just like the other.

But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how they might destroy him.

God’s Chosen Servant

(Isaiah 42:1–9)

Jesus, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Great multitudes followed him; and he healed them all,

and commanded them that they should not make him known,

that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,

“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit on him. He will proclaim justice to the nations.

He will not strive, nor shout, neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets.

He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a smoking flax, until he leads justice to victory.

In his name, the nations will hope.”(c)

A House Divided

(Mark 3:20–27; Luke 11:14–23)

Then one possessed by a demon, blind and mute, was brought to him; and he healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.

All the multitudes were amazed, and said, “Can this be the son of David?”

But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “This man does not cast out demons except by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.”

Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.

If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.

But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then God’s Kingdom has come upon you.

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

“He who is not with me is against me, and he who doesn’t gather with me, scatters.

The Unpardonable Sin

(Mark 3:28–30)

Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.

Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age, or in that which is to come.

Good and Bad Fruit

(Luke 6:43–45)

“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree corrupt and its fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by its fruit.

You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.

The good man out of his good treasure (d) brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil things.

I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.

For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

The Sign of Jonah

(Jonah 3:1–10; Luke 11:29–32)

Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”

But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet.

For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the huge fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, someone greater than Jonah is here.

The Queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, someone greater than Solomon is here.

An Unclean Spirit Returns

(Luke 11:24–26)

“When an unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest, and doesn’t find it.

Then he says, ‘I will return into my house from which I came;’ and when he has come back, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.

Then he goes and takes with himself seven other spirits more evil than he is, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first. Even so will it be also to this evil generation.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

(Mark 3:31–35; Luke 8:19–21)

While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.

One said to him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, seeking to speak to you.”

But he answered him who spoke to him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”

He stretched out his hand toward his disciples, and said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers!

For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

Footnotes

(a)12:4 ℘ 1Samuel 21:3-6

(b)12:7 ℘ Hosea 6:6

(d)12:35 TR adds “of the heart”