The Gospel According to St. Matthew

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: 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 corn on the sabbath: and his disciples being hungry, began to pluck the ears, and to eat.

And the Pharisees seeing them, said to him: Behold thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days.

But he said to them: Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and they that were with him:

How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the loaves of proposition, which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for them that were with him, but for the priests only?

Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple break the sabbath, and are without blame?

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

And if you knew what this meaneth: I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: you would never have condemned the innocent.

For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath.

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

(Mark 3:1–6; Luke 6:6–11)

And when he has passed from thence, he came into their synagogues.

And behold there was a man who had a withered hand, and they asked him, saying: Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.

But he said to them: What man shall there be among you, that hath one sheep: and if the same fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not take hold on it and lift it up?

How much better is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do a good deed on the sabbath days.

Then he saith to the man: Stretch forth thy hand; and he stretched it forth, and it was restored to health even as the other.

And the Pharisees going out made a consultation against him, how they might destroy him.

God’s Chosen Servant

(Isaiah 42:1–9)

But Jesus knowing it, retired from thence: and many followed him, and he healed them all.

And he charged them that they should not make him known.

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaias the prophet, saying:

Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul hath been well pleased. I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

He shall not contend, nor cry out, neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

The bruised reed he shall not break: and smoking flax he shall not extinguish: till he send forth judgment unto victory.

And in his name the Gentiles shall hope.

A House Divided

(Mark 3:20–27; Luke 11:14–23)

Then was offered to him one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb: and he healed him, so that he spoke and saw.

And all the multitudes were amazed, and said: Is not this the son of David?

But the Pharisees hearing it, said: This man casteth not out the devils but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

And Jesus knowing their thoughts, said to them: Every kingdom divided against itself shall be made desolate: and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.

And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself: how then shall his kingdom stand?

And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.

But if I by the Spirit of God cast out devils, then is the kingdom of God come upon you.

Or how can any one enter into the house of the strong, and rifle his goods, unless he first bind the strong? and then he will rifle his house.

He that is not with me, is against me: and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth.

The Unpardonable Sin

(Mark 3:28–30)

Therefore I say to you: Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but the blasphemy of the Spirit shall not be forgiven.

And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but he that shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.

Good and Bad Fruit

(Luke 6:43–45)

Either make the tree good and its fruit good: or make the tree evil, and its fruit evil. For by the fruit the tree is known.

O generation of vipers, how can you speak good things, whereas you are evil? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

A good man out of a good treasure bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of an evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall render an account for it in the day of judgment.

For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

The Sign of Jonah

(Jonah 3:1–10; Luke 11:29–32)

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying: Master we would see a sign from thee.

Who answering said to them: An evil and adulterous generation seeketh a sign: and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

For as Jonas was in the whale’s belly three days and three nights: so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.

The men of Ninive shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they did penance at the preaching of Jonas. And behold a greater than Jonas here.

The queen of the south shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold a greater than Solomon here.

An Unclean Spirit Returns

(Luke 11:24–26)

And when an unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest, and findeth none.

Then he saith: I will return into my house from whence I came out. And coming he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

Then he goeth, and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is made worse than the first. So shall it be also to this wicked generation.

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

(Mark 3:31–35; Luke 8:19–21)

As he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold his mother and his brethren stood without, seeking to speak to him.

And one said unto him: Behold thy mother and thy brethren stand without, seeking thee.

But he answering him that told him, said: Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?

And stretching forth his hand towards his disciples, he said: Behold my mother and my brethren.

For whosoever shall do the will of my Father, that is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.

(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”