Chapter 12

  At that time Jesus went on the sabbath through the corn, and his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.  

  But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, Behold, thy disciples do that which it is not lawful to do on the sabbath.  

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

  How he entered into the house of God, and ate the show-bread, which it was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them who were with him, but only for the priests?  

  Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?  

  But I say to you, that in this place is one greater than the temple.  

  But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.  

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

  And when he had departed thence, he went into their synagogue.  

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

  And he said to them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it shall fall into a pit on the sabbath, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?  

  How much then is a man better than a sheep? wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.  

  Then saith he to the man, Stretch out thy hand. And he stretched it out; and it was restored to a sound state like the other.  

  Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.  

  But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all.  

  And charged them that they should not make him known:  

  That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by 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 upon him, and he shall show judgment to the Gentiles.  

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

  A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he shall send forth judgment to victory.  

  And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.  

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

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

  But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This man doth not cast out demons, but by Beelzebub the prince of the demons.  

  And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them, Every kingdom divided against itself, is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself, shall not stand.  

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

  And if I by Beelzebub cast out demons, by whom do your children expel them? therefore they shall be your judges.  

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

  Or else, how can one enter into a strong man's house, and seize his goods, except he shall first bind the strong man? and then he will plunder his house.  

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

  Wherefore I say to you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven to men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven to men.  

  And whoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whoever speaketh against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.  

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

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

  A good man, out of the good treasure of the heart, bringeth forth good things: and an evil man, out of the evil treasure, bringeth forth evil things.  

  But I say to you, That for every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account in the day of judgment.  

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

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

  But he answered and said to them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh for a sign, and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah.  

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

  The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here.  

  The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here.  

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

  Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.  

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

  While he was yet speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.  

  Then one said to him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.  

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

  And he stretched forth his hand towards his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!  

  For whoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.