Chapter 12

At that time Jesus went through the standing grain on the Sabbath; and his disciples being hungry began to pluck ears of grain and to eat.

But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, "Thy disciples are doing what is not lawful for them to do on the Sabbath."

But he said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he and those with him were hungry?

how he entered the house of God, and ate the loaves of proposition which neither he nor those with him could lawfully eat, but only the priests?

Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath days the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are guiltless?

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

But if you knew what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, ' you would never have condemned the innocent;

for the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." A Man with a Withered Hand

And when he had passed on from that place he entered their synagogue.

And behold, a man with a withered hand was there. And they asked him, saying, "Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbath?" that they might accuse him.

But he said to them, "What man is there among you who, if he has a single sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out?

How much better is a man than a sheep! Therefore, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

Then he said to the man, "Stretch forth thy hand." And he stretched it forth, and it was restored, as sound as the other.

But the Pharisees went out and took counsel against him, how they might do away with him. The Mercy of Jesus

Then, knowing this, Jesus withdrew from the place; and many followed him and he cured them all,

and warned them not to make him known;

that what was spoken through Isaias the prophet might be fulfilled, who said,

"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 will declare judgment to the Gentiles.

He will not wrangle, nor cry aloud, neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets.

A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoking wick he will not quench, Till he send forth judgment unto victory;

and in his name will the Gentiles hope." Blasphemy of the Pharisees

Then there was brought to him a possessed man who was blind and dumb; and he cured him so that he spoke and saw.

And all the crowds were amazed, and they said, "Can this be the Son of David? "

But the Pharisees, hearing this, said, "This man does not cast out devils except by Beelzebub, the prince of devils."

And 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.

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

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

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

Or, how can anyone enter the strong man's house, and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then he will plunder his house.

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

"Therefore I say to you, that every kind of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven to men; but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this world or in the world to come.

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

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

The good man from his good treasure brings forth good things; and the evil man from his evil treasure brings forth evil things.

But I tell you, that of every idle word men speak, they shall give account on the day of judgment.

For by thy words thou wilt be justified, and by thy words thou wilt be condemned." The Sign of Jonas

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

But he answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, and no sign shall be given it but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

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

The men of Nineve will rise up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonas, and behold, a greater than Jonas 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, a greater than Solomon is here.

"But when the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he roams through dry places in search of rest, and finds none.

Then he says, 'I will return to my house which I left'; and when he has come to it, he finds the place unoccupied, swept and decorated.

Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. So shall it be with this evil generation also." Jesus and His Brethren

While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brethren were standing outside, seeking to speak to him.

And someone said to him, "Behold, thy mother and thy brethren are standing outside, seeking thee."

But he answered and said to him who told him, "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 whoever does the will of my Father in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother."