Self-interpreting Bible

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Matthew 12

1Christ bringeth evidence of scripture in excuse of his disciples, whom the Pharisees charged with breaking the sabbath. 9He appealeth to reason, and healeth the withered hand on the sabbath day. 14The Pharisees seek to destroy him: a prophecy of Esaias fulfilled in him. 22He healeth one possessed of a devil, who was blind and dumb; 24and showeth that blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is an unpardonable sin, and that every idle word must be accounted for: 38he rebuketh those that sought of him a sign, 46and showeth whom he regardeth as his nearest relations.

1 AT that time aJesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were *an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.

2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, bBehold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read cwhat David did, when he was *an hungred, and they that were with him;

4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat dthe shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, ebut only for the priests?

5 Or have ye not read in the law, fhow that on the sabbath days the gpriests in the temple *profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

6 But I say unto you, That hin this place is one greater than the temple.

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

8 For the jSon of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

9 kAnd when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:

10 ¶And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, lIs it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.

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

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

    13 Then saith he to the man, nStretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

    14 ¶Then the Pharisees went out, and 1held a council against him, how they might destroy him.

    15 But when oJesus knew it, phe withdrew himself from thence: and qgreat multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;

    16 rAnd charged them that they should not make him known:

    17 That sit might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

    18 tBehold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: uI will put my spirit upon him, and he shall vshew judgment to the Gentiles.

    19 wHe shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

    20 xA bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

    21 yAnd in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

    22 ¶zThen was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.

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

    24 bBut when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by 2Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

    25 And cJesus knew their thoughts, dand said unto them, eEvery kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

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

      27 And if I by 3Beelzebub cast out devils, fby whom do your children cast them out? gtherefore they shall be your judges.

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

      29 iOr else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and jthen he will spoil his house.

      30 kHe that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

      31 ¶Wherefore I say unto you, lAll *manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy *Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

      32 And mwhosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy *Ghost, nit shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

      33 oEither make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

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

      35 A qgood 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.

      36 But I say unto you, rThat every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

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

      38 ¶tThen certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, uMaster, we would see a sign from thee.

      39 But he answered and said unto them, vAn evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

      40 wFor as Jonas 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.

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

      42 zThe 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, aa greater than Solomon is here.

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

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

      45 eThen 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 unto this wicked generation.

      46 ¶While he yet talked to the people, fbehold, his mother and his brethren stood *without, desiring to speak with him.

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

      • *: without-outside.

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

        49 And he stretched forth his hand toward ghis disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

        50 hFor whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.