The Lord of the Sabbath
(Mark 2:23–28; Luke 6:1–5)

1At that time Jesus was going, on the Sabbath, through the fields of grain; and his disciples were hungry, and began to pull the ears of grain, and to eat. 2But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him: Behold, your disciples are doing what it is not lawful to do on the Sabbath. 3But he said to them: Have you not read what David did, when he and those who were with him were hungry? 4how he entered the house of God, and ate the loaves of the presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but for the priests only? 5Or, have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath-days the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? 6But I say to you, that something greater than the temple is here. 7But if you had known what this means?I desire mercy, and not sacrifice?you would not have condemned the blameless.

8For the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath.

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath
(Mark 3:1–6; Luke 6:6–11)

9And he departed thence, and went into their synagogue. 10And behold, a man was there that had a withered hand. And they asked him, saying: Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbath-days? that they might accuse him. 11And he said to them: What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if this fall into a pit on the Sabbath-day, will he not lay hold on it and lift it out? 12How much better, then, is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath-days. 13Then he said to the man: Stretch forth your hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored to soundness, like the other. 14But the Pharisees went out and took counsel against him, that they might destroy him.

God’s Chosen Servant

15But Jesus perceived it, and withdrew from that place. And many multitudes followed him, and he cured them all. 16And he charged them not to make him known; 17that the word might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

18Be hold, my servant whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul delights. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he shall declare law to the Gentiles.

19He shall not contend, nor cry out; nor shall any one hear his voice in the streets.

20A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoking wick he shall not extinguish, till he shall send forth his law for conquest.

21And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

A House Divided
(Mark 3:20–27; Luke 11:14–23)

22Then was brought to him a demoniac, blind and dumb: and he cured him, so that the blind and dumb man both spoke and saw. 23And all the people were amazed, and said: Is not this the son of David? 24But the Pharisees, when they heard it, said: This man does not cast out the demons, unless by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.

25But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said to them: Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. And no city or house divided against itself shall stand. 26And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand? 27And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason, they shall be your judges. 28But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has already come upon you. 29Or, how can any one enter the house of the strong man and spoil his goods, unless he first bind the strong man? and then he will plunder his house.

30He that is not with me, is against me; and he that gathers not with me, scatters.

The Unpardonable Sin
(Mark 3:28–30)

31Therefore I say to you, That every sin and impious speech shall be forgiven men: but the impious speech against the Spirit shall not be forgiven men. 32And whoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be for given him, either in the present age, or in that which is to come.

Good and Bad Fruit
(Luke 6:43–45)

33Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree unsound, and its fruit unsound. For by the fruit the tree is known. 34Generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. 35The good man, out of his good treasury, brings forth good things; and the evil man, out of his evil treasury, brings forth evil things. 36But I say to you, That for every idle word which men speak, they shall give account in the day of judgment. 37For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.

The Sign of Jonah
(Luke 11:29–32)

38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered and said: Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you. 39But he answered and said to them: A wicked and adulterous generation seeks for a sign; and no sign shall be given to it, but the sign of Jonah the prophet. 40For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41Tho men of Nineveh shall rise in the judgment with this generation, and condemn it; for they repented in accordance with the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. 42The queen of the south shall rise in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it; for she came from the most distant parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.

An Unclean Spirit Returns
(Luke 11:24–26)

43When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he goes through dry places seeking rest, and finds none. 44Then he says: I will return to my house, out of which I came. And he comes and finds it empty, swept, and set in order. 45Then he goes and takes 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. So shall it be with this wicked generation.

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers
(Mark 3:31–35; Luke 8:19–21)

46While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood without, desiring to speak to him. 47And some one said to him: Behold, your mother and your brothers stand without, desiring to speak to you. 48But he answered and said to him that told him: Who is my mother? and who are my brothers? 49And he stretched out his hand toward his disciples, and said: Behold my mother and my brothers. 50For whoever will do the will of my Father who is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.