Matthew 12:1-27 ▼

1 In that time Jesus went in the sabbaths through the standing corn and his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck the ears, end eat.

2 And the Pharisees, seeing, said to him, Behold, thy disciples do what is not lawful to do in the sabbath.

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

4 How he went into the house of God, and ate the loaves of setting up, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor those with him, but for the priests alone?

5 Or have ye not read in the law, that in the sabbaths, the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are innocent?

6 But I say to you, That he here is greater than the temple.

7 And if ye knew what it is, I will mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the innocent.

8 For the Lord of the sabbath is also the Son of man.

9 And having passed from thence, he went into their assembly;

10 And, behold, there was a man having the hand withered. And they asked him saying, Is it lawful to cure in the sabbaths? that they might expose him.

11 And he said to them, Which of you shall be the man who shall have one sheep, and if this should fall into a pit in the sabbaths, will he not take hold of it, and raise it up?

12 How much then does a man surpass a sheep? So that it is lawful to do well in the sabbaths.

13 Then says he to the man, Stretch out thy hand; and he stretched it out; and it was restored, sound as the other.

14 And the Pharisees took counsel against him, having gone out, that they might kill him.

15 And Jesus having known, withdrew from thence; and many crowds followed him, and he cured them all;

16 And he rebuked them that they should not make him known:

17 So that that spoken by the prophet Esaias might be completed, saying,

18 Behold my servant, which I have chosen: my dearly beloved, in whom my soul was contented; I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall proclaim judgment to the nations.

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

20 He shall not break a bruised reed, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he should draw forth judgment to victory.

21 And in his name shall the nations hope.

22 Then he possessed with a demon, blind, and dumb, was brought to him; and he cured him, so that the blind and dumb spake and saw also.

23 And all the crowds were affected, and said, Is not this the son of David?

24 But the Pharisees, having heard, said, He casts not out demons, but by Beelzebub, ruler of demons.

25 And Jesus knowing their reflections, said to them, Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.

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

27 And I by Beelzebub cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast out? for this shall they be your judges.