1About that time Jesus passed on the Sabbath through the wheatfields; and His disciples became hungry, and began to gather ears of wheat and eat them. 2But the Pharisees saw it and said to Him, »Look! your disciples are doing what the Law forbids them to do on the Sabbath.« 3»Have you never read,« He replied, »what David did when he and his men were hungry? 4how he entered the House of God and ate the Presented Loaves, which it was not lawful for him or his men to eat, nor for any except the priests? 5And have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the Temple break the Sabbath without incurring guilt? 6But I tell you that there is here that which is greater than the Temple. 7And if you knew what this means, `It is mercy I desire, not sacrifice', you would not have condemned those who are without guilt. 8For the Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath.« 9Departing thence He went to their synagogue, 10where there was a man with a shrivelled arm. And they questioned Him, »Is it right to cure people on the Sabbath?« Their intention was to bring a charge against Him. 11»Which of you is there,« He replied, »who, if he has but a single sheep and it falls into a hole on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? 12Is not a man, however, far superior to a sheep? Therefore it is right to do good on the Sabbath.« 13Then He said to the man, »Stretch out your arm.« And he stretched it out, and it was restored quite sound like the other. 14But the Pharisees after leaving the synagogue consulted together against Him, how they might destroy Him. 15Aware of this, Jesus departed elsewhere; and a great number of people followed Him, all of whom He cured. 16But He gave them strict injunctions not to blaze abroad His doings, 17that those words of the Prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled, 18»This is My servant whom I have chosen, My dearly loved One in whom My soul takes pleasure. I will put My spirit upon Him, and He will announce justice to the nations. 19He will not wrangle or raise His voice, nor will His voice be heard in the broadways. 20A crushed reed He will not utterly break, nor will He quench the still smouldering wick, until He has led on Justice to victory. 21And on His name shall the nations rest their hopes.« 22At that time a demoniac was brought to Him, blind and dumb; and He cured him, so that the dumb man could speak and see. 23And the crowds of people were all filled with amazement and said, »Can this be the Son of David?« 24The Pharisees heard it and said, »This man only expels demons by the power of Baal-zebul, the Prince of demons.« 25Knowing their thoughts He said to them, »Every kingdom in which civil war has raged suffers desolation; and every city or house in which there is internal strife will be brought low. 26And if Satan is expelling Satan, he has begun to make war on himself: how therefore shall his kingdom last? 27And if it is by Baal-zebul's power that I expel the demons, by whose power do your disciples expel them? They therefore shall be your judges. 28But if it is by the power of the Spirit of God that I expel the demons, it is evident that the Kingdom of God has come upon you. 29Again, how can any one enter the house of a strong man and carry off his goods, unless first of all he masters and secures the strong man: then he will ransack his house. 30»The man who is not with me is against me, and he who is not gathering with me is scattering abroad. 31This is why I tell you that men may find forgiveness for every other sin and impious word, but that for impious speaking against the Holy Spirit they shall find no forgiveness. 32And whoever shall speak against the Son of Man may obtain forgiveness; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, neither in this nor in the coming age shall he obtain forgiveness.« 33»Either grant the tree to be wholesome and its fruit wholesome, or the tree poisonous and its fruit poisonous; for the tree is known by its fruit. 34O vipers' brood, how can you speak what is good when you are evil? For it is from the overflow of the heart that the mouth speaks. 35A good man from his good store produces good things, and a bad man from his bad store produces bad things. 36But I tell you that for every careless word that men shall speak they will be held accountable on the day of Judgement. 37For each of you by his words shall be justified, or by his words shall be condemned.« 38Then He was accosted by some of the Scribes and of the Pharisees who said, »Teacher, we wish to see a sign given by you.« 39»Wicked and faithless generation!« He replied, »they clamour for a sign, but none shall be given to them except the sign of the Prophet Jonah. 40For just as Jonah was three days in the sea-monster's belly, so will the Son of Man be three days in the heart of the earth. 41There will stand up men of Nineveh at the Judgement together with the present generation, and will condemn it; because they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and mark! there is One greater than Jonah here. 42The Queen of the south will awake at the Judgement together with the present generation, and will condemn it; because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and mark! there is One greater than Solomon here. 43»No sooner however has the foul spirit gone out of the man, then he roams about in places where there is no water, seeking rest but finding none. 44Then he says, `I will return to my house that I left;' and he comes and finds it unoccupied, swept clean, and in good order. 45Then he goes and brings back with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they come in and dwell there; and in the end that man's condition becomes worse than it was at first. So will it be also with the present wicked generation.« 46While He was still addressing the people His mother and His brothers were standing on the edge of the crowd desiring to speak to Him. 47So some one told Him, »Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and desire to speak to you.« 48»Who is my mother?« He said to the man; »and who are my brothers?« 49And pointing to His disciples He added, »See here are my mother and my brothers. 50To obey my Father who is in Heaven–that is to be my brother and my sister and my mother.«