Matthew

At that time Jesus 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.

1One Sabbath day, Jesus walked through some grain fields. His disciples were hungry, so they began to pick heads of grain and eat them.

NoteIn the KJV, "corn" means grain of any kind, such as wheat or barley. It does not mean corn on the cob.

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

2Some Pharisees saw it and said to Jesus, "Look! Your disciples are doing something the law does not allow on the Sabbath."

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

3Jesus answered them, "Have you never read what David did when he and the men with him were hungry?

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

4He went into the house of God and ate the holy bread that was set out there. The law said only the priests could eat it, not David or his men.

NoteThis bread was placed in God's house as an offering. Priests ate it after it was taken down. It is sometimes called "showbread."

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

5Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests work in the temple? They break the Sabbath rest, and yet they are not guilty.

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

6But I tell you, someone greater than the temple is here.

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

7God said, 'I want mercy, not sacrifices.' If you understood that, you would not have blamed men who did nothing wrong.

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

8For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath too."

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

9Then Jesus left that place and went into their meeting house.

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

10A man was there whose hand was shriveled up. Hoping to accuse Jesus, they asked, "Does the law allow healing on the Sabbath?"

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

11Jesus said to them, "If one of you had a sheep, and it fell into a pit on the Sabbath, wouldn't you grab it and lift it out?

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

12And a person is worth far more than a sheep! So the law does allow you to do good on the Sabbath."

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

13Then he said to the man, "Hold out your hand." The man held it out, and it was made completely well, just like the other one.

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

14Then the Pharisees went outside and made a plan together to kill Jesus.

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

15Jesus knew what they were doing, so he left that place. Large crowds followed him, and he healed all of them.

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

16But he warned them not to tell others who he was.

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

17This happened so that what God said through the prophet Isaiah would come true:

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

18"Look at my servant, the one I have chosen. I love him, and he makes me glad. I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations.

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

19He will not argue or shout. No one will hear his voice raised in the streets.

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

20He will not break a bent reed or put out a candle wick that is barely burning, until he makes justice win.

21And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

21And the nations will put their hope in his name."

22Then 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.

22Then people brought Jesus a man who had a demon in him and could not see or speak. Jesus healed him, so he could speak and see.

NoteThe KJV word "dumb" here means unable to speak. It is not an insult about someone's intelligence.

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

23All the people were amazed and said, "Could this be the Son of David?"

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

24But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "This man only drives out demons by the power of Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons."

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

25Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, "A kingdom that fights against itself will fall. A city or family that splits apart will not last.

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

26If Satan drives out Satan, then he is fighting against himself. How could his kingdom last?

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

27And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, who gives your own people the power to drive them out? They will show you that you are wrong.

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

28But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.

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

29Think about it. No one can walk into a strong man's house and take his things unless he ties the man up first. Then he can take everything.

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

30Anyone who is not with me is against me. Anyone who does not gather with me is scattering things apart.

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

31So I tell you, people can be forgiven for every sin and every insult against God. But speaking against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

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

32Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, now or ever.

33Either 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.

33A good tree grows good fruit, and a bad tree grows bad fruit. You can tell what a tree is by the fruit it makes.

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

34You are a family of snakes! You are evil, so how can you say anything good? People say what is filling up their hearts.

35A good 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.

35A good person stores up good inside and brings good things out. An evil person stores up evil and brings evil things out.

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

36I tell you, on the day God judges, people will have to answer for every careless word they have spoken.

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

37Your own words will show that you are right, or your own words will show that you are guilty."

38Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.

38Then some teachers of the law and some Pharisees said to him, "Teacher, we want you to show us a miracle as proof."

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

39Jesus answered, "Evil people who have turned away from God keep asking for a sign. The only sign they will get is the sign of the prophet Jonah.

40For 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.

40Jonah was inside the great fish for three days and three nights. In the same way, the Son of Man will be deep inside the earth for three days and three nights.

41The 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 greater than Jonas is here.

41The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment and show that this generation is guilty. They turned from their sins when Jonah preached, and someone greater than Jonah is here.

42The 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, a greater than Solomon is here.

42The queen of the south will stand up at the judgment and show that this generation is guilty. She traveled from far away to hear Solomon's wisdom, and someone greater than Solomon is here.

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

43When an evil spirit leaves a person, it travels through dry, empty places looking for a place to rest, but it finds none.

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

44Then it says, 'I will go back to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house empty, swept, and neatly arranged.

Note"Garnished" in the KJV means put in order or tidied up, not decorated with food.

45Then 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.

45So it goes and brings seven other spirits even worse than itself, and they all move in and stay. Then the person is worse off than before. That is what will happen to these evil people."

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

46While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside. They wanted to speak with him.

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

47Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside. They want to speak with you."

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

48But Jesus answered the man who told him, "Who is my mother? And who are my brothers?"

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

49Then he reached out his hand toward his disciples and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers!

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

50Anyone who does what my Father in heaven wants is my brother, my sister, and my mother."