Matthew
Chapter 12
1 1 At that time Jesus was going through a field of grain on the sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads 2 of grain and eat them.
那时，耶稣在安息日由麦田中经过：他的门徒饿了，开始掐麦穗吃。
2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, ＂See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the sabbath.＂
法利塞人一见，便对他说：“看，你的门徒作安息日不许作的事。”
3 He said to them, 3 ＂Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry,
耶稣对他们说：“你们没有念过：达味与那些同他一起的人，饥饿时，作了什么?
4 how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering, which neither he nor his companions but only the priests could lawfully eat?
他怎进了天主的殿，吃了供饼？这供饼原是不准他吃，也不准同他在一起的人吃，而是只许司祭吃的。
5 4 Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests serving in the temple violate the sabbath and are innocent?
或者你们在法律上没有念过：安息日，司祭在圣殿内违犯了安息日，也不算为罪过吗？
6 I say to you, something greater than the temple is here.
但我告诉你们：这里有比圣殿更大的。
7 5 If you knew what this meant,‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned these innocent men.
假如你们了解‘我喜欢仁爱胜过祭献’是什么，你们就决不会判断无罪的人了，
8 6 For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath.＂
因为人子是安息日的主。”
9 Moving on from there, he went into their synagogue.
耶稣就离开那里，进了他们的会堂。
10 And behold, there was a man there who had a withered hand. They questioned him, ＂Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath?＂ 7 so that they might accuse him.
看，那里有一个人，他的一只手干枯了，他们问耶稣说：“安息日许不许治病?”为的是要控告他。
11 8 He said to them, ＂Which one of you who has a sheep that falls into a pit on the sabbath will not take hold of it and lift it out?
耶稣对他们说：“你们中谁有一只羊，假如安息日掉在坑里，而不把它抓住，拉上来呢？
12 How much more valuable a person is than a sheep. So it is lawful to do good on the sabbath.＂
人比羊贵重得多了！所以，安息日是许可行善的。”
13 Then he said to the man, ＂Stretch out your hand.＂ He stretched it out, and it was restored as sound as the other.
于是给那人说：“伸出你的手来！”那人一伸出来，手就完好如初，同另一只手一样。
14 But the Pharisees 9 went out and took counsel against him to put him to death.
法利塞人出去，商讨怎么陷害耶稣，怎样除灭他。
15 10 11 When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place. Many (people) followed him, and he cured them all,
耶稣知道了，就离开那里；有许多人跟随他，他都治好了他们；
16 but he warned them not to make him known.
且警告他们不要将他传扬出去；
17 This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet:
这是为应验那藉依撒意亚先知所说的话：
18 ＂Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom I delight; I shall place my spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
‘看，我的仆人，他是我所拣选，我所钟爱的；他是我心灵所喜悦的；我要使我的神住在他身上，他必向外邦人传布真道。
19 He will not contend 12 or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
他不争辩，也不喧嚷，在街市上没有人听到他的声音；
20 A bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory.
已压破的芦苇，他不折断；将熄灭的灯心，他不吹灭，直到他使真道胜利。
21 And in his name the Gentiles will hope.＂ 13
外邦人将要期待他的名字。’
22 14 Then they brought to him a demoniac who was blind and mute. He cured the mute person so that he could speak and see. ｜
那时，有人给他领来一个又瞎又哑的附魔人，耶稣治好了他，以致这哑吧能说话，也能看见。
23 15 All the crowd was astounded, and said, ＂Could this perhaps be the Son of David?＂
群众都惊奇说：“莫非这人是达味之子吗？”
24 16 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, ＂This man drives out demons only by the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons.＂
法利塞人听了，说：“这人驱魔，无非是仗赖魔王贝耳则步。”
25 But he knew what they were thinking and said to them, 17 ＂Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and no town or house divided against itself will stand.
耶稣知道了他们的意念，就对他们说：“凡一国自相纷争，必成废墟；凡一城或一家自相纷争，必不得存立。
26 And if Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself; how, then, will his kingdom stand?
如果撒殚驱逐撒殚，是自相纷争，那么他的国如何能存立呢？
27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people 18 drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges.
如果我仗赖贝耳则步驱魔，你们的子弟是仗赖谁驱魔？为此，他们将是你们的裁判者。
28 19 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
如果我仗赖天主的神驱魔，那么，天主的国己来到你们中间了。
29 20 How can anyone enter a strong man's house and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.
或者，一个人如何能进入一个壮士的家，抢他的家具？除非先把壮士捆住，然后才抢他的家。
30 21 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
不随同我的，就是反对我；不与我收集的，就是分散。
31 Therefore, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit 22 will not be forgiven.
为此，我告诉你们：一切罪过和亵渎，人都可得赦免；但是亵渎圣神的罪，必不得赦免；
32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
凡出言干犯人子的，可得赦免；但出言干犯圣神的，在今世及来世，都不得赦免。”
33 ＂Either declare 23 the tree good and its fruit is good, or declare the tree rotten and its fruit is rotten, for a tree is known by its fruit.
你们或者说树好，它的果子也好；或者说树坏，它的果子也坏，因为由果子可认出树来。
34 24 You brood of vipers, how can you say good things when you are evil? For from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.
毒蛇的种类哪！你们既是恶的，怎能说出善来？因为心里充满什么，口里就说什么。
35 A good person brings forth good out of a store of goodness, but an evil person brings forth evil out of a store of evil.
善人从善库里，取出善来；恶人从恶库里，取出恶来。
36 25 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will render an account for every careless word they speak.
但我告诉你们：人所说的每句废话，在审判之日，都要交账，
37 By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.＂
因为凭你的话，要定你为义人；也凭你的话，要定你为罪人。”
38 26 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, ＂Teacher, 27 we wish to see a sign from you.＂
那时，有几个经师和法利塞人对耶稣说：“师傅，我们愿意你显示一个征兆给我们看。”
39 He said to them in reply, ＂An evil and unfaithful 28 generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.
他回答他们说：“邪恶淫乱的世代要求征兆，但除了约纳先知的征兆外，必不给它其它的征兆。
40 Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, 29 so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.
有如约纳曾在大鱼腹中三天三夜；同样，人子也要在地里三天三夜。
41 30 At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and there is something greater than Jonah here.
尼尼微人在审判时，将同这一代人起来，定他们的罪，因为尼尼微人因了约纳的宣讲而悔改了；看，这里有一位大于约纳的！
42 At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here.
南方的女王，在审判时，将同这一代人起来，而定他们的罪，因为她从地极而来，听撒罗满的智慧，看，这里有一位大于撒罗满的！
43 31 ＂When an unclean spirit goes out of a person it roams through arid regions searching for rest but finds none.
邪魔由人身上出来以后，走遍干旱之地，寻找一个安息之所，却没有寻着；
44 Then it says,‘I will return to my home from which I came.' But upon returning, it finds it empty, swept clean, and put in order.
他于是说：我要回到我出来的那间屋里去。他来到后，见里面空着，打扫干净，装饰整齐，
45 Then it goes and brings back with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they move in and dwell there; and the last condition of that person is worse than the first. Thus it will be with this evil generation.＂
就去，另外带了七个比他更恶的魔鬼来，进去，住在那里；那人末后的处境就比以前的更坏了。对这邪恶的世代也必是这样。”
46 32 While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers appeared outside, wishing to speak with him.
耶稣还同群众说话的时候，看，他的母亲和他的兄弟，站在外边，想要同他说话。
47 (Someone told him, ＂Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.＂) 33
有人告诉他说：“看！你的母亲同你的兄弟，站在外边，想要同你说话。”
48 But he said in reply to the one who told him, ＂Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?＂
他却回答那告诉他的人说：“谁是我的母亲？谁是我的兄弟？”
49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, ＂Here are my mother and my brothers.
遂伸出他的手，指着自己的门徒说：“看！我的母亲，我的兄弟！
50 For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.＂
不拘谁遵行我在天之父的意旨，他就是我的兄弟、姊妹和母亲。”
Footnotes(注解)
1 [1-14] Matthew here returns to the Marcan order that he left in Matthew 9:18. The two stories depend on Mark 2:23-28; 3:1-6 respectively, and are the only places in either gospel that deal explicitly with Jesus' attitude toward sabbath observance.
2 [1-2] The picking of the heads of grain is here equated with reaping, which was forbidden on the sabbath (Exodus 34:21).
3 [3-4] See 1 Sam 21:2-7. In the Marcan parallel (Mark 2:25-26) the high priest is called Abiathar, although in 1 Sam this action is attributed to Ahimelech. The Old Testament story is not about a violation of the sabbath rest; its pertinence to this dispute is that a violation of the law was permissible because of David's men being without food.
4 [5-6] This and the following argument (Matthew 12:7) are peculiar to Matthew. The temple service seems to be the changing of the showbread on the sabbath (Lev 24:8) and the doubling on the sabbath of the usual daily holocausts (Numbers 28:9-10). The argument is that the law itself requires work that breaks the sabbath rest, because of the higher duty of temple service. If temple duties outweigh the sabbath law, how much more does the presence of Jesus, with his proclamation of the kingdom (something greater than the temple), justify the conduct of his disciples.
5 [7] See the note on Matthew 9:13.
6 [8] The ultimate justification for the disciples' violation of the sabbath rest is that Jesus, the Son of Man, has supreme authority over the law.
Rabbinic tradition later than the gospels allowed relief to be given to a sufferer on the sabbath if life was in danger. This may also have been the view of Jesus' Pharisaic contemporaries. But the case here is not about one in danger of death.
8 [11] Matthew omits the question posed by Jesus in Mark 3:4 and substitutes one about rescuing a sheep on the sabbath, similar to that in Luke 14:5.
9 [14] See Mark 3:6. Here the plan to bring about Jesus' death is attributed to the Pharisees only. This is probably due to the situation of Matthew's church, when the sole opponents were the Pharisees.
10 [15-21] Matthew follows Mark 3:7-12 but summarizes his source in two verses (Matthew 12:15, 16) that pick up the withdrawal, the healings, and the command for silence. To this he adds a fulfillment citation from the first Servant Song (Isaiah 42:1-4) that does not correspond exactly to either the Hebrew or the LXX of that passage. It is the longest Old Testament citation in this gospel, emphasizing the meekness of Jesus, the Servant of the Lord, and foretelling the extension of his mission to the Gentiles.
11 [15] Jesus' knowledge of the Pharisees' plot and his healing all are peculiar to Matthew.
12 [19] The servant's not contending is seen as fulfilled in Jesus' withdrawal from the disputes narrated in Matthew 12:1-14.
13 [21] Except for a minor detail, Matthew here follows the LXX, although the meaning of the Hebrew (＂the coastlands will wait for his teaching＂) is similar.
14 [22-32] For the exorcism, see the note on Matthew 9:32-34. The long discussion combines Marcan and Q material (Mark 3:22-30; Luke 11:19-20, 23; 12:10). Mark 3:20-21 is omitted, with a consequent lessening of the sharpness of Matthew 12:48.
15 [23] See the note on Matthew 9:27.
16 [24] See the note on Matthew 10:25.
17 [25-26] Jesus' first response to the Pharisees' charge is that if it were true, Satan would be destroying his own kingdom.
18 [27] Besides pointing out the absurdity of the charge, Jesus asks how the work of Jewish exorcists (your own people) is to be interpreted. Are they, too, to be charged with collusion with Beelzebul? For an example of Jewish exorcism see Josephus, Antiquities 8,2,5, 42-49.
19 [28] The Q parallel (Luke 11:20) speaks of the ＂finger＂ rather than of the ＂spirit＂ of God. While the difference is probably due to Matthew's editing, he retains the kingdom of God rather than changing it to his usual ＂kingdom of heaven.＂ Has come upon you: see Matthew 4:17.
20 [29] A short parable illustrates what Jesus is doing. The strong man is Satan, whom Jesus has tied up and whose house he is plundering. Jewish expectation was that Satan would be chained up in the last days (Rev 20:2); Jesus' exorcisms indicate that those days have begun.
21 [30] This saying, already attached to the preceding verses in Q (see Luke 11:23), warns that there can be no neutrality where Jesus is concerned. Its pertinence in a context where Jesus is addressing not the neutral but the bitterly opposed is not clear. The accusation of scattering, however, does fit the situation. Jesus is the shepherd of God's people (Matthew 2:6), his mission is to the lost sheep of Israel (Matthew 15:24); the Pharisees, who oppose him, are guilty of scattering the sheep.
22 [31] Blasphemy against the Spirit: the sin of attributing to Satan (Matthew 12:24) what is the work of the Spirit of God (Matthew 12:28).
23 [33] Declare: literally, ＂make.＂ The meaning of this verse is obscure. Possibly it is a challenge to the Pharisees either to declare Jesus and his exorcisms good or both of them bad. A tree is known by its fruit; if the fruit is good, so must the tree be. If the driving out of demons is good, so must its source be.
24 [34] The admission of Jesus' goodness cannot be made by the Pharisees, for they are evil, and the words that proceed from their evil hearts cannot be good.
25 [36-37] If on the day of judgment people will be held accountable for even their careless words, the vicious accusations of the Pharisees will surely lead to their condemnation.
26 [38-42] This section is mainly from Q (see Luke 11:29-32). Mark 8:11-12, which Matthew has followed in Matthew 16:1-4, has a similar demand for a sign. The scribes and Pharisees refuse to accept the exorcisms of Jesus as authentication of his claims and demand a sign that will end all possibility of doubt. Jesus' response is that no such sign will be given. Because his opponents are evil and see him as an agent of Satan, nothing will convince them.
27 [38] Teacher: see the note on Matthew 8:19. In Matthew 16:1 the request is for a sign ＂from heaven＂ (Mark 8:11).
28 [39] Unfaithful: literally, ＂adulterous.＂ The covenant between God and Israel was portrayed as a marriage bond, and unfaithfulness to the covenant as adultery; cf Hosea 2:4-14; Jeremiah 3:6-10.
29 [40] See Jonah 2:1. While in Q the sign was simply Jonah's preaching to the Ninevites (Luke 11:30, 32), Matthew here adds Jonah's sojourn in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights, a prefigurement of Jesus' sojourn in the abode of the dead and, implicitly, of his resurrection.
30 [41-42] The Ninevites who repented (see Jonah 3:1-10) and the queen of the south (i.e., of Sheba; see 1 Kings 10:1-13) were pagans who responded to lesser opportunities than have been offered to Israel in the ministry of Jesus, something greater than Jonah or Solomon. At the final judgment they will condemn the faithless generation that has rejected him.
31 [43-45] Another Q passage; cf Matthew 11:24-26. Jesus' ministry has broken Satan's hold over Israel, but the refusal of this evil generation to accept him will lead to a worse situation than what preceded his coming.
32 [46-50] See Mark 3:31-35. Matthew has omitted Mark 3:20-21 which is taken up in Mark 3:31 (see the note on Matthew 12:22-32), yet the point of the story is the same in both gospels: natural kinship with Jesus counts for nothing; only one who does the will of his heavenly Father belongs to his true family.
33 [47] This verse is omitted in some important textual witnesses, including Codex Sinaiticus (original reading) and Codex Vaticanus.