New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the sabbath; his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.
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At that time Jesus went through the fields on the Sabbath day; and his disciples, being in need of food, were taking the heads of grain.
2 When the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the sabbath."
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But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, See, your disciples do that which it is not right to do on the Sabbath.
3 He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?
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But he said to them, Have you no knowledge of what David did when he had need of food, and those who were with him?
4 He entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests.
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How he went into the house of God and took for food the holy bread which it was not right for him or for those who were with him to take, but only for the priests?
5 Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests in the temple break the sabbath and yet are guiltless?
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Or is it not said in the law, how the Sabbath is broken by the priests in the Temple and they do no wrong?
6 I tell you, something greater than the temple is here.
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But I say to you that a greater thing than the Temple is here.
7 But if you had known what this means, "I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless.
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But if these words had been in your minds, My desire is for mercy and not for offerings, you would not have been judging those who have done no wrong.
8 For the Son of Man is lord of the sabbath."
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For the Son of man is lord of the Sabbath.
9 He left that place and entered their synagogue;
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And he went from there into their Synagogue:
10 a man was there with a withered hand, and they asked him, "Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath?" so that they might accuse him.
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And there was a man with a dead hand. And they put a question to him, saying, Is it right to make a man well on the Sabbath day? so that they might have something against him.
11 He said to them, "Suppose one of you has only one sheep and it falls into a pit on the sabbath; will you not lay hold of it and lift it out?
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And he said to them, Which of you, having a sheep, if it gets into a hole on the Sabbath day, will not put out a helping hand and get it back?
12 How much more valuable is a human being than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the sabbath."
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Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! For this reason it is right to do good on the Sabbath day.
13 Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and it was restored, as sound as the other.
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Then said he to the man, Put out your hand. And he put it out, and it was made as well as the other.
14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.
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But the Pharisees went out and made designs against him, how they might put him to death.
15 When Jesus became aware of this, he departed. Many crowds followed him, and he cured all of them,
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And Jesus, having knowledge of this, went away from there, and a great number went after him; and he made them all well,
16 and he ordered them not to make him known.
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Ordering them not to give people word of him:
17 This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
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So that what was said by Isaiah the prophet might come true,
18 "Here is my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved, with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
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See my servant, the man of my selection, my loved one in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my Spirit on him, and he will make my decision clear to the Gentiles.
19 He will not wrangle or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
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His coming will not be with fighting or loud cries; and his voice will not be lifted up in the streets.
20 He will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick until he brings justice to victory.
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The crushed stem will not be broken by him; and the feebly burning light will he not put out, till he has made righteousness overcome all.
21 And in his name the Gentiles will hope."
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And in his name will the Gentiles put their hope.
22 Then they brought to him a demoniac who was blind and mute; and he cured him, so that the one who had been mute could speak and see.
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Then they took to him one with an evil spirit, who was blind and had no power of talking: and he made him well so that he had the power of talking and seeing.
23 All the crowds were amazed and said, "Can this be the Son of David?"
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And all the people were surprised and said, Is not this the Son of David?
24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "It is only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons, that this fellow casts out the demons."
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But the Pharisees, hearing of it, said, This man only sends evil spirits out of men by Beelzebub, the ruler of evil spirits.
25 He knew what they were thinking and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.
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And having knowledge of their thoughts he said to them, Every kingdom having division in itself is made waste, and every town or house having division in itself will come to destruction.
26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?
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And if Satan sends out Satan, he makes war against himself; how then will he keep his kingdom?
27 If I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.
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And if I by Beelzebub send evil spirits out of men, by whom do your sons send them out? So let them be your judges.
28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you.
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But if I by the Spirit of God send out evil spirits, then is the kingdom of God come on you.
29 Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his property, without first tying up the strong man? Then indeed the house can be plundered.
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Or how may one go into a strong man's house and take his goods, if he does not first put cords round the strong man? and then he may take his goods.
30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
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Whoever is not with me is against me; and he who does not take part with me in getting people together, is driving them away.
31 Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
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So I say to you, Every sin and every evil word against God will have forgiveness; but for evil words against the Spirit there will be no forgiveness.
32 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.
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And whoever says a word against the Son of man, will have forgiveness; but whoever says a word against the Holy Spirit, will not have forgiveness in this life or in that which is to come.
33 "Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit.
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Make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for by its fruit you will get knowledge of the tree.
34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good things, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
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You offspring of snakes, how are you, being evil, able to say good things? because out of the heart's store come the words of the mouth.
35 The good person brings good things out of a good treasure, and the evil person brings evil things out of an evil treasure.
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The good man out of his good store gives good things; and the evil man out of his evil store gives evil things.
36 I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter;
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And I say to you that in the day when they are judged, men will have to give an account of every foolish word they have said.
37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
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For by your words will your righteousness be seen, and by your words you will be judged.
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you."
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Then some of the scribes and Pharisees, hearing this, said to him, Master, we are looking for a sign from you.
39 But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
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But he, answering, said to them, An evil and false generation is looking for a sign; and no sign will be given to it but the sign of the prophet Jonah:
40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so for three days and three nights the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth.
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For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the stomach of the great fish, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
41 The people of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and see, something greater than Jonah is here!
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The men of Nineveh will come up in the day of judging and give their decision against this generation: because they were turned from their sins at the preaching of Jonah; and now a greater than Jonah is here.
42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and see, something greater than Solomon is here!
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The queen of the South will come up in the day of judging and give her decision against this generation: for she came from the ends of the earth to give ear to the wisdom of Solomon; and now a greater than Solomon is here.
43 "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but it finds none.
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But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of a man, goes through dry places looking for rest, and getting it not.
44 Then it says, "I will return to my house from which I came.' When it comes, it finds it empty, swept, and put in order.
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Then he says, I will go back into my house from which I came out; and when he comes, he sees that there is no one in it, but that it has been made fair and clean.
45 Then it goes and brings along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So will it be also with this evil generation."
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Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits worse than himself, and they go in and make it their living-place: and the last condition of that man is worse than the first. Even so will it be with this evil generation.
46 While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, wanting to speak to him.
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While he was still talking to the people, his mother and his brothers came, desiring to have talk with him.
47 Someone told him, "Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you."
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And one said to him, See, your mother and your brothers are outside, desiring to have talk with you.
48 But to the one who had told him this, Jesus replied, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?"
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But he in answer said to him who gave the news, Who is my mother and who are my brothers?
49 And pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers!
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And he put out his hand to his disciples and said, See, my mother and my brothers!
50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."
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For whoever does the pleasure of my Father in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.