---
title: "Matthew 12 – Catholic Bible (CPDV) & Latin Vulgate · Bless"
url: https://blessbible.app/bible/matthew/12/
description: "Christ reproves the blindness of the Pharisees, and confutes their attributing… Matthew 12 in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin Vulgate."
---

# Matthew 12

Matthew 12 is chapter 12 of 28 in the Gospel of Matthew. Here are all 50 verses in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin of the Clementine Vulgate beside them.

> Christ reproves the blindness of the Pharisees, and confutes their attributing his miracles to Satan.
>
> — Bp. Richard Challoner, chapter summary

## Matthew 12 (Catholic Public Domain Version)

1. At that time, Jesus went out through the ripe grain on the Sabbath. And his disciples, being hungry, began to separate the grain and to eat.
2. Then the Pharisees, seeing this, said to him, “Behold, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbaths.”
3. But he said to them: “Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him:
4. how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?
5. Or have you not read in the law, that on the Sabbaths the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath, and they are without guilt?
6. But I say to you, that something greater than the temple is here.
7. And if you knew what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would never have condemned the innocent.
8. For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
9. And when he had passed from there, he went into their synagogues.
10. And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand, and they questioned him, so that they might accuse him, saying, “Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbaths?”
11. But he said to them: “Who is there among you, having even one sheep, if it will have fallen into a pit on the Sabbath, would not take hold of it and lift it up?
12. How much better is a man than a sheep? And so, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbaths.”
13. Then he said to the man, “Extend your hand.” And he extended it, and it was restored to health, just like the other one.
14. Then the Pharisees, departing, took council against him, as to how they might destroy him.
15. But Jesus, knowing this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he cured them all.
16. And he instructed them, lest they make him known.
17. Then what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah was fulfilled, saying:
18. “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I will place my Spirit over him, and he shall announce judgment to the nations.
19. He shall not contend, nor cry out, neither shall anyone hear his voice in the streets.
20. He shall not crush the bruised reed, and he shall not extinguish the smoking wick, until he sends forth judgment unto victory.
21. And the Gentiles shall hope in his name.”
22. Then one who had a demon, who was blind and mute, was brought to him. And he cured him, so that he spoke and saw.
23. And all the crowds were stupefied, and they said, “Could this be the son of David?”
24. But the Pharisees, hearing it, said, “This man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebub, the prince of the demons.”
25. But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself will become desolate. And every city or house divided against itself will not stand.
26. So if Satan casts out Satan, then he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
27. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your own sons cast them out? Therefore, they shall be your judges.
28. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has arrived among you.
29. Or how can anyone enter into the house of a strong man, and plunder his belongings, unless he first restrains the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.
30. Whoever is not with me, is against me. And whoever does not gather with me, scatters.
31. For this reason, I say to you: Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.
32. And anyone who will have spoken a word against the Son of man shall be forgiven. But whoever will have spoken against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven, neither in this age, nor in the future age.
33. Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree evil and its fruit evil. For certainly a tree is known by its fruit.
34. Progeny of vipers, how are you able to speak good things while you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
35. A good man offers good things from a good storehouse. And an evil man offers evil things from an evil storehouse.
36. But I say to you, that for every idle word which men will have spoken, they shall render an account in the day of judgment.
37. For by your words shall you be justified, and by your words shall you be condemned.”
38. Then certain ones from the scribes and the Pharisees responded to him, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
39. And answering, he said to them: “An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign. But a sign will not be given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
40. For just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights, so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
41. The men of Nineveh shall arise in judgment with this generation, and they shall condemn it. For, at the preaching of Jonah, they repented. And behold, there is a greater than Jonah here.
42. The Queen of the South shall arise in judgment with this generation, and she shall condemn it. For she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And behold, there is a greater than Solomon here.
43. Now when an unclean spirit departs from a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, and he does not find it.
44. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house, from which I departed’. And arriving, he finds it vacant, swept clean, and decorated.
45. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and live there. And in the end, the man becomes worse than he was at first. So, too, shall it be with this most wicked generation.”
46. While he was still speaking to the crowds, behold, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak with him.
47. And someone said to him: “Behold, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, seeking you.”
48. But responding to the one speaking to him, he said, “Which one is my mother, and who are my brothers?”
49. And extending his hand to his disciples, he said: “Behold: my mother and my brothers.
50. For anyone who does the will of my Father, who is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

## Matthew 12 in Latin (Clementine Vulgate, 1592)

1. In illo tempore abiit Jesus per sata sabbato: discipuli autem ejus esurientes cœperunt vellere spicas, et manducare.
2. Pharisæi autem videntes, dixerunt ei: Ecce discipuli tui faciunt quod non licet facere sabbatis.
3. At ille dixit eis: Non legistis quid fecerit David, quando esuriit, et qui cum eo erant:
4. quomodo intravit in domum Dei, et panes propositionis comedit, quos non licebat ei edere, neque his qui cum eo erant, nisi solis sacerdotibus?
5. aut non legistis in lege quia sabbatis sacerdotes in templo sabbatum violant, et sine crimine sunt?
6. Dico autem vobis, quia templo major est hic.
7. Si autem sciretis, quid est: Misericordiam volo, et non sacrificium: numquam condemnassetis innocentes:
8. dominus enim est Filius hominis etiam sabbati.
9. Et cum inde transisset, venit in synagogam eorum.
10. Et ecce homo manum habens aridam, et interrogabant eum, dicentes: Si licet sabbatis curare? ut accusarent eum.
11. Ipse autem dixit illis: Quis erit ex vobis homo, qui habeat ovem unam, et si ceciderit hæc sabbatis in foveam, nonne tenebit et levabit eam?
12. Quanto magis melior est homo ove? itaque licet sabbatis benefacere.
13. Tunc ait homini: Extende manum tuam. Et extendit, et restituta est sanitati sicut altera.
14. Exeuntes autem pharisæi, consilium faciebant adversus eum, quomodo perderent eum.
15. Jesus autem sciens recessit inde: et secuti sunt eum multi, et curavit eos omnes:
16. et præcepit eis ne manifestum eum facerent.
17. Ut adimpleretur quod dictum est per Isaiam prophetam, dicentem:
18. Ecce puer meus, quem elegi, dilectus meus, in quo bene complacuit animæ meæ. Ponam spiritum meum super eum, et judicium gentibus nuntiabit.
19. Non contendet, neque clamabit, neque audiet aliquis in plateis vocem ejus:
20. arundinem quassatam non confringet, et linum fumigans non extinguet, donec ejiciat ad victoriam judicium:
21. et in nomine ejus gentes sperabunt.
22. Tunc oblatus est ei dæmonium habens, cæcus, et mutus, et curavit eum ita ut loqueretur, et videret.
23. Et stupebant omnes turbæ, et dicebant: Numquid hic est filius David?
24. Pharisæi autem audientes, dixerunt: Hic non ejicit dæmones nisi in Beelzebub principe dæmoniorum.
25. Jesus autem sciens cogitationes eorum, dixit eis: Omne regnum divisum contra se desolabitur: et omnis civitas vel domus divisa contra se, non stabit.
26. Et si Satanas Satanam ejicit, adversus se divisus est: quomodo ergo stabit regnum ejus?
27. Et si ego in Beelzebub ejicio dæmones, filii vestri in quo ejiciunt? ideo ipsi judices vestri erunt.
28. Si autem ego in Spiritu Dei ejicio dæmones, igitur pervenit in vos regnum Dei.
29. Aut quomodo potest quisquam intrare in domum fortis, et vasa ejus diripere, nisi prius alligaverit fortem? et tunc domum illius diripiet.
30. Qui non est mecum, contra me est; et qui non congregat mecum, spargit.
31. Ideo dico vobis: Omne peccatum et blasphemia remittetur hominibus, Spiritus autem blasphemia non remittetur.
32. Et quicumque dixerit verbum contra Filium hominis, remittetur ei: qui autem dixerit contra Spiritum Sanctum, non remittetur ei, neque in hoc sæculo, neque in futuro.
33. Aut facite arborem bonam, et fructum ejus bonum: aut facite arborem malam, et fructum ejus malum: siquidem ex fructu arbor agnoscitur.
34. Progenies viperarum, quomodo potestis bona loqui, cum sitis mali? ex abundantia enim cordis os loquitur.
35. Bonus homo de bono thesauro profert bona: et malus homo de malo thesauro profert mala.
36. Dico autem vobis quoniam omne verbum otiosum, quod locuti fuerint homines, reddent rationem de eo in die judicii.
37. Ex verbis enim tuis justificaberis et ex verbis tuis condemnaberis.
38. Tunc responderunt ei quidam de scribis et pharisæis, dicentes: Magister, volumus a te signum videre.
39. Qui respondens ait illis: Generatio mala et adultera signum quærit: et signum non dabitur ei, nisi signum Jonæ prophetæ.
40. Sicut enim fuit Jonas in ventre ceti tribus diebus, et tribus noctibus, sic erit Filius hominis in corde terræ tribus diebus et tribus noctibus.
41. Viri Ninivitæ surgent in judicio cum generatione ista, et condemnabunt eam: quia pœnitentiam egerunt in prædicatione Jonæ, et ecce plus quam Jonas hic.
42. Regina austri surget in judicio cum generatione ista, et condemnabit eam: quia venit a finibus terræ audire sapientiam Salomonis, et ecce plus quam Salomon hic.
43. Cum autem immundus spiritus exierit ab homine, ambulat per loca arida, quærens requiem, et non invenit.
44. Tunc dicit: Revertar in domum meam, unde exivi. Et veniens invenit eam vacantem, scopis mundatam, et ornatam.
45. Tunc vadit, et assumit septem alios spiritus secum nequiores se, et intrantes habitant ibi: et fiunt novissima hominis illius pejora prioribus. Sic erit et generationi huic pessimæ.
46. Adhuc eo loquente ad turbas, ecce mater ejus et fratres stabant foris, quærentes loqui ei.
47. Dixit autem ei quidam: Ecce mater tua, et fratres tui foris stant quærentes te.
48. At ipse respondens dicenti sibi, ait: Quæ est mater mea, et qui sunt fratres mei?
49. Et extendens manum in discipulos suos, dixit: Ecce mater mea, et fratres mei.
50. Quicumque enim fecerit voluntatem Patris mei, qui in cælis est, ipse meus frater, et soror, et mater est.

## Catechism of the Catholic Church

Paragraph numbers and the Catechism's own section headings (never quoted); text at vatican.va.
- CCC ¶ 582: Jesus and Israel ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 581: Jesus and Israel ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 2173: The Sabbath Day ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 586: Jesus and Israel ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 590: Jesus and Israel ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 2100: "Him Only Shall You Serve" ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 342: Heaven and Earth ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 713: God's Spirit and Word in the Time of the Promises ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 574: Jesus and Israel ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 550: The Mysteries of Christ's Life ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 1031: The Final Purification, or Purgatory ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 679: To Judge the Living and the Dead ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 1864: The Gravity of Sin: Mortal and Venial Sin ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 994: Christ's Resurrection and Ours ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 627: Jesus Christ Was Buried ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 635: Christ Descended Into Hell ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 678: To Judge the Living and the Dead ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 2444: Love For the Poor ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 2233: The Family and the Kingdom ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 764: The Church in God's Plan ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))

## Bishop Challoner's notes

Bp. Richard Challoner, notes on the Douay-Rheims (1750); they comment on its older wording.
- Verse 4: So were called the twelve loaves which were placed before the sanctuary in the temple of God.
- Verse 31: The sin here spoken of is that blasphemy, by which the Pharisees attributed the miracles of Christ, wrought by the Spirit of God, to Beelzebub the prince of devils. Now this kind of sin is usually accompanied with so much obstinacy, and such wilful opposing the Spirit of God, and the known truth, that men who are guilty of it, are seldom or never converted: and therefore are never forgiven, because they will not repent. Otherwise there is no sin, which God cannot or will not forgive to such as sincerely repent, and have recourse to the keys of the church.
- Verse 32: From these words St. Augustine (De Civ. Dei, lib. 21, c. 13) and St. Gregory (Dialog., 4, c. 39) gather, that some sins may be remitted in the world to come; and, consequently, that there is a purgatory or a middle place.
- Verse 36: “Every idle word” … This shews there must be a place of temporal punishment hereafter where these slighter faults shall be punished.
- Verse 38: “A sign” … That is, a miracle from heaven. St. Luke 11. 16.
- Verse 40: “Three days” … Not complete days and nights; but part of three days, and three nights taken according to the way that the Hebrews counted their days and nights, viz., from evening to evening.
- Verse 48: This was not spoken by way of slighting his mother, but to shew that we are never to suffer ourselves to be taken from the service of God, by any inordinate affection to our earthly parents: and that which our Lord chiefly regarded in his mother, was her doing the will of his Father in heaven. It may also further allude to the reprobation of the Jews, his carnal kindred, and the election of the Gentiles.

## Read at Mass (US)

- Fri, Jul 16, 2027 (computed): Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time — Gospel, Matthew 12:1-8
- Sat, Jul 17, 2027 (computed): Saturday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time — Gospel, Matthew 12:14-21
- Mon, Jul 19, 2027 (computed): Monday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time — Gospel, Matthew 12:38-42
- Tue, Jul 20, 2027 (computed): Tuesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time — Gospel, Matthew 12:46-50

2 more dates through December 31, 2028, in the [liturgical calendar](https://blessbible.app/calendar/).

Dates after May 31, 2027 are computed by Bless from the US Lectionary cycle — confirm with your parish.

Source: Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain; Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592).