Bible in Basic English
And all the people were surprised and said, Is not this the Son of David?
But the Pharisees, hearing of it, said, This man only sends evil spirits out of men by Beelzebub, the ruler of evil spirits.
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.
And if Satan sends out Satan, he makes war against himself; how then will he keep his kingdom?
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.
But if I by the Spirit of God send out evil spirits, then is the kingdom of God come on you.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The good man out of his good store gives good things; and the evil man out of his evil store gives evil things.
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.
For by your words will your righteousness be seen, and by your words you will be judged.
Then some of the scribes and Pharisees, hearing this, said to him, Master, we are looking for a sign from you.
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:
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.
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.
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.
But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of a man, goes through dry places looking for rest, and getting it not.
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.
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.
While he was still talking to the people, his mother and his brothers came, desiring to have talk with him.
And one said to him, See, your mother and your brothers are outside, desiring to have talk with you.
But he in answer said to him who gave the news, Who is my mother and who are my brothers?
And he put out his hand to his disciples and said, See, my mother and my brothers!
For whoever does the pleasure of my Father in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.
— Matthew 12:23-1964, Bible in Basic English
“All the multitudes were amazed, and said, "Can this be the son of David?" But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "This man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons." Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man, and plunder his goods, unless he first bind the strong man? Then he will plunder his house. "He who is not with me is against me, and he who doesn't gather with me, scatters. Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in that which is to come. "Either make the tree good, and its fruit good, or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by its fruit. You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. The good man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil things. I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you." But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given it but the sign of Jonah the prophet. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, someone greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the south will rise up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, someone greater than Solomon is here. But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of the man, passes through waterless places, seeking rest, and doesn't find it. Then he says, 'I will return into my house from which I came out,' and when he has come back, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes, and takes with himself seven other spirits more evil than he is, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first. Even so will it be also to this evil generation." While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him. One said to him, "Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, seeking to speak to you." But he answered him who spoke to him, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" He stretched out his hand towards his disciples, and said, "Behold, my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother."”
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.
And in his name will the Gentiles put their hope.
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.
And all the people were surprised and said, Is not this the Son of David?
But the Pharisees, hearing of it, said, This man only sends evil spirits out of men by Beelzebub, the ruler of evil spirits.
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.
And if Satan sends out Satan, he makes war against himself; how then will he keep his kingdom?
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.
But if I by the Spirit of God send out evil spirits, then is the kingdom of God come on you.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The good man out of his good store gives good things; and the evil man out of his evil store gives evil things.
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.
For by your words will your righteousness be seen, and by your words you will be judged.
Then some of the scribes and Pharisees, hearing this, said to him, Master, we are looking for a sign from you.
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:
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.
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.
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.
But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of a man, goes through dry places looking for rest, and getting it not.
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.
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.
While he was still talking to the people, his mother and his brothers came, desiring to have talk with him.
And one said to him, See, your mother and your brothers are outside, desiring to have talk with you.
But he in answer said to him who gave the news, Who is my mother and who are my brothers?
And he put out his hand to his disciples and said, See, my mother and my brothers!
For whoever does the pleasure of my Father in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.