ST. MATTHEW, one of the twelve Apostles, who from being a publican, that is, a taxgatherer, was called by our Saviour to the Apostleship: in that profession his name was LEVI. (Luke 5 27, and Mark 2 14) He was the first of the Evangelists that wrote the Gospel, and that in Hebrew or Syro-Chaldaic which the Jews in Palestine spoke at that time. The original is not now extant; but as it was translated in the time of the Apostles into Greek, that version was of equal authority. He wrote about six years after our Lord's Ascension.
Chapters:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28
Christ cleanses the leper, heals the centurion's servant, Peter's mother in law, and many others: he stills the storm at sea, drives the devils out of two men possessed, and suffers them to go into the swine.
1 And when he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him:
2 And behold a leper came and adored him, saying: Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
3 And Jesus stretching forth his hand, touched him, saying: I will, be thou made clean. And forthwith his leprosy was cleansed.
4 And Jesus saith to him: See thou tell no man: but go, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses commanded for a testimony unto them.
5 And when he had entered into Capharnaum, there came to him a centurion, beseeching him,
6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, and is grieviously tormented.
7 And Jesus saith to him: I will come and heal him.
8 And the centurion making answer, said: Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof: but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed.
9 For I also am a man subject to authority, having under me soldiers; and I say to this, Go, and he goeth, and to another, Come, and he cometh, and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
10 And Jesus hearing this, marvelled; and said to them that followed him: Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith in Israel.
11 And I say to you that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven:
12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
13 And Jesus said to the centurion: Go, and as thou hast believed, so be it done to thee. And the servant was healed at the same hour.
14 And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother lying, and sick of a fever:
15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she arose and ministered to them.
16 And when evening was come, they brought to him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word: and all that were sick he healed:
17 That it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophet Isaias, saying: He took our infirmities, and bore our diseases.
18 And Jesus seeing great multitudes about him, gave orders to pass over the water.
19 And a certain scribe came and said to him: Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou shalt go.
20 And Jesus saith to him: The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air nests: but the son of man hath not where to lay his head.
21 And another of his disciples said to him: Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
22 But Jesus said to him: Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.
23 And when he entered into the boat, his disciples followed him:
24 And behold a great tempest arose in the sea, so that the boat was covered with waves, but he was asleep.
25 And they came to him, and awaked him, saying: Lord, save us, we perish.
26 And Jesus saith to them: Why are you fearful, O ye of little faith? Then rising up he commanded the winds, and the sea, and there came a great calm.
27 But the men wondered, saying: What manner of man is this, for the winds and the sea obey him?
28 And when he was come on the other side of the water, into the country of the Gerasens, there met him two that were possessed with devils, coming out of the sepulchres, exceeding fierce, so that none could pass by that way.
29 And behold they cried out, saying: What have we to do with thee, Jesus Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
30 And there was, not far from them, an herd of many swine feeding.
31 And the devils besought him, saying: If thou cast us out hence, send us into the herd of swine.
32 And he said to them: Go. But they going out went into the swine, and behold the whole herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea: and they perished in the waters.
33 And they that kept them fled: and coming into the city, told every thing, and concerning them that had been possessed by the devils.
34 And behold the whole city went out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they
besought him that he would depart from their coasts.
Christ heals one sick of the palsy: calls Matthew: cures the issue of blood: raises to life the daughter of Jairus: gives sight to two blind men: and heals a dumb man possessed by the devil.
1 And entering into a boat, he passed over the water and came into his own city.
2 And behold they brought to him one sick of the palsy lying in a bed. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the man sick of the palsy: Be of good heart, son, thy sins are forgiven thee.
3 And behold some of the scribes said within themselves: He blasphemeth.
4 And Jesus seeing their thoughts, said: Why do you think evil in your hearts?
5 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee: or to say, Arise, and walk?
6 But that you may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then said he to the man sick of palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house.
7 And he arose, and went into his house.
8 And the multitude seeing it, feared, and glorified God that gave such power to men.
9 And when Jesus passed on from hence, he saw a man sitting in the custom house, named Matthew; and he saith to him: Follow me. And he rose up and followed him.
10 And it came to pass as he was sitting at meat in the house, behold many publicans and sinners came, and sat down with Jesus and his disciples.
11 And the Pharisees seeing it, said to his disciples: Why doth your master eat with publicans and sinners?
12 But Jesus hearing it, said: They that are in health need not a physician, but they that are ill.
13 Go then and learn what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice. For I am not come to call the just, but sinners.
14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying: Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but thy disciples do not fast?
15 And Jesus said to them: Can the children of the bridegroom mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they shall fast.
16 And nobody putteth a piece of raw cloth unto an old garment. For it taketh away the fullness thereof from the garment, and there is made a greater rent.
17 Neither do they put new wine into old bottles. Otherwise the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish. But new wine they put into new bottles: and both are preserved.
18 And he was speaking these things unto them, behold a certain ruler came up, and adored him, saying: Lord, my daughter is even now dead; but come, lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.
19 And Jesus rising up followed him, with his disciples.
20 And behold a woman who was troubled with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment.
21 For she said within herself: If I shall touch only his garment, I shall be healed.
22 But Jesus turning and seeing her, said: Be of good heart, daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
23 And when Jesus was come into the house of the ruler, and saw the minstrels and the multitude making a rout,
24 He said: Give place, for the girl is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.
25 And when the multitude was put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand. And the maid arose.
26 And the fame hereof went abroad into all that country.
27 And as Jesus passed from thence, there followed him two blind men crying out and saying, Have mercy on us, O Son of David.
28 And when he was come to the house, the blind men came to him. And Jesus saith to them, Do you believe, that I can do this unto you? They say to him, Yea, Lord.
29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, According to your faith, be it done unto you.
30 And their eyes were opened, and Jesus strictly charged them, saying, See that no man know this.
31 But they going out, spread his fame abroad in all that country.
32 And when they were gone out, behold they brought him a dumb man, possessed with a devil.
33 And after the devil was cast out, the dumb man spoke, and the multitudes wondered, saying, Never was the like seen in Israel.
34 But the Pharisees said, By the prince of devils he casteth out devils.
35 And Jesus went about all the cities, and towns, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease, and every infirmity.
36 And seeing the multitudes, he had compassion on them: because they were distressed, and lying like sheep that have no shepherd.
37 Then he saith to his disciples, The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few.
38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth labourers into
his harvest.
Christ sends out his twelve apostles, with the power of miracles. The lessons he gives them.
1 And having called his twelve disciples together, he gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of diseases, and all manner of infirmities.
2 And the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother,
3 James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the publican, and James the son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus,
4 Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
5 These twelve Jesus sent: commanding them, saying: Go ye not into the way of the Gentiles, and into the city of the Samaritans enter ye not.
6 But go ye rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 And going, preach, saying: The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils: freely have you received, freely give.
9 Do not possess gold, nor silver, nor money in your purses:
10 Nor scrip for your journey, nor two coats, nor shoes, nor a staff; for the workman is worthy of his meat.
11 And into whatsoever city or town you shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and there abide till you go thence.
12 And when you come into the house, salute it, saying: Peace be to this house.
13 And if that house be worthy, your peace shall come upon it; but if it be not worthy, your peace shall return to you.
14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words: going forth out of that house or city shake off the dust from your feet.
15 Amen I say to you, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
16 Behold I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be ye therefore wise as serpents and simple as doves.
17 But beware of men. For they will deliver you up in councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues.
18 And you shall be brought before governors, and before kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the Gentiles:
19 But when they shall deliver you up, take no thought how or what to speak: for it shall be given you in that hour what to speak.
20 For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you.
21 The brother also shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the son: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and shall put them to death.
22 And you shall be hated by all men for my name's sake: but he that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved.
23 And when they shall persecute you in this city, flee into another. Amen I say to you, you shall not finish all the cities of Israel, till the Son of man come.
24 The disciple is not above the master, nor the servant above his lord.
25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the goodman of the house Beelzebub, how much more them of his household?
26 Therefore fear them not. For nothing is covered that shall not be revealed: nor hid, that shall not be known.
27 That which I tell you in the dark, speak ye in the light: and that which you hear in the ear, preach ye upon the housetops.
28 And fear ye not them that kill the body, and are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him that can destroy both soul and body in hell.
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and not one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father.
30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 Fear not therefore: better are you than many sparrows.
32 Every one therefore that shall confess me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven.
33 But he that shall deny me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven.
34 Do not think that I came to send peace upon earth: I came not to send peace, but the sword.
35 For I came to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36 And as a man's enemies shall be they of his own household.
37 He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me.
38 And he that taketh not up his cross, and followeth me, is not worthy of me.
39 He that findeth his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for me, shall find it.
40 He that receiveth you, receiveth me: and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me.
41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive the reward of a prophet: and he that receiveth a just man in the name of a just man, shall receive the reward of a just man.
42 And whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold
water only in the name of a disciple, amen I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.
John sends his disciples to Christ, who upbraids the Jews with their incredulity, and calls to him such as are sensible of their burdens.
1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he passed from thence, to teach and preach in their cities.
2 Now when John had heard in prison the works of Christ: sending two of his disciples he said to him:
3 Art thou he that art to come, or look we for another?
4 And Jesus making answer said to them: Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen.
5 The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, the poor have the gospel preached to them.
6 And blessed is he that shall not be scandalized in me.
7 And when they went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: What went you out into the desert to see? a reed shaken with the wind?
8 But what went you out to see? a man clothed in soft garments? Behold they that are clothed in soft garments, are in the houses of kings.
9 But what went you out to see? a prophet? yea I tell you, and more than a prophet.
10 For this is he of whom it is written: Behold I send my angel before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.
11 Amen I say to you, there hath not risen among them that are born of women a greater than John the Baptist: yet he that is the lesser in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent bear it away.
13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John:
14 And if you will receive it, he is Elias that is to come.
15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
16 But whereunto shall I esteem this generation to be like? It is like to children sitting in the market place.
17 Who crying to their companions say: We have piped to you, and you have not danced: we have lamented, and you have not mourned.
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking; and they say: He hath a devil.
19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say: Behold a man that is a glutton and a wine drinker, a friend of publicans and sinners. And wisdom is justified by her children.
20 Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein were done the most of his miracles, for that they had not done penance.
21 Woe to thee, Corozain, woe to thee, Bethsaida: for if in Tyre and Sidon had been wrought the miracles that have been wrought in you, they had long ago done penance in sackcloth and ashes.
22 But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment, than for you.
23 And thou Capharnaum, shalt thou be exalted up to heaven? thou shalt go down even unto hell. For if in Sodom had been wrought the miracles that have been wrought in thee, perhaps it had remained unto this day.
24 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.
25 At that time Jesus answered and said: I confess to thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to the little ones.
26 Yea, Father; for so hath it seemed good in thy sight.
27 All things are delivered to me by my Father. And no one knoweth the Son, but the Father: neither doth any one know the Father, but the Son, and he to whom it shall please the Son to reveal him.
28 Come to me, all you that labour, and are burdened, and I will refresh you.
29 Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your souls.
30 For my yoke is sweet and my burden light.
Christ reproves the blindness of the Pharisees, and confutes their attributing his miracles to Satan.
1 At that time Jesus went through the corn on the sabbath: and his disciples being hungry, began to pluck the ears, and to eat.
2 And the Pharisees seeing them, said to him: Behold thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days.
3 But he said to them: Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and they that were with him:
4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the loaves of proposition, which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for them that were with him, but for the priests only?
5 Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple break the sabbath, and are without blame?
6 But I tell you that there is here a greater than the temple.
7 And if you knew what this meaneth: I will have 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 has passed from thence, he came into their synagogues.
10 And behold there was a man who had a withered hand, and they asked him, saying: Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
11 But he said to them: What man shall there be among you, that hath one sheep: and if the same fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not take hold on it and lift it up?
12 How much better is a man than a sheep? Therefore it it lawful to do a good deed on the sabbath days.
13 Then he saith to the man: Stretch forth thy hand; and he stretched it forth, and it was restored to health even as the other.
14 And the Pharisees going out made a consultation against him, how they might destroy him.
15 But Jesus knowing it, retired from thence: and many followed him, and he healed them all.
16 And he charged them that they should not make him known.
17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaias the prophet, saying:
18 Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul hath been well pleased. I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.
19 He shall not contend, nor cry out, neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.
20 The bruised reed he shall not break: and smoking flax he shall not extinguish: till he send forth judgment unto victory.
21 And in his name the Gentiles shall hope.
22 Then was offered to him one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb: and he healed him, so that he spoke and saw.
23 And all the multitudes were amazed, and said: Is not this the son of David?
24 But the Pharisees hearing it, said: This man casteth not out the devils but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
25 And Jesus knowing their thoughts, said to them: Every kingdom divided against itself shall be made desolate: and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.
26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself: how then shall his kingdom stand?
27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.
28 But if I by the Spirit of God cast out devils, then is the kingdom of God come upon you.
29 Or how can any one enter into the house of the strong, and rifle his goods, unless he first bind the strong? and then he will rifle his house.
30 He that is not with me, is against me: and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth.
31 Therefore I say to you: Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but the blasphemy of the Spirit shall not be forgiven.
32 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but he that shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.
33 Either make the tree good and its fruit good: or make the tree evil, and its fruit evil. For by the fruit the tree is known.
34 O generation of vipers, how can you speak good things, whereas you are evil? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
35 A good man out of a good treasure bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of an evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
36 But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall render an account for it in the day of judgment.
37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying: Master we would see a sign from thee.
39 Who answering said to them: An evil and adulterous generation seeketh a sign: and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.
40 For as Jonas was in the whale's belly three days and three nights: so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.
41 The men of Ninive shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they did penance at the preaching of Jonas. And behold a greater than Jonas here.
42 The queen of the south shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold a greater than Solomon here.
43 And when an unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest, and findeth none.
44 Then he saith: I will return into my house from whence I came out. And coming he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
45 Then he goeth, and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man in made worse than the first. So shall it be also to this wicked generation.
46 As he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold his mother and his brethren stood without, seeking to speak to him.
47 And one said unto him: Behold thy mother and thy brethren stand without, seeking thee.
48 But he answering him that told him, said: Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?
49 And stretching forth his hand towards his disciples, he said: Behold my mother and my brethren.
50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father, that is in heaven, he is my
brother, and sister, and mother.
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