Traditional Latin Mass Gospel Readings

38 And Jesus rising up out of the synagogue, went into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever, and they besought him for her.
Surgens autem Jesus de synagoga, introivit in domum Simonis. Socrus autem Simonis tenebatur magnis febribus : et rogaverunt illum pro ea.
 39 And standing over her, he commanded the fever, and it left her. And immediately rising, she ministered to them.
Et stans super illam imperavit febri : et dimisit illam. Et continuo surgens, ministrabat illis.
 40 And when the sun was down, all they that had any sick with divers diseases, brought them to him. But he laying his hands on every one of them, healed them.
Cum autem sol occidisset, omnes qui habebant infirmos variis languoribus, ducebant illos ad eum. At ille singulis manus imponens, curabat eos.
 41 And devils went out from many, crying out and saying: Thou art the Son of God. And rebuking them he suffered them not to speak, for they knew that he was Christ.
Exibant autem daemonia a multis clamantia, et dicentia : Quia tu es Filius Dei : et increpans non sinebat ea loqui : quia sciebant ipsum esse Christum.
 42 And when it was day, going out he went into a desert place, and the multitudes sought him, and came unto him: and they stayed him that he should not depart from them.
Facta autem die egressus ibat in desertum locum, et turbae requirebant eum, et venerunt usque ad ipsum : et detinebant illum ne discederet ab eis.
 43 To whom he said: To other cities also I must preach the kingdom of God: for therefore am I sent.
Quibus ille ait : Quia et aliis civitatibus oportet me evangelizare regnum Dei : quia ideo missus sum.
 44 And he was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.
Et erat praedicans in synagogis Galilaeae.

1 Then came to him from Jerusalem scribes and Pharisees, saying:  2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the ancients? For they wash not their hands when they eat bread.  3 But he answering, said to them: Why do you also transgress the commandment of God for your tradition? For God said:  4 Honour thy father and mother: And: He that shall curse father or mother, let him die the death.  5 But you say: Whosoever shall say to father or mother, The gift whatsoever proceedeth from me, shall profit thee.[5] "The gift": That is, the offering that I shall make to God, shall be instead of that which should be expended for thy profit. This tradition of the Pharisees was calculated to enrich themselves; by exempting children from giving any further assistance to their parents. 6 And he shall not honour his father or his mother: and you have made void the commandment of God for your tradition.  7 Hypocrites, well hath Isaias prophesied of you, saying:  8 This people honoureth me with their lips: but their heart is far from me.  9 And in vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines and commandments of men.  10 And having called together the multitudes unto him, he said to them: Hear ye and understand.[9] "Commandments of men": The doctrines and commandments here reprehended are such as are either contrary to the law of God, (as that of neglecting parents, under pretence of giving to God,) or at least are frivolous, unprofitable, and no ways conducing to true piety, as that of often washing hands, etc., without regard to the purity of the heart. But as to the rules and ordinances of the holy church, touching fasts, festivals, etc., these are no ways repugnant to, but highly agreeable to God's holy word, and all Christian piety: neither are they to be counted among the doctrines and commandments of men; because they proceed not from mere human authority; but from that which Christ has established in his church; whose pastors he has commanded us to hear and obey, even as himself. St. Luke 10. 16; St. Matt. 18. 17. 11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man: but what cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.  12 Then came his disciples, and said to him: Dost thou know that the Pharisees, when they heard this word, were scandalized?  13 But he answering them, said: Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.  14 Let them alone: they are blind, and leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the pit.  15 And Peter answering, said to him: Expound to us this parable.[11] "Not that which goeth into": No uncleanness in meat, nor any dirt contracted by eating it with unwashed hands, can defile the soul: but sin alone; or a disobedience of the heart to the ordinance and will of God. And thus when Adam took the forbidden fruit, it was not the apple, which entered into the mouth, but the disobedience to the law of God which defiled him. The same is to be said if a Jew, in the time of the old law, had eaten swine's flesh; or a Christian convert, in the days of the apostles, contrary to their ordinance, had eaten blood; or if any of the faithful at present should transgress the ordinance of God's church, by breaking the fasts: for in all these cases the soul would be defiled; not indeed by that which goeth into the mouth; but by the disobedience of the heart, in wilfully transgressing the ordinance of God, or of those who have their authority from him. 16 But he said: Are you also yet without understanding?  17 Do you not understand, that whatsoever entereth into the mouth, goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the privy?  18 But the things which proceed out of the mouth, come forth from the heart, and those things defile a man.  19 For from the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies.  20 These are the things that defile a man. But to eat with unwashed hands doth not defile a man.

15 But if thy brother shall offend against thee, go, and rebuke him between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou shalt gain thy brother.
Si autem peccaverit in te frater tuus, vade, et corripe eum inter te, et ipsum solum : si te audierit, lucratus eris fratrem tuum.
 16 And if he will not hear thee, take with thee one or two more: that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand.
Si autem te non audierit, adhibe tecum adhuc unum, vel duos, ut in ore duorum, vel trium testium stet omne verbum.
 17 And if he will not hear them: tell the church. And if he will not hear the church, let him be to thee as the heathen and publican.
Quod si non audierit eos : dic ecclesiae. Si autem ecclesiam non audierit, sit tibi sicut ethnicus et publicanus.
 18 Amen I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven.
Amen dico vobis, quaecumque alligaveritis super terram, erunt ligata et in caelo : et quaecumque solveritis super terram, erunt soluta et in caelo.
 19 Again I say to you, that if two of you shall consent upon earth, concerning any thing whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done to them by my Father who is in heaven.
Iterum dico vobis, quia si duo ex vobis consenserint super terram, de omni re quamcumque petierint, fiet illis a Patre meo, qui in caelis est.
 20 For where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Ubi enim sunt duo vel tres congregati in nomine meo, ibi sum in medio eorum.
 21 Then came Peter unto him and said: Lord, how often shall my brother offend against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Tunc accedens Petrus ad eum, dixit : Domine, quoties peccabit in me frater meus, et dimittam ei? usque septies?
 22 Jesus saith to him: I say not to thee, till seven times; but till seventy times seven times.
Dicit illi Jesus : Non dico tibi usque septies : sed usque septuagies septies.
[20] "There am I in the midst of them": This is understood of such assemblies only as are gathered in the name and authority of Christ; and in unity of the church of Christ. St. Cyprian, De Unitate Ecclesiae.

23 And he said to them: Doubtless you will say to me this similitude: Physician, heal thyself: as great things as we have heard done in Capharnaum, do also here in thy own country.
Et ait illis : Utique dicetis mihi hanc similitudinem : Medice cura teipsum : quanta audivimus facta in Capharnaum, fac et hic in patria tua.
 24 And he said: Amen I say to you, that no prophet is accepted in his own country.
Ait autem : Amen dico vobis, quia nemo propheta acceptus est in patria sua.
 25 In truth I say to you, there were many widows in the days of Elias in Israel, when heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there was a great famine throughout all the earth.
In veritate dico vobis, multae viduae erant in diebus Eliae in Israel, quando clausum est caelum annis tribus et mensibus sex, cum facta esset fames magna in omni terra :
 26 And to none of them was Elias sent, but to Sarepta of Sidon, to a widow woman.
et ad nullam illarum missus est Elias, nisi in Sarepta Sidoniae, ad mulierem viduam.
 27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet: and none of them was cleansed but Naaman the Syrian.
Et multi leprosi erant in Israel sub Elisaeo propheta : et nemo eorum mundatus est nisi Naaman Syrus.
 28 And all they in the synagogue, hearing these things, were filled with anger.
Et repleti sunt omnes in synagoga ira, haec audientes.
 29 And they rose up and thrust him out of the city; and they brought him to the brow of the hill, whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.
Et surrexerunt, et ejecerunt illum extra civitatem : et duxerunt illum usque ad supercilium montis, super quem civitas illorum erat aedificata, ut praecipitarent eum.
 30 But he passing through the midst of them, went his way.
Ipse autem transiens per medium illorum, ibat.

The Gospel speaks to us of Naaman, the valiant general of the King of Syria's army. He was cured by bathing in the Jordan, although he did not belong to the race of Israel. Later on Jesus was to plunge himself into the same river and to communicate a sanctifying virtue to its waters. Naaman, therefore, is a figure of the heathen whom the Church by baptism cures of the leprosy of sin. Peter, says Tertullian, has baptised in the Tiber, and those that he has cleansed from leprosy of sin, have abandoned the waters of Damascus, by which is mean their sensual life.

Let us renew ourselves in the spirit of baptism by purifying our hearts in the salutary bath of penitence. This will cure them of the leprosy of the soul called sin.

14 And he was casting out a devil, and the same was dumb: and when he had cast out the devil, the dumb spoke: and the multitudes were in admiration at it:
Et erat ejiciens daemonium, et illud erat mutum. Et cum ejecisset daemonium, locutus est mutus, et admiratae sunt turbae.
 15 But some of them said: He casteth out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils.
Quidam autem ex eis dixerunt : In Beelzebub principe daemoniorum ejicit daemonia.
 16 And others tempting, asked of him a sign from heaven.
Et alii tentantes, signum de caelo quaerebant ab eo.
 17 But he seeing their thoughts, said to them: Every kingdom divided against itself, shall be brought to desolation, and house upon house shall fall.
Ipse autem ut vidit cogitationes eorum, dixit eis : Omne regnum in seipsum divisum desolabitur, et domus supra domum cadet.
 18 And if Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because you say, that through Beelzebub I cast out devils.
Si autem et Satanas in seipsum divisus est, quomodo stabit regnum ejus? quia dicitis in Beelzebub me ejicere daemonia.
 19 Now if I cast out devils by Beelzebub; by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.
Si autem ego in Beelzebub ejicio daemonia : filii vestri in quo ejiciunt? ideo ipsi judices vestri erunt.
 20 But if I by the finger of God cast out devils; doubtless the kingdom of God is come upon you.
Porro si in digito Dei ejicio daemonia : profecto pervenit in vos regnum Dei.
 21 When a strong man armed keepeth his court, those things are in peace which he possesseth.
Cum fortis armatus custodit atrium suum, in pace sunt ea quae possidet.
 22 But if a stronger than he come upon him, and overcome him; he will take away all his armour wherein he trusted, and will distribute his spoils.
Si autem fortior eo superveniens vicerit eum, universa arma ejus auferet, in quibus confidebat, et spolia ejus distribuet.
 23 He that is not with me, is against me; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth.
Qui non est mecum, contra me est : et qui non colligit mecum, dispergit.
 24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through places without water, seeking rest; and not finding, he saith: I will return into my house whence I came out.
Cum immundus spiritus exierit de homine, ambulat per loca inaquosa, quaerens requiem : et non inveniens dicit : Revertar in domum meam unde exivi.
 25 And when he is come, he findeth it swept and garnished.
Et cum venerit, invenit eam scopis mundatam, et ornatam.
 26 Then he goeth and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and entering in they dwell there. And the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.
Tunc vadit, et assumit septem alios spiritus secum, nequiores se, et ingressi habitant ibi. Et fiunt novissima hominis illius pejora prioribus.
 27 And it came to pass, as he spoke these things, a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to him: Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee suck.
Factum est autem, cum haec diceret : extollens vocem quaedam mulier de turba dixit illi : Beatus venter qui te portavit, et ubera quae suxisti.
 28 But he said: Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it.
At ille dixit : Quinimmo beati, qui audiunt verbum Dei et custodiunt illud.