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MATTHEW 12:31 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
Matt 12:30Matt 12:32
“Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.”
Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. The teaching on the unforgivable sin defines the sin specifically in the context of Matthew 12: the sin is attributing to Satan what is the work of the Spirit (verse 28). Every other sin and blasphemy falls within the scope of God's forgiveness; the deliberate, determined attribution of the Spirit's work to demonic power is the one sin that places the sinner outside the forgiveness available in the kingdom.

Church Fathers on Matthew 12:31

The Lord had refuted the Pharisees by explaining His own actions, and He now proceeds to terrify them. For this is no small part of correction, to threaten punishment, as well as to set right false accusation.

Chrysostom · 4th century

He condemns by a most rigorous sentence this opinion of the Pharisees, and of such as thought with them, promising pardon for all sins, but releasing it to blasphemy against the Spirit; 'Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men.'

Hilary of Poitiers · 4th century

But it should be known that they are not forgiven to all men universally, but to such only as have performed due penitence for their guiltinesses. So by these words is overthrown the error of Novatian, who said that the faithful could not rise by penitence after a fall, nor merit pardon of their sins, especially they who in persecution denied.

Remigius · 9th century
Read all 13 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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Matthew 12:31 — Community Reflections | HolyStudy