Article
What Is Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit?
The unforgivable sin in Matthew 12, Mark 3, and Luke 12, and how the Catechism, the LCMS FAQ, the Methodist Articles, and the Westminster Larger Catechism speak about it.
On This Page
Jesus says blasphemy against the Holy Ghost will not be forgiven, after people charge that he casts out demons by Beelzebub. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1864 (4), and the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod FAQ (5) explain that saying in different words, and the Westminster Larger Catechism, Q. 113 (7), does not define it.
Key Points
- Matthew 12:22–2412:22
Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
12:23And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?
12:24But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
Matthew 12:22–24 · King James VersionOpen source (1) says Jesus healed a man possessed, blind, and dumb. The Pharisees said he cast out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils. Mark 3:22And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.
Mark 3:22 · King James VersionOpen source (2) says the scribes from Jerusalem said he had Beelzebub. - Matthew 12:31–32
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.
Matthew 12:31 · King James VersionOpen source (1) says all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven, neither in this world nor in the world to come. A word against the Son of man shall be forgiven. Speaking against the Holy Ghost shall not. - Mark 3:29–30
But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
Mark 3:29 · King James VersionOpen source (2) says the one who blasphemes against the Holy Ghost has never forgiveness and is in danger of eternal damnation, because they said he has an unclean spirit. - Luke 12:10
And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.
Luke 12:10 · King James VersionOpen source (3) says a word against the Son of man shall be forgiven, and blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not. The next verses say the Holy Ghost will teach disciples what to say when they are brought before synagogues and magistrates. - Catechism 1864 (4) quotes the saying and then says there are no limits to God’s mercy, but anyone who deliberately refuses that mercy by repenting rejects the forgiveness offered by the Holy Spirit. Such hardness can lead to final impenitence and eternal loss.
- The LCMS FAQ (5) says Jesus does not say the Pharisees had already committed the sin, but that they were in danger of it. It defines the sin as the conscious, persistent, stubborn refusal of someone who was once a believer to acknowledge sin and want forgiveness in Christ. It says a confessing Christian who is sincerely concerned has not committed it.
- Methodist Article XII (6) says not every sin willingly committed after justification is the sin against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable, and that repentance is not to be denied to those who fall.
What Jesus Said
Matthew 12:25–2812:25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
12:26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
12:27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.
12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
Matthew 12:25–28 · King James VersionOpen source (1) answers the Beelzebub charge. A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. If Jesus casts out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come. Mark 3:30Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.
Mark 3:30 · King James VersionOpen source (2) gives the reason for the warning in the previous verse: they said he has an unclean spirit. The saying is tied to that attribution.
Matthew 12:31Wherefore 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.
Matthew 12:31 · King James VersionOpen source (1) distinguishes sins that shall be forgiven from blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. Matthew 12:32And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
Matthew 12:32 · King James VersionOpen source (1) distinguishes a word against the Son of man, which shall be forgiven, from speaking against the Holy Ghost, which shall not be forgiven in this world or the world to come. Luke 12:10And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.
Luke 12:10 · King James VersionOpen source (3) makes the same distinction, in a chapter that also tells the disciples the Holy Ghost will give them words when they are accused.
Is the Holy Spirit God? is who that Spirit is in the Nicene confession. Who Was at Jesus’ Baptism? is the Jordan narrative, where the Spirit descends on Jesus. This page is the saying about blasphemy against that Spirit.
How the Catechism Reads It
“Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin.” There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who deliberately refuses to accept his mercy by repenting, rejects the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation offered by the Holy Spirit. Such hardness of heart can lead to final impenitence and eternal loss.
The quotation inside the paragraph is the Catechism’s English of the Gospel saying, not the King James wording. The paragraph sits in the Catechism’s treatment of mortal and venial sin. It does not say a single careless sentence is that sin. It names a deliberate refusal to repent, and it says that hardness can lead to final impenitence. The Catholic hub lists the Catechism.
How the LCMS FAQ Reads It
The synod FAQ (5) is a question-and-answer, not a new confession. It locates the warning in Matthew 12:31–37, Mark 3:28–30, and Luke 12:12, after the accusation of collusion with Satan. It says Jesus does not say the Pharisees had themselves committed the sin, but that they were in danger of doing so.
It then defines the sin as “the conscious, persistent, stubborn, unyielding refusal of someone who was at one time a believer to acknowledge his or her sin, be sorry for it, and desire God’s forgiveness in Christ.” It says a confessing Christian cannot fall into this state unknowingly or unwillingly, and that any confessing Christian who is sincerely concerned about having committed it clearly has not, because one sign of that state is having no real concern or remorse about it.
That explanation names a former believer and a settled refusal. Catechism 1864 (4) names a deliberate refusal of mercy and final impenitence. The two pages are not the same paragraph. This article does not decide between them. The Lutheran hub lists the Book of Concord and the synod’s pages. Can you lose your salvation? quotes the same synod on falling from faith, which is a different question.
What the Methodist Article Says
Article XII (6), “Of Sin After Justification”:
Not every sin willingly committed after justification is the sin against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable. Wherefore, the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after justification.
The article goes on to say that after receiving the Holy Ghost, a person may depart from grace given and fall into sin, and by the grace of God rise again and amend. It condemns those who say they can no more sin as long as they live, and those who deny forgiveness to such as truly repent. It names the sin against the Holy Ghost as unpardonable, and it denies that every post-justification sin is that sin. It does not retell the Beelzebub scene. The Methodist hub lists the Articles.
What the Westminster Texts Say
The Larger Catechism, Q. 113 (7), asks what sins are forbidden in the third commandment. The answer includes “the abuse of it in an ignorant, vain, irreverent, profane, superstitious, or wicked mentioning or otherwise using his titles, attributes, ordinances, or works, by blasphemy, perjury,” and then sinful cursings, oaths, vows, and lots. That list is about the name of God. It does not mention Beelzebub, Matthew 12, or a sin that shall not be forgiven.
Westminster 21.4 (8) says prayer is to be made for the living, “but not for the dead, nor for those of whom it may be known that they have sinned the sin unto death.” That phrase is in the chapter on worship. It is not a definition of the Gospel saying, and the confession does not attach it to Matthew 12 on the page fetched here. The Reformed hub lists both documents.
Is “Oh my God” the Unforgivable Sin?
The Gospel passages name speaking against the Holy Ghost, in the setting of the charge that Jesus works by Beelzebub or has an unclean spirit. They do not discuss an English exclamation. Larger Catechism Q. 113 (7) treats blasphemy as one abuse of God’s name under the third commandment, beside perjury and sinful oaths. It does not call that list the sin of Matthew 12, and it does not print the words “Oh my God.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Unforgivable Sin?
In these three passages, it is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. Matthew says it shall not be forgiven in this world or the world to come. Mark says that person has never forgiveness. Luke says it shall not be forgiven. The same passages say other sins, other blasphemies, and a word against the Son of man shall be forgiven.
Did Jesus Say the Pharisees Had Committed It?
Mark 3:30Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.
Mark 3:30 · King James VersionOpen source (2) says the warning was because they said he has an unclean spirit. The LCMS FAQ (5) says Jesus does not say they had already committed the sin, but that they were in danger of it. The Gospel lines themselves state the warning. They do not add a later report that those speakers died unforgiven.
How Do the Churches Say a Person Can Tell?
Catechism 1864 (4) describes a deliberate refusal to repent that can lead to final impenitence. The LCMS FAQ (5) says sincere concern is itself a sign the person has not committed the sin it defined. Methodist Article XII (6) says repentance is not denied to those who fall into sin after justification, because not every such sin is this one. Those are three fetched sentences, not one test.
The Churches on This Site
References
- Gospel of Matthew, 12:31–3212:31
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.
12:32And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
Matthew 12:31–32 · King James VersionOpen source. King James Version - Gospel of Mark, 3:28–303:28
Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:
3:29But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
3:30Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.
Mark 3:28–30 · King James VersionOpen source. King James Version - Gospel of Luke, 12:10
And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.
Luke 12:10 · King James VersionOpen source. King James Version - Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1864 (Footnote markers were omitted from the quotation.)
- Doctrine — Frequently Asked Questions, The sin against the Holy Spirit (The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s doctrine FAQ, not the Book of Concord.)
- Articles of Religion, Article XII, Of Sin After Justification (The United Methodist Church.)
- Westminster Larger Catechism, Q. 113 (Published by the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Q. 113 lists sins against the third commandment. It is not a definition of Matthew 12.)
- Westminster Confession of Faith, 21.4 (Published by the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. The phrase “the sin unto death” in 21.4 is about prayer, not a definition of Matthew 12.)
See Also
- Is the Holy Spirit God? — The Nicene confession that the Holy Spirit is God, in Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Reformed, Baptist, Methodist, and Pentecostal texts, and what those texts say about praying to the Spirit.
- What Does the Bible Say About Speaking in Tongues? — Acts 2 and 1 Corinthians 12–14, with Pentecostal, Catholic, Baptist, Reformed, and Methodist texts on tongues, Spirit baptism, and whether every believer speaks in tongues.
- Can You Lose Your Salvation? What Each Church Teaches About "Once Saved, Always Saved" — Can a Christian lose salvation? Official teaching from Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Reformed, Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, and other churches, with the King James verses each side cites.
- Catholic vs Protestant: What's the Difference? — Catholics are Christians. The difference is authority, justification, the sacraments, Mary and the saints, purgatory, and the pope, in each church’s own words.
- Is Baptism Necessary for Salvation? — Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Reformed, Baptist, Methodist, and Pentecostal texts on whether baptism is necessary for salvation, with Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16, 1 Peter 3:21, and the thief on the cross.