Matthew 12:20 is the 20th verse in the twelfth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. Content In the original Greek according to Westcott-Hort, this verse is: Κάλαμον συντετριμμένον οὐ κατεάξει, καὶ λίνον τυφόμενον οὐ σβέσει· ἕως ἂν ἐκβάλῃ εἰς νῖκος τὴν κρίσιν. In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads: A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. The New International Version translates the passage as: A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory. Analysis The generally agreed on meaning for this proverb is that Christ will not contentiously rebuke and persecute those that are weak in faith, or love, but rather will strengthen and kindle them using His own meekness and gentleness. Commentary from the Church Fathers Chrysostom: "The Lord sought to heal the Jews by this mildness. But though they rejected Him, yet He did not resist them by destroying them; whence the Prophet, displaying His power and their weakness, says, A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoking flax he shall not quench." Jerome: "He that holds not out his hand to a sinner, nor bears his brother’s burden, he breaks a bruised reed; and he who despises a weak spark of faith in a little one, he quenches a smoking flax." Augustine: " (ubi sup) So He neither bruised nor quenched the Jewish persecutors, who are here likened to a bruised reed which has lost its wholeness, and to a smoking flax which has lost its flame; but He spared them because He was not come to judge them, but to be judged by them." Augustine: "In the smoking flax it is observed, that when the flame is out it causes a stink." Chrysostom: " Or this, He shall not break a bruised reed, shows that it was as easy for Him to break them all, as to break a reed, and that a bruised reed. And, He shall not quench a smoking flax, shows that their rage was fired, and that the power of Christ was strong to quench such rage with all readiness; hence in this is shown the great mercy of Christ." Hilary of Poitiers: " Or, he means this bruised reed that is not broken, to