1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. |
2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath." |
3 He answered, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? |
4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread--which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. |
5 Or haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? |
6 I tell you that one1 12:6 Or something; also in verses 41 and 42 greater than the temple is here. |
7 If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,'2 12:7 Hosea 6:6 you would not have condemned the innocent. |
8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." |
9 Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, |
10 and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” |
11 He said to them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? |
12 How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." |
13 Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. |
14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. |
