Matthew 12:1-12 ▼

1 At that time Jesus was going through a field of grain on the sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them.

2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the sabbath.”

3 He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry,

4 how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering, which neither he nor his companions but only the priests could lawfully eat?

5 Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests serving in the temple violate the sabbath and are innocent?

6 I say to you, something greater than the temple is here.

7 If you knew what this meant, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned these innocent men.

8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath.”

9 Moving on from there, he went into their synagogue.

10 And behold, there was a man there who had a withered hand. They questioned him, “Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath?” so that they might accuse him.

11 He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep that falls into a pit on the sabbath will not take hold of it and lift it out?

12 How much more valuable a person is than a sheep. So it is lawful to do good on the sabbath.”