Matthew 12:1–13

At that time Jesus went through the corn on the sabbath: and his disciples being hungry, began to pluck the ears, and to eat.

²And the Pharisees seeing them, said to him: Behold thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days.

³But he said to them: Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and they that were with him:

⁴How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the loaves of proposition, which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for them that were with him, but for the priests only?

⁵Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple break the sabbath, and are without blame?

⁶But I tell you that there is here a greater than the temple.

⁷And if you knew what this meaneth: I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: you would never have condemned the innocent.

⁸For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath.

⁹And when he had passed from thence, he came into their synagogues.

¹⁰And behold there was a man who had a withered hand, and they asked him, saying: Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.

¹¹But he said to them: What man shall there be among you, that hath one sheep: and if the same fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not take hold on it and lift it up?

¹²How much better is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do a good deed on the sabbath days.

¹³Then he saith to the man: Stretch forth thy hand; and he stretched it forth, and it was restored to health even as the other.