Mark 2:23–3:5

Jesus Has Authority over the Day of Rest—a Holy Day—Matthew 12:1–8; Luke 6:1–5

²³Once on a day of rest—a holy day, Jesus was going through the grainfields. As the disciples walked along, they began to pick the heads of grain. 

²⁴The Pharisees asked him, “Look! Why are your disciples doing something that is not permitted on the day of rest—a holy day?” 

²⁵Jesus asked them, “Haven’t you ever read what David did when he and his men were in need and were hungry? ²⁶Haven’t you ever read how he went into the house of God when Abiathar was chief priest and ate the bread of the presence? He had no right to eat those loaves. Only the priests have that right. Haven’t you ever read how he also gave some of it to his men?” 

²⁷Then he added, “The day of rest—a holy day, was made for people, not people for the day of rest. ²⁸For this reason the Son of Man has authority over the day of rest—a holy day.” 

3RD CHAPTER

Jesus Heals on the Day of Rest—a Holy Day—Matthew 12:9–15a; Luke 6:6–11

¹Jesus went into a synagogue again. A man who had a paralyzed hand was there. ²The people were watching Jesus closely. They wanted to see whether he would heal the man on the day of rest—a holy day, so that they could accuse him of doing something wrong. 

³So he told the man with the paralyzed hand, “Stand in the center ⸤of the synagogue⸥.” ⁴Then he asked them, “Is it right to do good or to do evil on the day of rest—a holy day, to give a person back his health or to let him die?” 

But they were silent. ⁵Jesus was angry as he looked around at them. He was deeply hurt because their minds were closed. Then he told the man, “Hold out your hand.” The man held it out, and his hand became normal again.