Matthew 12:1–21

Sabbath Questions

1 aAt that 1time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to bpick the heads of grain and eat.

2 But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples do what ais not lawful to do on a Sabbath.”

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

4 how he entered the house of God, and athey ate the 1consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone?

5 “Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple 1break the Sabbath and are innocent?

6 “But I say to you that something agreater than the temple is here.

7 “But if you had known what this 1means, ‘aI desire 2compassion, and not a sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

Lord of the Sabbath

8 “For athe Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

9 aDeparting from there, He went into their synagogue.

10 And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned 1Jesus, asking, “aIs it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse Him.

11 And He said to them, “aWhat man 1is there among you who 2has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out?

12 “aHow much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do 1good on the Sabbath.”

13 Then He * said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!” aHe stretched it out, and it was restored to 1normal, like the other.

14 But the Pharisees went out and 1aconspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.

15 But Jesus, 1aware of this, withdrew from there. Many followed Him, and aHe healed them all,

16 and awarned them not to 1tell who He was.

17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:

18 “aBehold, My 1Servant whom I 2have chosen;

bMy Beloved in whom My soul 3is well-pleased;

cI will put My Spirit upon Him,

aAnd He shall proclaim 4justice to the 5Gentiles.

19 “aHe will not quarrel, nor cry out;

Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.

20 “aA battered reed He will not break off,

And a smoldering wick He will not put out,

Until He 1leads 2justice to victory.

21 “aAnd in His name the 1Gentiles will hope.”