Lord of the Sabbath

12:1 At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on a Sabbath. His1 disciples were hungry, and they began to pick heads of wheat2 and eat them. 12:2 But when the Pharisees3 saw this they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is against the law to do on the Sabbath.” 12:3 He4 said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry—12:4 how he entered the house of God and they ate5 the sacred bread,6 which was against the law7 for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests?8 12:5 Or have you not read in the law that the priests in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are not guilty? 12:6 I9 tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 12:7 If10 you had known what this means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice,’11 you would not have condemned the innocent. 12:8 For the Son of Man is lord12 of the Sabbath.”

12:9 Then13 Jesus14 left that place and entered their synagogue.15 12:10 A16 man was there who had a withered17 hand. And they asked Jesus,18 “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”19 so that they could accuse him. 12:11 He said to them, “Would not any one of you, if he had one sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, take hold of it and lift it out? 12:12 How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 12:13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and it was restored,20 as healthy as the other. 12:14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted against him, as to how they could assassinate21 him.