Psalm 81^[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.^[b] Of Asaph.

⁵ For what we preach is not ourselves,^(A) but Jesus Christ as Lord,^(B) and ourselves as your servants^(C) for Jesus’ sake. ⁶ For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”^[a](D) made his light shine in our hearts^(E) to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.^(F)

⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay^(G) to show that this all-surpassing power is from God^(H) and not from us. ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side,^(I) but not crushed; perplexed,^(J) but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted,^(K) but not abandoned;^(L) struck down, but not destroyed.^{(M) 10} We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus,^(N) so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.^{(O) 11} For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake,^(P) so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. ¹² So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.^(Q)

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath^(A)(B)

²³ One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain.^{(C) 24} The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”^(D)

²⁵ He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? ²⁶ In the days of Abiathar the high priest,^(E) he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat.^(F) And he also gave some to his companions.”^(G)

²⁷ Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man,^(H) not man for the Sabbath.^{(I) 28} So the Son of Man^(J) is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

3 Another time Jesus went into the synagogue,^(A) and a man with a shriveled hand was there. ² Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely^(B) to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath.^{(C) 3} Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

⁴ Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

⁵ He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. ⁶ Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians^(D) how they might kill Jesus.^(E)