¹⁰ Therefore I led them out of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.^{(A) 11} I gave them my decrees and made known to them my laws, by which the person who obeys them will live.^{(B) 12} Also I gave them my Sabbaths^(C) as a sign^(D) between us,^(E) so they would know that I the Lord made them holy.^(F)

¹³ “‘Yet the people of Israel rebelled^(G) against me in the wilderness. They did not follow my decrees but rejected my laws^(H)—by which the person who obeys them will live—and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths.^(I) So I said I would pour out my wrath^(J) on them and destroy^(K) them in the wilderness.^{(L) 14} But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned^(M) in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.^{(N) 15} Also with uplifted hand I swore^(O) to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands^(P)— ¹⁶ because they rejected my laws^(Q) and did not follow my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths. For their hearts^(R) were devoted to their idols.^{(S) 17} Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy^(T) them or put an end to them in the wilderness. ¹⁸ I said to their children in the wilderness, “Do not follow the statutes of your parents^(U) or keep their laws or defile yourselves^(V) with their idols. ¹⁹ I am the Lord your God;^(W) follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.^{(X) 20} Keep my Sabbaths^(Y) holy, that they may be a sign^(Z) between us. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.^(AA)”

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,^(K) 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^(L) to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath.^{(M) 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^(N) how they might kill Jesus.^(O)