Lord of the Sabbath

12 At that time Jesus passed through the grainfields on the Sabbath.^(A) His disciples^(B) were hungry and began to pick and eat some heads of grain. ² When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “See, your disciples are doing what is not lawful^(C) to do on the Sabbath.”

³ He said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry: ⁴ how he entered the house of God, and they ate^[a] the bread of the Presence—which is not lawful for him or for those with him to eat, but only for the priests?^{(D) 5} Or haven’t you read in the law that on Sabbath days the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath and are innocent?^{(E) 6} I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.^{(F) 7} If you had known what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice,^[b](G) you would not have condemned the innocent. ⁸ For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”^(H)

The Man with the Shriveled Hand

⁹ Moving on from there, he entered their synagogue.^{(I) 10} There he saw a man who had a shriveled hand, and in order to accuse him they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” ^(J)

¹¹ He replied to them, “Who among you, if he had a sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, wouldn’t take hold of it and lift it out?^{(K) 12} A person is worth far more than a sheep; ^(L) so it is lawful to do what is good on the Sabbath.”

¹³ Then he told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored,^(M) as good as the other. ¹⁴ But the Pharisees went out and plotted against him, how they might kill him.^(N)

The Servant of the Lord

¹⁵ Jesus was aware of this and withdrew. Large crowds^[c] followed him, and he healed them all.^{(O) 16} He warned them not to make him known,^{(P) 17} so that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

Lord of the Sabbath

²³ On^(A) the Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and his disciples^(B) began to make their way, picking some heads of grain. ²⁴ The Pharisees^(C) said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful^(D) on the Sabbath?”

²⁵ He said to them, “Have you never read what David^(E) and those who were with him did when he was in need^(F) and hungry^(G) — ²⁶ how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar^(H) the high priest^(I) and ate the bread of the Presence^(J) —which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests^(K) —and also gave some to his companions?” ²⁷ Then he told them, “The Sabbath was made for^[a] man and not man for the Sabbath.^{(L) 28} So then, the Son of Man^(M) is Lord^(N) even of the Sabbath.”^(O)

3 Jesus^(P) entered the synagogue^(Q) again, and a man was there who had a shriveled^(R) hand. ² In order to accuse^(S) him, they were watching him closely^(T) to see whether he would heal^(U) him on the Sabbath.^{(V) 3} He told the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand before us.” ⁴ Then he said to them, “Is it lawful^(W) to do good^(X) on the Sabbath or to do evil,^(Y) to save life^(Z) or to kill?”^(AA) But they were silent.^{(AB) 5} After looking around at them with anger,^(AC) he was grieved at the hardness^(AD) of their hearts and told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.^{(AE) 6} Immediately the Pharisees^(AF) went out and started plotting^(AG) with the Herodians^(AH) against him, how they might kill^(AI) him.

Ministering to the Multitude

⁷ Jesus^(AJ) departed with his disciples to the sea, and a large crowd followed from Galilee,^(AK) and a large crowd followed from Judea,^{(AL) 8} Jerusalem,^(AM) Idumea, beyond the Jordan,^(AN) and around Tyre^(AO) and Sidon.^(AP) The large crowd came to him because they heard about everything he was doing. ⁹ Then he told his disciples to have a small boat^(AQ) ready for him, so that the crowd wouldn’t crush him. ¹⁰ Since he had healed^(AR) many, all who had diseases were pressing toward him to touch^(AS) him. ¹¹ Whenever the unclean^(AT) spirits^(AU) saw him, they fell down^(AV) before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God!” ^{(AW) 12} And he would strongly warn^(AX) them not to make him known.^(AY)

Lord of the Sabbath

6 On a Sabbath, he passed through the grainfields.^(A) His disciples were picking heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them. ² But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” ^(B)

³ Jesus answered them, “Haven’t you read what David and those who were with him did when he was hungry— ⁴ how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat?^(C) He even gave some to those who were with him.”^{(D) 5} Then he told them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

⁶ On another Sabbath^(E) he entered the synagogue and was teaching. A man was there whose right hand was shriveled. ⁷ The scribes and Pharisees were watching him closely,^(F) to see if he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they could find a charge against him.^{(G) 8} But he knew their thoughts^(H) and told the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand here.”^[a] So he got up and stood there. ⁹ Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you: Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”^{(I) 10} After looking around at them all,^(J) he told him, “Stretch out your hand.”^(K) He did, and his hand was restored.^{[b] 11} They, however, were filled with rage and started discussing with one another what they might do to Jesus.