Matthew 12:1-8
Expanded Bible
Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath(A)
12 At that time Jesus was walking through some fields of grain on a Sabbath day. His ·followers [disciples] were hungry, so they began to pick the grain and eat it [Deut. 23:25]. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Jesus, “Look! Your ·followers [disciples] are doing what is ·unlawful to do [forbidden] on the Sabbath day.” [C Gleaning was viewed as work, and therefore forbidden on the Sabbath; Ex. 34:21.]
3 Jesus answered, “Have you not read what David did when he and ·the people with him [his companions] were hungry? 4 He went into God’s house, and he and ·those with him [his companions] ate the ·holy bread [consecrated bread; L bread of presentation], which was ·lawful [allowed] only for priests to eat [Ex. 25:30; Lev. 24:5–9]. 5 And have you not read in the ·law of Moses [L Law] that on every Sabbath day the priests in the Temple ·break this law about [violate; desecrate; profane] the Sabbath day [C by working when they offer sacrifices]? But the priests are ·not wrong for doing that [L innocent; not guilty]. 6 I tell you that there is ·something [or someone; C may refer to Jesus himself or to the arrival of the kingdom] here that is greater than the Temple. 7 The Scripture says, ‘I want ·kindness more than I want animal sacrifices [L mercy and not sacrifice; Hos. 6:6].’ If you ·understood [had known] what these words mean, you would not have ·judged those who have done nothing wrong [condemned the innocent/guiltless].
8 “·So [For] the Son of Man is ·Lord [Master] of the Sabbath day.”
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Matthew 12:1-8
Amplified Bible
Sabbath Questions
12 At that particular time Jesus went through the grainfields on the [a]Sabbath, and His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them.(A) 2 But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what [b]is unlawful on the Sabbath.”(B) 3 He said to them, “Have you not read [in the Scriptures] what David did when he was hungry, he and those who accompanied him—(C) 4 how he went into the house of God, and they ate the [c]consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests only? 5 Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break [the sanctity of] the Sabbath and yet are innocent?(D) 6 But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7 And if you had only known what this statement means, ‘I desire compassion [for those in distress], [d]and not [animal] sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.(E)
Lord of the Sabbath
8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 12:1 The seventh day of the week, the day of worship.
- Matthew 12:2 Picking grain to eat was not forbidden on the Sabbath. It was ridiculous for the Pharisees to try to equate gleaning for food with reaping a harvest (which was forbidden on the Sabbath).
- Matthew 12:4 The bread of the Presence, the twelve fresh loaves presented each Sabbath to the Lord in the Holy Place.
- Matthew 12:7 I.e. more than.
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