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.” [^CGleaning 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; ^Lbread 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 [^LLaw] that on every Sabbath day the priests in the Temple ·break this law about [violate; desecrate; profane] the Sabbath day [^Cby working when they offer sacrifices]? But the priests are ·not wrong for doing that [^Linnocent; not guilty]. ⁶ I tell you that there is ·something [or someone; ^Cmay 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 [^Lmercy 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.”