Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

The disciples pluck the ears of grain. He defends them, heals the withered hand, helps the possessed man who was blind and dumb, rebukes the unfaithful who insist on having signs, and shows who are his brother, sister, and mother.

12 At that time Jesus went through the grain on the Sabbath days. And his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck the ears of grain and to eat. ² When the Pharisees saw that, they said to him, Look, your disciples are doing that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath day. ³ He said to them, Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those also who were with him? ⁴ How he entered into the house of God and ate the hallowed loaves, which were not lawful for him to eat, neither for those who were with him, but only for the priests? ⁵ Or have you not read in the law how the priests in the temple break the Sabbath day, and yet are blameless? ⁶ But I say to you that there is one here greater than the temple. ⁷ So then if you had known what this means: I require mercy, and not sacrifice – you would never have condemned the innocent. ⁸ For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.