Matthew 12:1-8

The Disciples Pluck Grain on the Sabbath

12¹ At that time, Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the grain fields. His disciples were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. ² But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, “Behold, your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” ³ But he said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him; ⁴ how he entered into the house of God, and ate the show bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for those who were with him, but only for the priests? [1] ⁵ Or have you not read in the law, that on the Sabbath day, the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are guiltless? ⁶ But I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. ⁷ But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ [2] you would not have condemned the guiltless. ⁸ For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”