Matthew 12:1-8 - Plucking Grain On The Sabbath

¹ At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. ² But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath."

³ He said to them, "Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him: ⁴ how he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? ⁵ Or have you not read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are innocent? ⁶ I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. ⁷ And if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. ⁸ For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

²³ One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. ²⁴ And the Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?"

²⁵ But he said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those who were with him: ²⁶ how he entered the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the consecrated bread, which is not lawful to eat, except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?" ²⁷ And he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. ²⁸ So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."

¹ One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grain fields, and his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. ² But some of the Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?"

³ Jesus answered them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: ⁴ how he entered the house of God, took and ate the consecrated bread, and also gave some to those with him, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat?" ⁵ And he said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."