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

¹ About this time as Jesus passed through the cornfields on the sabbath-day, his disciples being hungry began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat them. ² And when the pharisees saw it they said to Him, See, thy disciples are doing what is not lawful for them to do on the sabbath.

³ But He replied, Have ye not read what David did, when he, and his attendants, were hungry? how he went into the house of God, ⁴ and did eat the shew-bread, which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor those that were with him; but for the priests only? or have ye not read in the law, ⁵ what profane sort of work the priests do in the temple on the sabbath-days, and yet are blameless? ⁶ But I tell you, that a greater than the temple is here: ⁷ and if ye had known what that scripture means, "I desire mercy rather than sacrifice," ye would not have condemned the guiltless. ⁸ For the Son of man is lord even of the sabbath.

²³ And as He was going thro' the corn-fields on the sabbath-day, his disciples began as they went along to pluck the ears of corn. ²⁴ And the pharisees said to Him, See, why do they what is not lawful to be done on the sabbath-day?

²⁵ And He said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, in his necessity, when he was hungry, himself and those that were with him? ²⁶ how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar, who was afterwards the high priest, and did eat the shew-bread, which it is not lawful for any to eat, but the priests, and gave also to them that were with him! ²⁷ And He said moreover unto them, The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath: ²⁸ and therefore the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath.

¹ And it came to pass on the second-sabbath after the first, that as He was passing through the corn-fields, his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and rubbed them in their hands and ate them. ² And some of the pharisees said to them, Why do ye do that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath-days?

³ And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read what David did, when he himself was hungry and those that were with him? how he went into the house of God, ⁴ and did take and eat the shew-bread, and gave also to his attendants, which it is not lawful for any to eat but the priests. ⁵ And He said unto them, the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath.