Matthew 12:1-8

Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition

12 At that time Jesus went through the corn on the sabbath: and his disciples being hungry, began to pluck the ears, and to eat.

²And the Pharisees seeing them, said to him: Behold thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days.

³But he said to them: Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and they that were with him:

⁴How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the loaves of proposition, which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for them that were with him, but for the priests only?

⁵Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple break the sabbath, and are without blame?

⁶But I tell you that there is here a greater than the temple.

⁷And if you knew what this meaneth: I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: you would never have condemned the innocent.

⁸For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath.

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Matthew 12:1-8

New International Version

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath^(A)^(B)

12 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain^(C) and eat them. ²When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”^(D)

³He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?^(E) ⁴He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.^(F) ⁵Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath^(G) and yet are innocent? ⁶I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.^(H) ⁷If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’^[a]^(I) you would not have condemned the innocent. ⁸For the Son of Man^(J) is Lord of the Sabbath.”