Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath Day
1 One Sabbath day Jesus walked through the grainfields. His disciples were hungry. So they began to break off some heads of grain and eat them.
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The Pharisees saw this. They said to Jesus, "Look! It is against the Law to do this on the Sabbath. But your disciples are doing it anyway!"
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Jesus answered, "Haven't you read about what David did? He and his men were hungry.
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So he entered the house of God. He and his men ate the holy bread. Only priests were allowed to eat it.
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Haven't you read the Law? It tells how every Sabbath day the priests in the temple have to do their work on that day. But they are not considered guilty.
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"I tell you that one who is more important than the temple is here.
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Scripture says, 'I want mercy and not sacrifice.'(Hosea 6:6) You don't know what those words mean. If you did, you would not bring charges against those who are not guilty.
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The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath day."
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Going on from that place, Jesus went into their synagogue.
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A man with a weak and twisted hand was there. The Pharisees were trying to find fault with Jesus. So they asked him, "Does the Law allow us to heal on the Sabbath day?"
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He said to them, "What if one of your sheep falls into a pit on the Sabbath? Won't you take hold of it and lift it out?
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A man is worth more than sheep! So the Law allows us to do good on the Sabbath day."
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Then Jesus said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out. It was as good as new, just as good as the other hand.
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But the Pharisees went out and planned how to kill Jesus.