Matthew 12:1-8

Listen to Matthew 12:1-8

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

1 At that time 1Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and 2they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.
2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, 3“Look, your disciples are doing 4what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath. ”
3 He said to them, 5“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 6the bread of the Presence, which it 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 7in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?
6 I tell you, 8something greater than the temple is here.
7 And if you had known 9what this means, 10‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, ’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.
8 For 11the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath. ”

Cross References 11

  • 1. 12:1 For ver. 1-8, see Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-5
  • 2. 12:1 Deut. 23:25
  • 3. 12:2 [ver. 10; Luke 13:14; 14:3; John 5:10; 7:23; 9:16]
  • 4. 12:2 [Ex. 20:9-11]
  • 5. 12:3 1 Sam. 21:1-6; See ch. 21:16
  • 6. 12:4 Ex. 25:30; Lev. 24:5-9
  • 7. 12:5 Num. 28:9, 10; [1 Chr. 9:32; John 7:22, 23]
  • 8. 12:6 ver. 41, 42; [ver. 8; Hag. 2:9; Mal. 3:1]
  • 9. 12:7 ch. 9:13
  • 10. 12:7 Cited from Hos. 6:6; [Mic. 6:6-8]
  • 11. 12:8 [ch. 9:6]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025