1
On a certain Sabbath Jesus was walking through a field of ripe grain. His disciples were pulling off heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands to get rid of the chaff, and eating them.
2
Some Pharisees said, "Why are you doing that, breaking a Sabbath rule?"
3
But Jesus stood up for them. "Have you never read what David and those with him did when they were hungry?
4
How he entered the sanctuary and ate fresh bread off the altar, bread that no one but priests were allowed to eat? He also handed it out to his companions."
5
Then he said, "The Son of Man is no slave to the Sabbath; he's in charge."
6
On another Sabbath he went to the meeting place and taught. There was a man there with a crippled right hand.
7
The religion scholars and Pharisees had their eye on Jesus to see if he would heal the man, hoping to catch him in a Sabbath infraction.
8
He knew what they were up to and spoke to the man with the crippled hand: "Get up and stand here before us." He did.
9
Then Jesus addressed them, "Let me ask you something: What kind of action suits the Sabbath best? Doing good or doing evil? Helping people or leaving them helpless?"