Plucking Grain on the Sabbath

Matthew 12

Matthew12:1 At that time, Jesus went out through the ripe grain on the Sabbath. And his disciples, being hungry, began to separate the grain and to eat.

Matthew12:2 Then the Pharisees, seeing this, said to him, “Behold, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbaths.”

Matthew12:3 But he said to them: “Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him:

Matthew12:4 how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?

Matthew12:5 Or have you not read in the law, that on the Sabbaths the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath, and they are without guilt?

Matthew12:6 But I say to you, that something greater than the temple is here.

Matthew12:7 And if you knew what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would never have condemned the innocent.

Matthew12:8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”