Matthew 12:1-21

Matthew 12:1-21 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat.  But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath.”  But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions, how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone?  “Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent?  “But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here.  “But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire compassion, and not a sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.  “For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” Departing from there, He went into their synagogue.  And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned Jesus, asking, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse Him.  And He said to them, “What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out?  “How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”  Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!” He stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other.  But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him. But Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. Many followed Him, and He healed them all, and warned them not to tell who He was.  This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:  “ Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen; My Beloved in whom My soul is well- pleased; I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles.  “ He will not quarrel, nor cry out; Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.  “A battered reed He will not break off, And a smoldering wick He will not put out, Until He leads justice to victory.  “ And in His name the Gentiles will hope.” NASB