The Disciples Pluck Grain on the Sabbath
12 1 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 . 2 But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, "Look , Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath ." 3 But He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he became hungry , he and his companions e , 4 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 ? 5 "Or have you not read in the Law , that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent ? 6 "But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here . 7 "But if you had known what this means , ' I DESIRE COMPASSION , AND NOT A SACRIFICE ,' you would not have condemned the innocent . 8 "For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath ."
The Man with a Withered Hand
9 Departing from there , He went into their synagogue . 10 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. 11 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? 12 " How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep ! So then , it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath ." 13 Then He said to the man , "Stretch out your hand !" He stretched it out, and it was restored to normal , like the other .
14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired e against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.
The Chosen Servant
15 But Jesus , aware of this, withdrew from there . Many followed Him, and He healed them all , 16 and warned them not to tell who He was. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet : 18 " 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 . 19 " HE WILL NOT QUARREL , NOR CRY OUT; NOR WILL ANYONE HEAR HIS VOICE IN THE STREETS . 20 " A BATTERED REED HE WILL NOT BREAK OFF, AND A SMOLDERING WICK HE WILL NOT PUT OUT, UNTIL HE LEADS JUSTICE TO VICTORY . 21 " AND IN HIS NAME THE GENTILES WILL HOPE ."
A Divided House Cannot Stand
22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw . 23 All the crowds were amazed , and were saying , "This man cannot be the Son of David , can he?"