Study Desk

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath^(a)

One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels.^(b)

Some of the Pharisees asked, "Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?"^(c)

Jesus answered them, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?^(d)

He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat.^(e) And he also gave some to his companions."

Then Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man^(f) is Lord of the Sabbath."

On another Sabbath^(g) he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled.

The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely^(h) to see if he would heal on the Sabbath.⁽ⁱ⁾

But Jesus knew what they were thinking^(j) and said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Get up and stand in front of everyone." So he got up and stood there.

Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?"

He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was completely restored.

But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were furious^(k) and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.^(m)

When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:⁽ⁿ⁾

Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,

Matthew,^(o) Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot,

Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon,^(q)

who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured,

and the people all tried to touch him,^(r) because power was coming from him and healing them all.^(s)

Looking at his disciples, he said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.^(t)

Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.^(u) Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.^(v)

Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you^(w) and insult you^(x) and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.^(y)

"Rejoice in that day and leap for joy,^(z) because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.^(aa)

"But woe to you who are rich,^(ab) for you have already received your comfort.^(ac)

Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry.^(ad) Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.^(ae)

Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.^(af)