Matthew 12:2

Matthew 12:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.
• New International Version (NIV)When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!”

Context of Matthew 12:2

1On a Jewish day of rest, Jesus was walking through some fields where wheat was growing. His disciples were hungry. So they began to pick some of the grains of wheat. They began to eat them. While the disciples were picking the grains, some Pharisees saw them. They said to Jesus, ‘Look at what your disciples are doing! It is against God's Law to do that on our day of rest.’ 3Jesus replied, ‘You have certainly read about what David did one day. He and the men who were with him were hungry. 4David went into the temple. He ate the special bread that was there. He also gave some of it to his men to eat as well. But it is against God's Law for anyone except the priests to eat that special bread.

Matthew 12:2 word by word

οἱ δὲ Φαρισαῖοι ἰδόντες εἶπαν αὐτῷ· ἰδοὺ οἱ μαθηταί σου ποιοῦσιν ὃ οὐκ ἔξεστιν ποιεῖν ἐν σαββάτῳ.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But whenδέde · thenG1161
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the PhariseesΦαρισαῖοςPharisaios · PhariseeG5330
• sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• they saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• thyσύsu · youG4771
• disciplesμαθητήςmathētēs · discipleG3101
• doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• that whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• isἔξεστι, ἐξόνexesti · be permittedG1832
• notοὐou · noG3756
• uponἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the sabbath dayσάββατονsabbaton · SabbathG4521

Cross-references for Matthew 12:2

• Matthew 12:10A man was there. His hand was very small and weak, so he could not use it. Some Pharisees asked Jesus, ‘Is it right to make someone well again on our day of rest?’ They wanted to find a reason to say that Jesus was doing wrong things.
• Exodus 20:9You have six days every week to do all your work.
• Exodus 23:12Do your work for six days each week, but do not work on the seventh day. Then your oxen and your donkeys will have time to rest. Any slave who was born in your home and any foreigner who works for you may also have time to rest. That will help them to be strong.
• Exodus 31:15You may work for six days each week, but the seventh day is a day of rest. It is a holy day that is special to me, the Lord. If anyone does any work on a Sabbath day, you must punish him with death.
• Exodus 35:2You may work for six days each week, but the seventh day will be a holy day for you. It will be a day of complete rest to give honour to the Lord. If anyone works on that day, you must punish him with death.
• Numbers 15:32When the Israelites were in the desert, a man was picking up sticks on the day of rest.
• Isaiah 58:13So remember to obey the rules for the Sabbath day. That is my holy day, so do not just try to please yourselves. Enjoy the Sabbath day, and respect it as the Lord's holy day. Do not do your usual work on that day. Do not do things or speak about things, only to make yourself happy.
• Mark 3:2Some Pharisees were watching Jesus carefully. They wanted to find a reason to say that Jesus was doing wrong things. It was the Jewish day of rest. So the Pharisees watched Jesus to see if he would make the man well on this day.
• Luke 6:6On another Jewish day of rest, Jesus went into the Jewish meeting place and he taught the people. A man was there. His right hand had become small and weak and he could not use it.
• Luke 13:10One day, Jesus was teaching in a Jewish meeting place. It was the Jewish day of rest.
• Luke 23:56Then they returned to the house where they were staying in Jerusalem. They prepared spices and oil that had a beautiful smell. On the Jewish day of rest they obeyed God's Law and they did not work.
• John 5:9The man became well immediately. He picked up his mat and he walked. The day when this happened was a Jewish day of rest.
• John 7:21Jesus replied, ‘I did one miracle on the day of rest, and all of you were surprised.
• John 9:14It was a Jewish day of rest when Jesus had done this miracle. He had used mud to make the man's eyes able to see.

Commentaries on Matthew 12:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do - The Jews were so superstitious, concerning the observance of the Sabbath, that in their wars with Antiochus Epiphanes, and the Romans, they thought it a crime even to attempt to defend themselves on the Sabbath: when their enemies observed this, they deterred their operations to that day. It was through this, that Pompey was enabled to take Jerusalem. Dion. Cass. lib. xxxvi. Those who know not the spirit…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Upon the Sabbath day - The Pharisees, doubtless desirous of finding fault with Christ, said that in plucking the grain on the “Sabbath day” they had violated the commandment. Moses had commanded the Hebrews to abstain from all servile work on the Sabbath, Exodus 20:10; Exodus 35:2-3; Numbers 15:32-36. On any other day this would have been clearly lawful, for it was permitted, Deuteronomy 23:25.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-8This exchange shows the Pharisees' lack of compassion as they placed a heavy burden on others (Matthew 11:29–30).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day--The act itself was expressly permitted (De 23:25). But as being "servile work," which was prohibited on the sabbath day, it was regarded as sinful.Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 12:2

• Accusation, False
• Ecclesiasticism
• Jesus, the Christ
• Pharisees
• Sabbath
• Technicalities
• Tradition

In the dictionaries

• Adulterous
• Condemn
• Desolation
• Idle
• Judgment
• Restore
• Sin
• Wither
• Jesus Christ
• Law in the New Testament

Commentaries on Matthew 12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings