Matthew 12:5

Matthew 12:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless?
• New Living Translation (NLT)And haven’t you read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the Temple may work on the Sabbath?

Context of Matthew 12:5

3He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? 6I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

Matthew 12:5 word by word

Ἢ οὐκ ἀνέγνωτε ἐν τῷ νόμῳ ὅτι τοῖς σάββασιν οἱ ἱερεῖς ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ τὸ σάββατον βεβηλοῦσιν καὶ ἀναίτιοί εἰσιν;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Orἤē · orG2228
• have yeἀναγινώσκωanaginōskō · to readG314
• notοὐou · noG3756
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the lawὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• how thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• on the sabbath daysσάββατονsabbaton · SabbathG4521
• the priestsἱερεύςhiereus · priestG2409
• the templeἱερόνhieron · templeG2411
• profaneβεβηλόωbebēloō · to profaneG953
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• blamelessἀναίτιοςanaitios · innocentG338

Cross-references for Matthew 12:5

• Numbers 28:9“ ‘On the Sabbath day, make an offering of two lambs a year old without defect, together with its drink offering and a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with olive oil.
• John 7:22Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath.
• Nehemiah 13:17I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this wicked thing you are doing—desecrating the Sabbath day?
• Ezekiel 24:21Say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to desecrate my sanctuary—the stronghold in which you take pride, the delight of your eyes, the object of your affection. The sons and daughters you left behind will fall by the sword.

Commentaries on Matthew 12:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5The priests - profane the Sabbath - Profane, i.e. put it to what might be called a common use, by slaying and offering up sacrifices, and by doing the services of the temple, as on common days, Exodus 29:38; Numbers 28:9.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5-6Priests worked on the Sabbath (Leviticus 24:8–9; Numbers 28:9–10), and the Pharisees did not find this offensive. If the priests’ work for the temple on the Sabbath is allowed, then certainly Jesus can do the same because he is greater than the temple (see Matthew 4:23; 9:35; 11:2–6, 20–30).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath--by doing "servile work." and are blameless?--The double offerings required on the sabbath day (Nu 28:9) could not be presented, and the new-baked showbread (Le 24:5; 1Ch 9:32) could not be prepared and presented every sabbath morning, without a good deal of servile work on the part of the priests; not to speak of circumcision, which, when the…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 12:5

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

In the dictionaries

• Adulterous
• Condemn
• Desolation
• Idle
• Judgment
• Restore
• Sin
• Wither
• Guiltless
• How

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