1. Jesus was walking through some cornfields on the Sabbath. His disciples began to pick the ears of corn, rub them in their hands, and eat the grain.
2. Some Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what our Law says you cannot do on the Sabbath?”
3. Jesus answered them, “Haven't you read what David did when he and his men were hungry?
4. He went into the house of God, took the bread offered to God, ate it, and gave it also to his men. Yet it is against our Law for anyone except the priests to eat that bread.”
5. And Jesus concluded, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
6. On another Sabbath Jesus went into a synagogue and taught. A man was there whose right-hand was paralysed.
7. Some teachers of the Law and some Pharisees wanted a reason to accuse Jesus of doing wrong, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath.
8. But Jesus knew their thoughts and said to the man, “Stand up and come here to the front.” The man got up and stood there.
9. Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you: what does our Law allow us to do on the Sabbath? To help or to harm? To save someone's life or destroy it?”
10. He looked around at them all; then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand became well again.
11. They were filled with rage and began to discuss among themselves what they could do to Jesus.
12. At that time Jesus went up a hill to pray and spent the whole night there praying to God.
13. When day came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he named apostles: