Matthew

Matthew 12:2–7

²When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”

³Jesus replied, “Have you not 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,^a which was not lawful for them to eat, but only for the priests.

⁵Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and yet are innocent? ⁶But I tell you that One greater than the temple is here.

⁷If only you had known the meaning of ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’^b you would not have condemned the innocent.

Footnotes

a 12:4 Or the Bread of the Presence
b 12:7 Hosea 6:6|HOS 6:6

Read all of Matthew 12

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Greek it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Matthew 12:2

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Pharisees	Φαρισαῖοι	Pharisaioi	Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural	G5330 a Pharisee
saw	ἰδόντες	idontes	Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural	G3708 I see, look upon, experience
they said	εἶπαν	eipan	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural	G2036 to speak or say (by word or writing)
to Him	αὐτῷ	autō	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular	G846 he, she, it, they, them, same
Look	Ἰδοὺ	Idou	Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular	G2400 See! Lo! Behold! Look!
Your	σου	sou	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular	G4771 you
disciples	μαθηταί	mathētai	Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural	G3101 a learner, disciple, pupil
are doing	ποιοῦσιν	poiousin	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural	G4160 I do, make
what	ὃ	ho	Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular	G3739 who, which, what, that
is unlawful	ἔξεστιν	exestin	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G1832 it is permitted, lawful, possible
on	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
Sabbath	σαββάτῳ	sabbatō	Noun - Dative Neuter Singular	G4521 the Sabbath, a week

Matthew 12:3

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
replied	εἶπεν	eipen	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G2036 to speak or say (by word or writing)
Have you not read	ἀνέγνωτε	anegnōte	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural	G314 I read
what	τί	ti	Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular	G5101 who, which, what
David	Δαυὶδ	Dauid	Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular	G1138 David
did	ἐποίησεν	epoiēsen	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G4160 I do, make
when	ὅτε	hote	Adverb	G3753 when
and	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
his companions	οἱ	hoi	Article - Nominative Masculine Plural	G3588 the
were hungry	ἐπείνασεν	epeinasen	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G3983 I am hungry, needy

Matthew 12:4

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He entered	εἰσῆλθεν	eisēlthen	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G1525 I go in, come in, enter
the	τὸν	ton	Article - Accusative Masculine Singular	G3588 the
house	οἶκον	oikon	Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G3624 a house, household
of God	Θεοῦ	Theou	Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular	G2316 God, a god
and	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
ate	ἔφαγον	ephagon	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural	G5315 I eat
the	τοὺς	tous	Article - Accusative Masculine Plural	G3588 the
consecrated bread	ἄρτους	artous	Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural	G740 bread, a loaf, food
which	ὃ	ho	Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular	G3739 who, which, what, that
was	ἦν	ēn	Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G1510 I am, exist
not	οὐκ	ouk	Adverb	G3756 no, not
lawful	ἐξὸν	exon	Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Neuter Singular	G1832 it is permitted, lawful, possible
for	αὐτῷ	autō	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular	G846 he, she, it, they, them, same
to eat	φαγεῖν	phagein	Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active	G5315 I eat
but	εἰ	ei	Conjunction	G1487 if
only	μόνοις	monois	Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural	G3441 only, solitary, desolate
for the	τοῖς	tois	Article - Dative Masculine Plural	G3588 the
priests	ἱερεῦσιν	hiereusin	Noun - Dative Masculine Plural	G2409 a priest

Matthew 12:5

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Or	Ἢ	Ē	Conjunction	G2228 or, than
haven’t you read	ἀνέγνωτε	anegnōte	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural	G314 I read
in	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
the	τῷ	tō	Article - Dative Masculine Singular	G3588 the
Law	νόμῳ	nomō	Noun - Dative Masculine Singular	G3551 a law, the Mosaic Law
that	ὅτι	hoti	Conjunction	G3754 that, since, because
on the	τοῖς	tois	Article - Dative Neuter Plural	G3588 the
Sabbath	σάββασιν	sabbasin	Noun - Dative Neuter Plural	G4521 the Sabbath, a week
the	οἱ	hoi	Article - Nominative Masculine Plural	G3588 the
priests	ἱερεῖς	hiereis	Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural	G2409 a priest
in	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
the	τῷ	tō	Article - Dative Neuter Singular	G3588 the
temple	ἱερῷ	hierō	Noun - Dative Neuter Singular	G2411 a temple
break	βεβηλοῦσιν	bebēlousin	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural	G953 I profane
the	τὸ	to	Article - Accusative Neuter Singular	G3588 the
Sabbath	σάββατον	sabbaton	Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular	G4521 the Sabbath, a week
and yet	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
are	εἰσιν	eisin	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural	G1510 I am, exist
innocent	ἀναίτιοί	anaitioi	Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural	G338 guiltless

Matthew 12:6

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But	δὲ	de	Conjunction	G1161 but, on the other hand, and
I tell	λέγω	legō	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G3004 I say, speak
you	ὑμῖν	hymin	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural	G4771 you
that	ὅτι	hoti	Conjunction	G3754 that, since, because
One greater than	μεῖζόν	meizon	Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular - Comparative	G3173 large, great
the	τοῦ	tou	Article - Genitive Neuter Singular	G3588 the
temple	ἱεροῦ	hierou	Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular	G2411 a temple
is	ἐστιν	estin	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G1510 I am, exist
here	ὧδε	hōde	Adverb	G5602 here

Matthew 12:7

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
If	Εἰ	Ei	Conjunction	G1487 if
only	δὲ	de	Conjunction	G1161 but, on the other hand, and
you had known	ἐγνώκειτε	egnōkeite	Verb - Pluperfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural	G1097 I come to know, learn, realize
the meaning of	ἐστιν	estin	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G1510 I am, exist
I desire	θέλω	thelō	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G2309 I will, wish, desire
mercy	Ἔλεος	Eleos	Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular	G1656 pity, mercy
not	οὐ	ou	Adverb	G3756 no, not
sacrifice	θυσίαν	thysian	Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular	G2378 a sacrifice
you would not have condemned	κατεδικάσατε	katedikasate	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural	G2613 I condemn
the	τοὺς	tous	Article - Accusative Masculine Plural	G3588 the
innocent	ἀναιτίους	anaitious	Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural	G338 guiltless