12
How muchπόσῳmore valuable,διαφέρειthen,οὖνisδιαφέρειa human beingἄνθρωποςthan a sheep!προβάτουSoὥστεit is lawfulἔξεστινto doποιεῖνgoodκαλῶςon the Sabbath.”τοῖς σάββασιν
Matthew 12:12
Study it in the app“How much more valuable, then, is a human being than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.””
With the Greek beneath
Matthew 12:12, word by word
- How muchπόσῳposōi
how much, how many
How much, how great; how many.
Where else “posōi” appears- more valuableδιαφέρειdiapherei
be worth more
To outweigh another; what really counts.
Where else “diapherei” appears- a human beingἄνθρωποςanthrōpos
person
A person, man or woman.
Where else “anthrōpos” appears- than a sheepπροβάτουprobatou
sheep
A gentle animal that lives in a flock and needs a shepherd.
Where else “probatou” appears- Soὥστεhōste
so
Draws the conclusion from what has just been said.
Where else “hōste” appears- it is lawfulἔξεστινexestin
it is lawful
It is permitted, it is lawful under the law.
Where else “exestin” appears- to doποιεῖνpoiein
bear fruit
To produce fruit, like a tree; in life, deeds that can be seen.
Where else “poiein” appears- goodκαλῶςkalōs
well
Well, rightly.
Where else “kalōs” appears- on the Sabbathσάββασινsabbasin
Sabbath
The seventh day, a rest for God.
Where else “sabbasin” appears
Parallel passages
Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.
The man with the withered hand
See them side by side
Matthew 12:9-14
9And moving on from there, he went into their synagogue. 10And look, there was a man with a withered hand. And they asked him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” so that they might accuse him. 11But he said to them, “What man will there be among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? 12How much more valuable, then, is a human being than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13Then he says to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. 14But the Pharisees went out and took counsel against him, how they might destroy him.
1And he went again into a synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2And they were watching him to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3And he says to the man who had the withered hand, “Get up and come into the middle.” 4And he says to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save a life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5And looking around at them with anger, grieved at the hardness of their heart, he says to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6And the Pharisees went out and at once held a council with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.
6And it happened on another Sabbath that he entered into the synagogue and was teaching; and there was a man there and his right hand was withered. 7And the scribes and the Pharisees were watching him closely to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a way to accuse him. 8But he knew their reasonings, and he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Get up and stand in the middle.” And he got up and stood there. 9And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save a life or to destroy it?” 10And looking around at them all, he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored. 11But they were filled with senseless rage, and were discussing with one another what they might do to Jesus.
The context
11But he said to them, “What man will there be among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out?
12 · This verse (above)
13Then he says to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other.
To study Matthew 12 in a group
1. What it says
How did Jesus answer the Pharisees when they criticized his disciples for picking grain on the Sabbath (vv. 3–8)?
2. What it means
What does “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice” mean in Jesus' reply (v. 7)?
3. How I live it
Jesus says the mouth speaks from the heart's abundance (v. 34). Which of your words today would you like to guard?