Mark 2:25

He said to them, “Did you never read what David did, when he had need, and was hungry—he, and those who were with him?

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

He said to them, “Did you never read what David did when he had need and was hungry—he, and those who were with him?

BSB

Jesus replied, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need?

KJV

And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?

ASV

And he said unto them, Did ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was hungry, he, and they that were with him?

BBE

And he said to them, Have you no knowledge of what David did, when he had need and was without food, he, and those who were with him?

Original Greek

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Καὶ Kai And G2532 αὐτὸς autos he himself G846 λέγει legei says G3004 αὐτοῖς autois to them G846 οὐδέποτε oudepote Surely G3763 ἀνέγνωτε anegnōte you did read G314 τί ti what G5101 ἐποίησεν epoiēsen did G4160 Δαυὶδ Dauid David G1138 ὅτε hote when G3753 χρείαν chreian need G5532 ἔσχεν eschen he had G2192 καὶ kai and G2532 ἐπείνασεν epeinasen hungered G3983 αὐτὸς autos he himself G846 καὶ kai and G2532 οἱ hoi those G3588 μετ met᾽ with G3326 αὐτοῦ; autou him G846

The early church

(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) But our Lord brings forward David, to whom it once happened to eat though it was forbidden by the law, when he touched the Priest's food, that by his example, he might do away with their accusation of the disciples. For there follows, Have ye never read, &c.
Pseudo-Chrysostom · d. 500Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
For David, when flying from the face of Saul, went to the Chief Priest, and ate the show-bread, and took away the sword of Goliath, which things had been offered to the Lord. (1 Sam. 21.) But a question has been raised how the Evangelist called Abiathar at this time High Priest, when the Book of Kings calls him Abimelech. Or else, because when they hare rest from their passions, then are they made doctors to lead others to virtue, plucking away from them earthly things.
Theophylact of Ohrid · d. 1107Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 23–28

The sabbath is a sacred and Divine institution; a privilege and benefit, not a task and drudgery. God never designed it to be a burden to us, therefore we must not make it so to ourselves. The sabbath was instituted for the good of mankind, as living in society, having many wants and troubles, preparing for a state of happiness or misery. Man was not made for the sabbath, as if his keeping it could be of service to God, nor was he commanded to keep it outward observances to his real hurt. Every observance respecting it, is to be interpreted by the rule of mercy.

Read Matthew Henry on Mark 2 →

Parallel passages

2

The same words or events elsewhere.

Matthew 12:3Luke 6:3

Cross-references

8

People & places

David

Topics

Shewbread (Showbread)

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.