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Matthew 12:12

New American Standard Bible (NASB ©1995) [2]
— “How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
King James Version (KJV 1769) [2]
— How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
English Revised Version (ERV 1885)
— How much then is a man of more value than a sheep! Wherefore it is lawful to do good on the sabbath day.
American Standard Version (ASV 1901) [2]
— How much then is a man of more value than a sheep! Wherefore it is lawful to do good on the sabbath day.
Webster's Revision of the KJB (WEB 1833)
— How much then is a man better than a sheep? wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
Darby's Translation (DBY 1890)
— How much better then is a man than a sheep! So that it is lawful to do well on the sabbath.
Rotherham's Emphasized Bible (EBR 1902)
— How much better, then, a man, than, a sheep? So that it is allowable, on the sabbath, nobly, to act.
Young's Literal Translation (YLT 1898)
— How much better, therefore, is a man than a sheep?—so that it is lawful on the sabbaths to do good.'
Douay-Rheims Challoner Revision (DR 1750)
— How much better is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do a good deed on the sabbath days.
Geneva Bible (GNV 1560)
— How much more then is a man better then a sheepe? Therefore, it is lawfull to doe well on a Sabbath day.
Original King James Bible (AV 1611) [2]
— How much then is a man better then a shepe? Wherfore it is lawfull to doe well on the Sabbath dayes.
Lamsa Bible (1957)
— How much more important is a man than a sheep? It is therefore lawful to do good on the sabbath.
John Etheridge Peshitta-Aramaic NT (1849)
— How much more precious is a child of man than a sheep! Wherefore it is lawful on the sabbath-day to do that which is good.
James Murdock Peshitta-Aramaic NT (1852)
— Now, how much better is a human being than a sheep! Wherefore it is lawful to do what is good, on the sabbath.

Strong's Numbers & Red-LettersGreek New TestamentColor-Code/Key Word Studies
How much 4214
{4214} Prime
πόσος
posos
{pos'-os}
From an obsolete 'pos' (who, what) and G3739; interrogitive pronoun (of amount) how much (large, long or [plural] many).
then 3767
{3767} Prime
οὖν
oun
{oon}
Apparently a primary word; (adverbially) certainly, or (conjugationally) accordingly.
is a man y444
[0444] Standard
ἄνθρωπος
anthropos
{anth'-ro-pos}
From G0435 and ὤψ [[ops]] (the countenance; from G3700); manfaced, that is, a human being.
better x1308
(1308) Complement
διαφέρω
diaphero
{dee-af-er'-o}
From G1223 and G5342; to bear through, that is, (literally) transport; usually to bear apart, that is, (objectively) to toss about (figuratively report); subjectively to 'differ', or (by implication) surpass.
x4444
(4444) Complement
πύργος
purgos
{poor'-gos}
Apparently a primary word ('burgh'); a tower or castle.
than y1308
[1308] Standard
διαφέρω
diaphero
{dee-af-er'-o}
From G1223 and G5342; to bear through, that is, (literally) transport; usually to bear apart, that is, (objectively) to toss about (figuratively report); subjectively to 'differ', or (by implication) surpass.
z5719
<5719> Grammar
Tense - Present (See G5774)
Voice - Active (See G5784)
Mood - Indicative (See G5791)
Count - 3019
a sheep? 4263
{4263} Prime
πρόβατον
probaton
{prob'-at-on}
Properly the neuter of a presumed derivative of G4260; something that walks forward (a quadruped), that is, (specifically) a sheep (literally or figuratively).
Wherefore 5620
{5620} Prime
ὥστε
hoste
{hoce'-teh}
From G5613 and G5037; so too, that is, thus therefore (in various relations of consecution, as shown).
it is lawful 1832
{1832} Prime
ἔξεστι
exesti
{ex'-es-tee}
Third person singular present indicative of a compound of G1537 and G1510; so also ἐξόν [[exon]], {ex-on'}; neuter present participle of the same (with or without some form of G1510 expressed); impersonally it is right (through the figurative idea of being out in public).
z5748
<5748> Grammar
Tense - Present (See G5774)
Voice - No Voice Stated (See G5799)
Mood - Indicative (See G5791)
Count - 1612
to do 4160
{4160} Prime
ποιέω
poieo
{poy-eh'-o}
Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct).
z5721
<5721> Grammar
Tense - Present (See G5774)
Voice - Active (See G5784)
Mood - Infinitive (See G5795)
Count - 647
well 2573
{2573} Prime
καλῶς
kalos
{kal-oce'}
Adverb from G2570; well (usually morally).
on the x3588
(3588) Complement

ho
{ho}
The masculine, feminine (second) and neuter (third) forms, in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom).
sabbath days. 4521
{4521} Prime
σάββατον
sabbaton
{sab'-bat-on}
Of Hebrew origin [H7676]; the Sabbath (that is, Shabbath), or day of weekly repose from secular avocations (also the observance or institution itself); by extension a se'nnight, that is, the interval between two Sabbaths; likewise the plural in all the above applications.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary

Matthew 12:12

_ _ How much then is a man better than a sheep? — Resistless appeal! “A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast” (Proverbs 12:10), and would instinctively rescue it from death or suffering on the sabbath day; how much more his nobler fellow man! But the reasoning, as given in the other two Gospels, is singularly striking: “But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth. Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life or to destroy it?” (Luke 6:8, Luke 6:9), or as in Mark (Mark 3:4), “to kill?” He thus shuts them up to this startling alternative: “Not to do good, when it is in the power of our hand to do it, is to do evil; not to save life, when we can, is to kill” — and must the letter of the sabbath rest be kept at this expense? This unexpected thrust shut their mouths. By this great ethical principle our Lord, we see, held Himself bound, as man. But here we must turn to Mark, whose graphic details make the second Gospel so exceedingly precious. “When He had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, He saith unto the man” (Mark 3:5). This is one of the very few passages in the Gospel history which reveal our Lord’s feelings. How holy this anger was appears from the “grief” which mingled with it at “the hardness of their hearts.”

Matthew Henry's Commentary

See commentary on Matthew 12:1-13.

John Wesley's Explanatory Notes

Matthew 12:12

It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day — To save a beast, much more a man.

Geneva Bible Translation Notes

[[no comment]]

Cross-Reference Topical ResearchStrong's Concordance
is a:

Matthew 6:26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Luke 12:24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?

it is:

Mark 3:4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.
Luke 6:9 Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy [it]?
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Chain-Reference Bible SearchCross References with Concordance

Mt 6:26. Mk 3:4. Lk 6:9; 12:24.

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