Mark 2 · Verse 23

Mark 2:23

And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.
Mark 2:23, King James Version

Mark 2:23 in other translations

BSBOne Sabbath Jesus was passing through the grainfields, and His disciples began to pick the heads of grain as they walked along.
WEBHe was going on the Sabbath day through the grain fields; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of grain.
ASVAnd it came to pass, that he was going on the sabbath day through the grainfields; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears.
YLTAnd it came to pass--he is going along on the sabbaths through the corn-fields--and his disciples began to make a way, plucking the ears,
DARBYAnd it came to pass that he went on the sabbath through the cornfields; and his disciples began to walk on, plucking the ears.
BBEAnd it came about that on the Sabbath day he was going through the grain-fields; and while they were walking, his disciples took the heads of grain.
WebsterAnd it came to pass, that he went through the corn-fields on the sabbath; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.

What does Mark 2:23 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verses 23-28. See Mt 12:1-8. The corn fields. The fields sown with grain, wheat, or barley. The word corn, in the Bible, refers only to grain of that kind, and never to maize or Indian corn.

To pluck the ears of corn. They were hungry, (Matthew.) They therefore gathered the wheat, or barley, as they walked, and rubbed it in their hands to shell it, and thus to satisfy their appetite. Though our Lord was with them, and though he had all things at his control, yet he suffered them to resort to this method to supply their wants. When Jesus, thus with his disciples, suffered them to be poor, we may learn that poverty is not disgraceful; that God often suffers it for the good of his people; and that he will take care, in some way, that their wants shall be supplied. It was lawful for them thus to supply their wants. Though the property belonged to another, yet the law of Moses allowed the poor to satisfy theft wants when hungry. See De 23:25.

(t) "And it came" Mt 12:1, Lk 6:1 (u) "to pluck" De 23:25

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 23 Went through the corn fields - See on Mat 12:1 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Mark 2:23-28
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.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Mark 2:23 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΚαὶKaiAndG2532
ἐγένετοegenetoit came to passG1096
αὐτὸνautonHeG846
ἐνenonG1722
τοῖςtoistheG3588
σάββασινsabbasinSabbathsG4521
παραπορεύεσθαιparaporeuesthaipassing throughG3899
διὰdiathroughG1223
τῶνtōntheG3588
σπορίμων,sporimōngrainfields,G4702
καὶkaiandG2532
οἱhoitheG3588
μαθηταὶmathētaidisciplesG3101
αὐτοῦautouof HimG846
ἤρξαντοērxantobeganG757
ὁδὸνhodon[their] wayG3598
ποιεῖνpoieinto makeG4160
τίλλοντεςtillontespluckingG5089
τοὺςtoustheG3588
στάχυας.stachuasheads of grain.G4719

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Mark 2:23

  • Deuteronomy 23:24-25

    When thou comest into thy neighbour’s vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel. When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour’s standing corn.

  • Matthew 12:1-8

    At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? …

  • Luke 6:1-5

    And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days? And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him; How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone? …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
that.
Mt 12:1-8; Lu 6:1-5
to pluck.
De 23:24,25

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Mark 2:22

    And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.

  • Mark 2:23

    And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.

  • Mark 2:24

    And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?

Read all of Mark 2

Mark 2:23 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y aconteció que pasando él por los sembrados en sábado, sus discípulos andando comenzaron á arrancar espigas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il arriva qu’il passait par les blés en un jour de sabbat; et ses disciples, chemin faisant, se mirent à arracher des épis.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und es geschah, daß er am Sabbath durch die Saaten ging; und seine Jünger fingen an, im Gehen die Ähren abzupflücken.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et factum est iterum cum Dominus sabbatis ambularet per sata, et discipuli ejus cœperunt progredi, et vellere spicas.