en_tn/mat/12/07.md

Jesus continues to defend his disciples when the Pharisees criticize them for picking grain to eat on the Sabbath.

If you had known

"You do not know"

you...you

the Pharisees

I desire mercy and not sacrifice

Sacrifices are good, but mercy is better. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-hyperbole)

what this meant

"what God said in the scripture"

I desire

The pronoun "I" refers to God.