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.