But some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”
Parallel translations
- WEB But some of the Pharisees said to them, “Why do you do that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath day?”
- KJV And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?
- NKJV And some of the Pharisees said to them, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?”
- NASB But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”
- NLT But some Pharisees said, “Why are you breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The Pharisees accuse the disciples of breaking the Sabbath. Their man-made rules treat a small act as unlawful work.
Overview
The Pharisees challenge what they regard as unlawful labor on the Sabbath, applying their detailed traditions. Their objection reflects a view of Sabbath-keeping focused on rule enforcement rather than God's intent. Jesus' reply will reorient the Sabbath toward mercy and toward his own authority.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Matt 12:2When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”
- John 5:16Now because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews began to persecute Him.
- Luke 6:7–9Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He would heal on the Sabbath.
- Mark 2:24So the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”
- Exod 35:2For six days work may be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on that day must be put to death.
- John 5:9–11Immediately the man was made well, and he picked up his mat and began to walk. Now this happened on the Sabbath day,
- John 9:14–16Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened his eyes was a Sabbath.
- Num 15:32–35While the Israelites were in the wilderness, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day.
- Exod 22:10If a man gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any other animal to be cared for by his neighbor, but it dies or is injured or stolen while no one is watching,
- Luke 5:33Then they said to Him, “John’s disciples and those of the Pharisees frequently fast and pray, but Yours keep on eating and drinking.”
- Exod 31:15For six days work may be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must surely be put to death.
- Matt 23:23–24Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
- Isa 58:13If you turn your foot from breaking the Sabbath, from doing as you please on My holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight, and the LORD’s holy day honorable, if you honor it by not going your own way or seeking your own pleasure or speaking idle words,
- Matt 15:2“Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 6:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.