Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He would heal on the Sabbath.
Parallel translations
- WEB The scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against him.
- KJV And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.
- NKJV So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him.
- NASB Now the scribes and the Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He healed on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse Him.
- NLT The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working 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 scribes and Pharisees watch Jesus, hoping to accuse him of healing on the Sabbath. Their hostility seeks grounds for condemnation.
Overview
Rather than rejoicing at the prospect of healing, the leaders watch to entrap Jesus, hardened by their legalism. Their watching exposes hearts more concerned with accusation than mercy. Luke contrasts their malice with Jesus' compassion, sharpening the moral issue he is about to raise.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Luke 20:20So they watched Him closely and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They were hoping to catch Him in His words in order to hand Him over to the rule and authority of the governor.
- Mark 3:2In order to accuse Jesus, they were watching to see if He would heal on the Sabbath.
- Ps 37:32–33Though the wicked lie in wait for the righteous, and seek to slay them,
- Luke 13:14But the synagogue leader was indignant that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. “There are six days for work,” he told the crowd. “So come and be healed on those days and not on the Sabbath.”
- Luke 11:53–54As Jesus went on from there, the scribes and Pharisees began to oppose Him bitterly and to ply Him with questions about many things,
- Ps 38:12Those who seek my life lay snares; those who wish me harm speak destruction, plotting deceit all day long.
- Luke 14:1–6One Sabbath, Jesus went to eat in the home of a leading Pharisee, and those in attendance were watching Him closely.
- John 5:10–16so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “This is the Sabbath! It is unlawful for you to carry your mat.”
- John 9:26–29“What did He do to you?” they asked. “How did He open your eyes?”
- Isa 29:21those who indict a man with a word, who ensnare the mediator at the gate, and who with false charges deprive the innocent of justice.
- Matt 26:59–60Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death.
- Jer 20:10For I have heard the whispering of many: “Terror is on every side! Report him; let us report him!” All my trusted friends watch for my fall: “Perhaps he will be deceived so that we may prevail against him and take our vengeance upon him.”
- John 9:16Because of this, some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a sinful man perform such signs?” And there was division among them.
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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 6:7 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
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