In order to accuse Jesus, they were watching to see if He would heal on the Sabbath.
Parallel translations
- WEB They watched him, whether he would heal him on the Sabbath day, that they might accuse him.
- KJV And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.
- NKJV So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him.
- NASB And they were watching Him closely to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him.
- NLT Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus’ enemies watched him 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
Jesus' opponents watch closely, hoping to catch him healing on the Sabbath so they can accuse him. It matters because it exposes hearts more concerned with condemning Jesus than with a suffering man.
Overview
The religious leaders treat the Sabbath as a trap rather than a gift, watching for grounds to charge Jesus. Their hostility reveals how legalism can blind people to compassion and to God himself standing before them. Mark contrasts their cold scrutiny with the mercy Jesus is about to display, highlighting the conflict that will lead to the cross.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Ps 37:32Though the wicked lie in wait for the righteous, and seek to slay them,
- Luke 14:1One Sabbath, Jesus went to eat in the home of a leading Pharisee, and those in attendance were watching Him closely.
- Luke 6:7Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He would heal on the Sabbath.
- 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.
- 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,
- Dan 6:4Thus the administrators and satraps sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.
- Isa 29:20–21For the ruthless will vanish, the mockers will disappear, and all who look for evil will be cut down—
- Matt 12:10and a man with a withered hand was there. In order to accuse Jesus, they asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”
- 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.
- 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.”
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 3:2 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.