And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.
Parallel translations
- WEB They watched him, whether he would heal him on the Sabbath day, that they might accuse him.
- BSB In order to accuse Jesus, they were watching to see if He would heal on the Sabbath.
- 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 37:32The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.
- Luke 14:1And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him.
- Luke 6:7And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.
- Luke 20:20And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.
- Luke 11:53–54And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things:
- Dan 6:4Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
- Isa 29:20–21For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off:
- Matt 12:10And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
- John 9:16Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
- Jer 20:10For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on 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.