And they were watching Him closely to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so 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.
- KJV And 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.
- 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 watches the righteous, and seeks to kill him.
- Luke 14:1When he went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees on a Sabbath to eat bread, they were watching him.
- Luke 6:7The scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against him.
- Luke 20:20They watched him, and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous, that they might trap him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor.
- Luke 11:53–54As he said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be terribly angry, and to draw many things out of him;
- Dan 6:4Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel as touching the kingdom; but they could find no occasion nor fault, because he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
- Isa 29:20–21For the ruthless is brought to nothing, and the scoffer ceases, and all those who are alert to do evil are cut off —
- Matt 12:10And behold there was a man with a withered hand. They asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?” that they might accuse him.
- John 9:16Some therefore of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because he doesn’t keep the Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” There was division among them.
- Jer 20:10For I have heard the defaming of many, “Terror on every side! Denounce, and we will denounce him!” say all my familiar friends, those who watch for my fall. “Perhaps he will be persuaded, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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.