And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—that they might accuse Him.
Parallel translations
- WEB And 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.
- KJV And, 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.
- BSB and a man with a withered hand was there. In order to accuse Jesus, they asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”
- NASB And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned Jesus, asking, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might bring charges against Him.
- NLT where he noticed a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Does the law permit a person to work by healing on the Sabbath?” (They were hoping he would say yes, so they could bring charges against him.)
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
A man with a withered hand is present, and the Pharisees pose a Sabbath-healing question hoping to trap and accuse Jesus.
Overview
The question is not sincere inquiry but a snare designed to find grounds for accusation. Rabbinic tradition permitted Sabbath healing only when life was in danger, and this man's condition was not urgent. Jesus' willingness to heal regardless exposes both the man's need and his accusers' hardness of heart.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- Luke 13:14The ruler of the synagogue, being indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the multitude, “There are six days in which men ought to work. Therefore come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day!”
- 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.
- John 8:6They said this testing him, that they might have something to accuse him of. But Jesus stooped down, and wrote on the ground with his finger.
- Luke 11:54lying in wait for him, and seeking to catch him in something he might say, that they might accuse him.
- John 5:10So the Jews said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath. It is not lawful for you to carry the mat.”
- Matt 22:17–18Tell us therefore, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”
- Luke 14:3–6Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”
- Zech 11:17Woe to the worthless shepherd who leaves the flock! The sword will be on his arm, and on his right eye. His arm will be completely withered, and his right eye will be totally blinded!”
- Matt 12:2But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, “Behold, your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”
- Isa 32:6For the fool will speak folly, and his heart will work iniquity, to practice profanity, and to utter error against Yahweh, To make empty the soul of the hungry, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.
- John 5:3In these lay a great multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, or paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water;
- Luke 23:2They began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man perverting the nation, forbidding paying taxes to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.”
- 1 Kgs 13:4–6When the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar in Bethel, Jeroboam put out his hand from the altar, saying, “Seize him!” His hand, which he put out against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back again to himself.
- Isa 59:4No one sues in righteousness, and no one pleads in truth. They trust in vanity, and speak lies. They conceive mischief, and give birth to iniquity.
- Luke 20:22Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”
- Matt 19:3Pharisees came to him, testing him, and saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?”
- Luke 6:6–7It also happened on another Sabbath that he entered into the synagogue and taught. There was a man there, and his right hand was withered.
- Luke 23:14and said to them, “You brought this man to me as one that perverts the people, and see, I have examined him before you, and found no basis for a charge against this man concerning those things of which you accuse him.
- Isa 59:13transgressing and denying Yahweh, and turning away from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
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Original language
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