'Sabbath Day' in the Bible
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Say to the children of Israel that they are to keep my Sabbaths; for the Sabbath day is a sign between me and you through all your generations; so that you may see that I am the Lord who makes you holy.
Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.
Every sabbath day he shall set it in order before Jehovah continually; it is on the behalf of the children of Israel, an everlasting covenant.
And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.
And on the sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof:
This is the burned offering for every Sabbath day, in addition to the regular burned offering, and its drink offering.
Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee.
And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.
And he said, "Wherefore wilt thou go to him today, while it is neither new moon nor Sabbath day?" And she said, "Be content."
And he commanded them, saying, "This is that ye must do: one third part of you shall come on the Sabbath day and keep the watch of the king's house;
and two portions of you - that is, all that go out the Sabbath day - shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD about the king,
And the captains over the hundreds did all the things as Jehoiada the priest commanded: and took every man his men, that is, them that came in the Sabbath day with them that went out the Sabbath day, and went to Jehoiada the priest.
"Just as you did with my father David, sending him cedars to build him a palace to live in, do the same for me. Look, I'm building a temple dedicated to the name of the LORD my God, to his glory, so we can burn fragrant incense in his presence, display rows of the bread of his presence continuously, and make burnt offerings in the morning, evening, on Sabbath days, during New Moon festivals, and during appointed festivals scheduled by the LORD our God. This is mandated forever in Israel.
This it is therefore that ye shall do. The third part of you priests and Levites which come in the Sabbath day, shall keep the doors;
And the Levites and all Judah did in all things as Jehoiada the priest commanded, and took every man his men: both them that came in and them that went out the Sabbath day: for Jehoiada the priest did let none of the companies depart.
And the king gave a portion of his substance for burnt offerings at morning and even, and for burnt offerings on the Sabbath days and new moons and other solemn feasts, according as it is written in the law of the LORD.
And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.
In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals.
Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?
And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.
And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.
I will satisfy him with long life, and show him my salvation." A Psalm. A song for the Sabbath day.
{A Psalm or Song for the sabbath day.} It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:
Thus saith the LORD; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;
Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers.
And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the LORD, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein;
But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.
{Zayin} Now doth Jerusalem remember the time of her misery and disobedience, yea the joy and pleasure that she hath had in times past: seeing her people is brought down through the power of their enemy, and there is no man for to help her. Her enemies stand looking at her, and laughing her Sabbath days to scorn.
And yet the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They would not walk in my commandments; they have cast away my laws, which whoso keepeth should live in them; and my Sabbath days have they greatly unhallowed. Then I made me to pour out my indignation upon them, and to consume them in the wilderness.
Notwithstanding, their sons rebelled against me also: they walked not in my statutes, they kept not my laws to fulfill them, which he that doth shall live in them; neither hallowed they my Sabbath days. Then I made me again to pour out my indignation over them, and to satisfy my wrath upon them in the wilderness.
Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the sabbath day it shall be opened, and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened.
And the burnt offering that the prince shall offer unto the LORD in the sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish, and a ram without blemish.
Now when the prince shall prepare a voluntary burnt offering or peace offerings voluntarily unto the LORD, one shall then open him the gate that looketh toward the east, and he shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, as he did on the sabbath day: then he shall go forth; and after his going forth one shall shut the gate.
At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.
But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.
Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
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.
And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
Now late on the sabbath day, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.
and 2:1], and on the [first] Sabbath day Jesus entered the synagogue and taught people.
And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.
And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?
And Jesus said to them, "The Sabbath day was made for man's [benefit], and not man for the Sabbath [day's benefit].
So, the Son of man is lord [i.e., has authority] even over the Sabbath day."
And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.
And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.
And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
When evening had come, and since it was the day of Preparation [for the Passover Festival], being the day before the [special] Sabbath Day,
Now when the Sabbath day was over [i.e., after sunset on Saturday evening], Mary from Magdala; Mary the mother of James [i.e., the "other Mary" of Matt. 28:1, who was probably Jesus' mother. See Matt. 27:56]; and Salome [i.e., the mother of James and John and wife of Zebedee. See Matt. 27:56], bought spices [i.e., consisting of aloes and other aromatic perfumes] in order to apply them to His body [i.e., as a means of embalming].
And early in the morning, the next day after the Sabbath day, they came unto the sepulchre when the sun was risen.
When Jesus was risen, the morrow after the Sabbath day he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he cast seven devils.
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.
Now it happened on a Sabbath day that Jesus was walking through some grainfields. His disciples picked off some heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands and ate [the kernels]. [Note: It was an accepted practice for people in that day to be permitted to do this as they walked along paths bordering a grainfield].
And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?
Then He said to them, "The Son of man is lord [i.e., has authority over] the Sabbath day."
And it happened on another Sabbath day, when Jesus entered the synagogue to teach, that a man was there whose right hand was deformed.
And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.
Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?
And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath day.
And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.
But the Lord answered them, "You hypocrites! Does not every one of you untie his ox or his donkey from its stall and lead it to water on the Sabbath day?
And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
And 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.
And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?
And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?
This happened on the Day of Preparation [for the Passover Festival], as the Sabbath day was about to begin [i.e., shortly before
And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.
On the Sabbath Day they rested in obedience to the commandment, but in the deep dawn of the first day of the week they took the spices which they had prepared, and came to the tomb.
And immediately the man was made well and picked up his cot and walked. Now this happened on the Sabbath day.
The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.
So, for this reason the Jews looked for more [opportunities] to kill Him, because He not only broke Sabbath day [restrictions], but also He had called God His own Father, [thereby] making Himself equal with God.
Jesus answered them, "I performed one [miraculous] deed and you were all amazed by it [i.e., the healing of the crippled man on the Sabbath day. See 5:1-9].
Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.
If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?
And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
Therefore 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.
The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
So, they placed Jesus' body there, for it was the Day of Preparation and that was the closest grave site. [Note: Since this was the day before the Passover Festival, and the next day was also the regular weekly Sabbath, they had to bury the body before sundown to comply with Jewish restrictions against working on a Sabbath day].
The morrow after the Sabbath day, first of Sabbaths, came Mary Magdalene early when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and saw the stone taken away from the tomb.
The same day at night, which was the morrow after the Sabbath day, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled together for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you."
Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.
But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.
For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.
As Paul and Barnabas left [the synagogue], the people urged them to speak [more] about this message the next Sabbath day.
And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
And on the sabbath day we went forth without the gate by a river side, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down, and spake unto the women that were come together.
And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
Every Sabbath day Paul held discussions in the synagogues, trying to convince [both] Jews and Greeks [i.e., Gentiles, that Jesus was the Messiah].
And on the morrow after the Sabbath day the disciples came together for to break bread, and Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued the preaching unto midnight.