Observing the Sabbath

¹² The Lord said to Moses, ¹³ “Tell the Israelites: You must observe my Sabbaths, for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, so that you will know that I am the Lord who consecrates you.^{(A) 14} Observe the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Whoever profanes it must be put to death. If anyone does work on it, that person must be cut off from his people.^{(B) 15} Work may be done for six days, but on the seventh day there must be a Sabbath of complete rest,^(C) holy to the Lord. Anyone who does work on the Sabbath day must be put to death. ¹⁶ The Israelites must observe the Sabbath, celebrating it throughout their generations as a permanent covenant. ¹⁷ It is a sign forever between me and the Israelites, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.”

Lord of the Sabbath

²³ On^(A) the Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and his disciples^(B) began to make their way, picking some heads of grain. ²⁴ The Pharisees^(C) said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful^(D) on the Sabbath?”

²⁵ He said to them, “Have you never read what David^(E) and those who were with him did when he was in need^(F) and hungry^(G) — ²⁶ how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar^(H) the high priest^(I) and ate the bread of the Presence^(J) —which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests^(K) —and also gave some to his companions?” ²⁷ Then he told them, “The Sabbath was made for^[a] man and not man for the Sabbath.^{(L) 28} So then, the Son of Man^(M) is Lord^(N) even of the Sabbath.”^(O)

3 Jesus^(P) entered the synagogue^(Q) again, and a man was there who had a shriveled^(R) hand. ² In order to accuse^(S) him, they were watching him closely^(T) to see whether he would heal^(U) him on the Sabbath.^{(V) 3} He told the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand before us.” ⁴ Then he said to them, “Is it lawful^(W) to do good^(X) on the Sabbath or to do evil,^(Y) to save life^(Z) or to kill?”^(AA) But they were silent.^{(AB) 5} After looking around at them with anger,^(AC) he was grieved at the hardness^(AD) of their hearts and told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.^(AE)