Instructions for Sabbath observance

³² When the Israelites were in the desert, they found a man gathering wood on the Sabbath day. ³³ Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses, Aaron, and the entire community. ³⁴ They placed him in custody, because it wasn’t clear what should be done to him. ³⁵ Then the Lord said to Moses: The man should be put to death. The entire community should stone him outside the camp. ³⁶ The entire community took him outside the camp and stoned him. He died as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Scripture and the Sabbath

²³ Jesus went through the wheat fields on the Sabbath. As the disciples made their way, they were picking the heads of wheat. ²⁴ The Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look! Why are they breaking the Sabbath law?”

²⁵ He said to them, “Haven’t you ever read what David did when he was in need, when he and those with him were hungry? ²⁶ During the time when Abiathar was high priest, David went into God’s house and ate the bread of the presence, which only the priests were allowed to eat. He also gave bread to those who were with him.” ²⁷ Then he said, “The Sabbath was created for humans; humans weren’t created for the Sabbath. ²⁸ This is why the Human One^[a] is Lord even over the Sabbath.”

Healing on the Sabbath

3 Jesus returned to the synagogue. A man with a withered hand was there. ² Wanting to bring charges against Jesus, they were watching Jesus closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. ³ He said to the man with the withered hand, “Step up where people can see you.” ⁴ Then he said to them, “Is it legal on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they said nothing. ⁵ Looking around at them with anger, deeply grieved at their unyielding hearts, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he did, and his hand was made healthy. ⁶ At that, the Pharisees got together with the supporters of Herod to plan how to destroy Jesus.