Verses

Primary Verses

A. THE COMMANDMENT TEXT (Exo 20:8-11)

Exodus 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Exodus 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: Exodus 20:10 But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates: Exodus 20:11 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.

Context (Exo 20:1-17):

Exodus 20:1 And God spake all these words, saying, Exodus 20:2 I [am] the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. [Commandments 1-3: vv. 3-7] [Commandment 4: vv. 8-11 above] Exodus 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. [Commandments 6-10: vv. 13-17]

B. DEUTERONOMY PARALLEL (Deu 5:12-15)

Deuteronomy 5:12 Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee. Deuteronomy 5:13 Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: Deuteronomy 5:14 But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou. Deuteronomy 5:15 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.

Notable differences from Exodus 20: - Deu 5:12 uses "Keep" (shamar, H8104) vs. Exo 20:8 "Remember" (zakar, H2142) - Deu 5:14 adds "thine ox, nor thine ass" and "that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou" - Deu 5:15 cites deliverance from Egypt as the reason; Exo 20:11 cites creation

C. CREATION BASIS (Gen 2:1-3)

Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. Genesis 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. Genesis 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

D. PRE-SINAI SABBATH EVIDENCE (Exo 16:4-30)

Exodus 16:4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no. Exodus 16:5 And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare [that] which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily. Exodus 16:22 And it came to pass, [that] on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one [man]: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. Exodus 16:23 And he said unto them, This [is that] which the LORD hath said, To morrow [is] the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake [that] which ye will bake [to day], and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. Exodus 16:24 And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. Exodus 16:25 And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day [is] a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field. Exodus 16:26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, [which is] the sabbath, in it there shall be none. Exodus 16:27 And it came to pass, [that] there went out [some] of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. Exodus 16:28 And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? Exodus 16:29 See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. Exodus 16:30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

E. EXTENSION TO NON-ISRAELITES

Exodus 20:10 (in commandment text):

"nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates"

Exodus 23:12:

Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.

Deuteronomy 5:14 (Deuteronomy parallel):

"nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou."

F. ISAIAH'S SABBATH PROPHECIES

Isaiah 56:1-8 (Invitation to foreigners):

Isaiah 56:1 Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation [is] near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. Isaiah 56:2 Blessed [is] the man [that] doeth this, and the son of man [that] layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. Isaiah 56:3 Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I [am] a dry tree. Isaiah 56:4 For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose [the things] that please me, and take hold of my covenant; Isaiah 56:5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. Isaiah 56:6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; Isaiah 56:7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices [shall be] accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. Isaiah 56:8 The Lord GOD which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather [others] to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.

Isaiah 58:13-14 (Proper Sabbath observance):

Isaiah 58:13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, [from] doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking [thine own] words: Isaiah 58:14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken [it].

Isaiah 66:23 (Universal Sabbath worship):

And it shall come to pass, [that] from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.

G. JESUS AND THE SABBATH

Mark 2:23-28 (Sabbath made for man):

Mark 2:23 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. Mark 2:24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful? Mark 2:25 And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? Mark 2:26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? Mark 2:27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Mark 2:28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

Matthew 12:1-14 (Lawful to do well):

Matthew 12:1 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. Matthew 12:2 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. Matthew 12:3-4 [David and the shewbread] Matthew 12:5 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? Matthew 12:6 But I say unto you, That in this place is [one] greater than the temple. Matthew 12:7 But if ye had known what [this] meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. Matthew 12:8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day. Matthew 12:9-10 [Man with withered hand] Matthew 12:11 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? Matthew 12:12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

Luke 4:16 (Jesus's custom):

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.

John 5:5-14 (Healing at Bethesda):

John 5:5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. John 5:8-9 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. John 5:10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry [thy] bed.

John 7:21-24 (Circumcision on the Sabbath):

John 7:21 Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel. John 7:22 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. John 7:23 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? John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

Luke 13:10-17 (Woman with spirit of infirmity):

Luke 13:10 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. Luke 13:14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day... Luke 13:15 The Lord then answered him, and said, [Thou] hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or [his] ass from the stall, and lead [him] away to watering? Luke 13:16 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?

Luke 14:1-6 (Man with dropsy):

Luke 14:1 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. Luke 14:3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? Luke 14:5 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?

Luke 6:1-10 (Lord of the Sabbath):

Luke 6:1 And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing [them] in [their] hands. Luke 6:5 And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath. Luke 6:9 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]?

H. NT PRACTICE AND EXPECTATION

Matthew 24:20 (Jesus's future expectation):

But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

Luke 23:54-56 (Women rest according to the commandment):

Luke 23:54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. Luke 23:55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. Luke 23:56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.

Acts 13:14,27,42,44 (Paul in Antioch of Pisidia):

Acts 13:14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. Acts 13:27 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]. Acts 13:42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. Acts 13:44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

Acts 16:13 (Sabbath at Philippi):

And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted [thither].

Acts 17:2 (Paul's manner in Thessalonica):

And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

Acts 18:4 (Paul at Corinth):

And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

Hebrews 4:1-11 (Sabbatismos remains):

Hebrews 4:4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh [day] on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. Hebrews 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. Hebrews 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God [did] from his.

I. SABBATH REGULATIONS AND ENFORCEMENT

Exodus 31:13-17 (Sign and death penalty):

Exodus 31:13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it [is] a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that [ye] may know that I [am] the LORD that doth sanctify you. Exodus 31:14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it [is] holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth [any] work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Exodus 31:15 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. Exodus 31:16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, [for] a perpetual covenant. Exodus 31:17 It [is] a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

Exodus 34:21:

Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest.

Exodus 35:2-3:

Exodus 35:2 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death. Exodus 35:3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.

Numbers 15:32-36 (Man gathering sticks):

Numbers 15:32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. Numbers 15:35 And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. Numbers 15:36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.

J. SABBATH AS SIGN AND SANCTIFICATION

Ezekiel 20:12,20:

Ezekiel 20:12 Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I [am] the LORD that sanctify them. Ezekiel 20:20 And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I [am] the LORD your God.

Leviticus 19:3,30:

Leviticus 19:3 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I [am] the LORD your God. Leviticus 19:30 Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I [am] the LORD.

Leviticus 23:1-3:

Leviticus 23:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, [Concerning] the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim [to be] holy convocations, [even] these [are] my feasts. Leviticus 23:3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day [is] the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work [therein]: it [is] the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.

Nehemiah 9:13-14:

Nehemiah 9:13 Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments: Nehemiah 9:14 And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:

K. PROPHETIC SABBATH

Isaiah 1:13:

Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; [it is] iniquity, even the solemn meeting.

Hosea 2:11:

I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts.

Amos 8:5:

Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?

Nehemiah 13:15-22 (Nehemiah's Sabbath reform):

Nehemiah 13:15 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. Nehemiah 13:17 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? Nehemiah 13:18 Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. Nehemiah 13:19 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. Nehemiah 13:21 Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do [so] again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no [more] on the sabbath. Nehemiah 13:22 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.

Jeremiah 17:21-27:

Jeremiah 17:21 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; Jeremiah 17:22 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. Jeremiah 17:24 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; Jeremiah 17:25 Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain for ever. Jeremiah 17:27 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.

L. SABBATH SACRIFICES AND TEMPLE

Numbers 28:9-10:

Numbers 28:9 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: Numbers 28:10 [This is] the burnt offering of every sabbath, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.

Ezekiel 44:24:

And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; [and] they shall judge it according to my judgments: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies; and they shall hallow my sabbaths.

Ezekiel 46:1-5:

Ezekiel 46:1 Thus saith the Lord GOD; The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened. Ezekiel 46:3 Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the LORD in the sabbaths and in the new moons. Ezekiel 46:4 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.

M. PSALM 92 -- A SONG FOR THE SABBATH DAY

Psalm 92:1 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: Psalm 92:2 To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, Psalm 92:3 Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound. Psalm 92:4 For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. Psalm 92:5 O LORD, how great are thy works! [and] thy thoughts are very deep. Psalm 92:12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Psalm 92:15 To shew that the LORD [is] upright: [he is] my rock, and [there is] no unrighteousness in him.

N. COLOSSIANS 2:16-17 (Shadow passage -- see law-26 for full analysis)

Colossians 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; Colossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath [days]: Colossians 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ.

Cross-Testament Parallels

Parallels for Exodus 20:8 (OT)

Reference	Score	Key Terms
Deuteronomy 5:12	0.540	holy, sabbath
Nehemiah 13:22	0.489	holy, remember, sabbath
Jeremiah 17:22	0.489	holy, sabbath
Exodus 20:11	0.487	holy, sabbath
Ezekiel 20:20	0.476	holy, sabbath
Ezekiel 20:12	0.474	holy, sabbath
Genesis 2:3	0.422	holy

Parallels for Exodus 20:8 (NT)

Reference	Score	Key Terms
Matthew 12:8	0.383	sabbath
Mark 2:28	0.379	sabbath
Mark 2:27	0.356	sabbath
Hebrews 4:9	0.350	(semantic)
Luke 6:5	0.350	sabbath
Luke 23:54	0.358	sabbath

Parallels for Genesis 2:2 (OT)

Reference	Score	Key Terms
Genesis 2:3	0.537	cease, seventh, work
Exodus 35:2	0.488	seventh, work
Exodus 31:15	0.485	seventh, work
Leviticus 23:3	0.474	seventh, work
Exodus 20:10	0.452	seventh, work
Deuteronomy 5:14	0.447	seventh, work

Parallels for Genesis 2:3 (NT)

Reference	Score	Key Terms
Hebrews 4:4	0.398	cease, seventh, work

Parallels for Mark 2:27 (OT)

Reference	Score	Key Terms
Exodus 16:25	0.392	sabbath
Exodus 16:29	0.381	sabbath
Nehemiah 9:14	0.367	sabbath
Exodus 31:16	0.362	sabbath
Exodus 20:8	0.356	sabbath
Deuteronomy 5:14	0.351	sabbath

Parallels for Mark 2:27 (NT)

Reference	Score	Key Terms
Luke 6:5	0.461	sabbath
Matthew 12:2	0.423	sabbath, said
Mark 2:24	0.423	sabbath
Mark 2:28	0.423	sabbath
John 7:23	0.378	made, sabbath

Parallels for Isaiah 56:6 (NT)

Reference	Score	Key Terms
Luke 1:72	0.367	compassion, covenant
Matthew 12:8	0.353	sabbath
Mark 2:28	0.350	sabbath
Revelation 22:9	0.345	keep, servant