Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day

Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.

Joshua 24:14

14Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; cast aside the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.

Psalms 18:3

3I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.

Psalms 31:23

23Love the LORD, all His saints. The LORD preserves the faithful, but fully repays the arrogant.

Psalms 62:8

8Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge. Selah

Psalms 119:68

68You are good, and You do what is good; teach me Your statutes.

Jeremiah 10:7

7Who would not fear You, O King of nations? This is Your due. For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like You.

Mark 12:33

33and to love Him with all your heart and with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, which is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

Acts 17:24

24The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands.

Romans 1:20

20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse.

Romans 10:12

12For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him,

Exodus 20:4-6

4You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath.

5You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,

6but showing loving devotion to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.

Deuteronomy 4:15-20

15So since you saw no form of any kind on the day the LORD spoke to you out of the fire at Horeb, be careful

16that you do not act corruptly and make an idol for yourselves of any form or shape, whether in the likeness of a male or female,

17of any beast that is on the earth or bird that flies in the air,

18or of any creature that crawls on the ground or fish that is in the waters below.

19When you look to the heavens and see the sun and moon and stars—all the host of heaven—do not be enticed to bow down and worship what the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.

20Yet the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of His inheritance, as you are today.

Deuteronomy 12:32

32See that you do everything I command you; do not add to it or subtract from it.

Matthew 4:9-10

9“All this I will give You,” he said, “if You will fall down and worship me.”

10“Away from Me, Satan!” Jesus declared. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”

Matthew 15:9

9They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’”

Acts 17:25

25Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.

Colossians 2:23

23Such restrictions indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-prescribed worship, their false humility, and their harsh treatment of the body; but they are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.

Matthew 4:10

10“Away from Me, Satan!” Jesus declared. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”

John 5:23

23so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

2 Corinthians 13:14

14The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.

John 14:6

6Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Ephesians 2:18

18For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Colossians 3:17

17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

1 Timothy 2:5

5For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

Romans 1:25

25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen.

Colossians 2:18

18Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you with speculation about what he has seen. Such a person is puffed up without basis by his unspiritual mind.

Revelation 19:10

10So I fell at his feet to worship him. But he told me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who rely on the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.

Philippians 4:6

6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

John 14:13-14

13And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14If you ask Me for anything in My name, I will do it.

1 Peter 2:5

5you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Psalms 65:2

2O You who listen to prayer, all people will come to You.

1 John 5:14

14And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

Romans 8:26

26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.

1 Corinthians 14:14

14For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

Genesis 18:27

27Then Abraham answered, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord—though I am but dust and ashes—

Psalms 47:7

7For God is King of all the earth; sing profound praises to Him.

Ecclesiastes 5:1-2

1Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

2Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. After all, God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few.

Matthew 6:12

12And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Matthew 6:14-15

14For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

15But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours.

Mark 11:24

24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Ephesians 6:18

18Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.

Colossians 4:2

2Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful,

Hebrews 12:28

28Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.

James 1:6-7

6But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

7That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

James 5:16

16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.

Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.

1 John 5:14

14And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

2 Samuel 12:21-23

21“What is this you have done?” his servants asked. “While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but when he died, you got up and ate.”

22David answered, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let him live.’

23But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”

Luke 16:25-26

25But Abraham answered, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, while you are in agony.

26And besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that even those who wish cannot cross from here to you, nor can anyone cross from there to us.’

Revelation 14:13

13And I heard a voice from heaven telling me to write, “Blessed are the dead—those who die in the Lord from this moment on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labors, for their deeds will follow them.”

Ruth 4:12

12And may your house become like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring the LORD will give you by this young woman.”

2 Samuel 7:29

29Now therefore, may it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You. For You, O Lord GOD, have spoken, and with Your blessing the house of Your servant will be blessed forever.”

John 17:20

20I am not asking on behalf of them alone, but also on behalf of those who will believe in Me through their message,

1 Timothy 2:1-2

1First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered for everyone—

2for kings and all those in authority—so that we may lead tranquil and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity.

1 John 5:16

16If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he should ask God, who will give life to those who commit this kind of sin. There is a sin that leads to death; I am not saying he should ask regarding that sin.

Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.

Acts 15:21

21For Moses has been proclaimed in every city from ancient times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

Revelation 1:3

3Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and obey what is written in it, because the time is near.

Isaiah 66:2

2Has not My hand made all these things? And so they came into being,” declares the LORD. “This is the one I will esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at My word.

Matthew 13:19

19When anyone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.

Acts 10:33

33So I sent for you immediately, and you were kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has instructed you to tell us.”

Hebrews 4:2

2For we also received the good news just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, since they did not share the faith of those who comprehended it.

James 1:22

22Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.

2 Timothy 4:2

2Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction.

Matthew 28:19

19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,

Acts 2:42

42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

1 Corinthians 11:23-29

23For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread,

24and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

25In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

26For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

27Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.

28Each one must examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.

29For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.

Ephesians 5:19

19Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord,

Colossians 3:16

16Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

James 5:13

13Is any one of you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises.

Isaiah 19:21

21The LORD will make Himself known to Egypt, and on that day Egypt will acknowledge the LORD. They will worship with sacrifices and offerings; they will make vows to the LORD and fulfill them.

Ecclesiastes 5:4-5

4When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow.

5It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.

Deuteronomy 6:13

13Fear the LORD your God, serve Him only, and take your oaths in His name.

Nehemiah 10:29

29hereby join with their noble brothers and commit themselves with a sworn oath to follow the Law of God given through His servant Moses and to carefully obey all the commandments, ordinances, and statutes of the LORD our Lord.

Esther 9:22

22as the days on which the Jews gained rest from their enemies and the month in which their sorrow turned to joy and their mourning into a holiday. He wrote that these were to be days of feasting and joy, of sending gifts to one another and to the poor.

Psalms 107:1-43

1Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.

2Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy

3and gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.

4Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no path to a city in which to dwell.

5They were hungry and thirsty; their soul fainted within them.

6Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress.

7He led them on a straight path to reach a city where they could live.

8Let them give thanks to the LORD for His loving devotion and His wonders to the sons of men.

9For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

10Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and chains,

11because they rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High.

12He humbled their hearts with hard labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help.

13Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress.

14He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and broke away their chains.

15Let them give thanks to the LORD for His loving devotion and His wonders to the sons of men.

16For He has broken down the gates of bronze and cut through the bars of iron.

17Fools, in their rebellious ways, and through their iniquities, suffered affliction.

18They loathed all food and drew near to the gates of death.

19Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress.

20He sent forth His word and healed them; He rescued them from the Pit.

21Let them give thanks to the LORD for His loving devotion and His wonders to the sons of men.

22Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and declare His works with rejoicing.

23Others went out to sea in ships, conducting trade on the mighty waters.

24They saw the works of the LORD, and His wonders in the deep.

25For He spoke and raised a tempest that lifted the waves of the sea.

26They mounted up to the heavens, then sunk to the depths; their courage melted in their anguish.

27They reeled and staggered like drunkards, and all their skill was useless.

28Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress.

29He calmed the storm to a whisper, and the waves of the sea were hushed.

30They rejoiced in the silence, and He guided them to the harbor they desired.

31Let them give thanks to the LORD for His loving devotion and His wonders to the sons of men.

32Let them exalt Him in the assembly of the people and praise Him in the council of the elders.

33He turns rivers into deserts, springs of water into thirsty ground,

34and fruitful land into fields of salt, because of the wickedness of its dwellers.

35He turns a desert into pools of water and a dry land into flowing springs.

36He causes the hungry to settle there, that they may establish a city in which to dwell.

37They sow fields and plant vineyards that yield a fruitful harvest.

38He blesses them, and they multiply greatly; He does not let their herds diminish.

39When they are decreased and humbled by oppression, evil, and sorrow,

40He pours out contempt on the nobles and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.

41But He lifts the needy from affliction and increases their families like flocks.

42The upright see and rejoice, and all iniquity shuts its mouth.

43Let him who is wise pay heed to these things and consider the loving devotion of the LORD.

Esther 4:16

16“Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day, and I and my maidens will fast as you do. After that, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish!”

Joel 2:12

12“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.”

Matthew 9:15

15Jesus replied, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while He is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

1 Corinthians 7:5

5Do not deprive each other, except by mutual consent and for a time, so you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again, so that Satan will not tempt you through your lack of self-control.

Hebrews 12:28

28Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.

Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.

John 4:21

21“Believe Me, woman,” Jesus replied, “a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.

John 4:23-24

23But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him.

24God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”

Malachi 1:11

11For My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place, incense and pure offerings will be presented in My name, because My name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD of Hosts.

1 Timothy 2:8

8Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or dissension.

Matthew 6:11

11Give us this day our daily bread.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7

6These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts.

7And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

2 Samuel 6:18

18When David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of Hosts.

2 Samuel 6:20

20As soon as David returned home to bless his own household, Saul’s daughter Michal came out to meet him. “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today!” she said. “He has uncovered himself today in the sight of the maidservants of his subjects, like a vulgar person would do.”

Job 1:5

5And when the days of feasting were over, Job would send for his children to purify them, rising early in the morning to offer burnt offerings for all of them. For Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.

Jeremiah 10:25

25Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge You, and on the families that do not call on Your name. For they have devoured Jacob; they have consumed him and finished him off; they have devastated his homeland.

Acts 10:2

2He and all his household were devout and God-fearing. He gave generously to the people and prayed to God regularly.

1 Peter 3:7

7Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

Isaiah 56:6-7

6And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD to minister to Him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be His servants— all who keep the Sabbath without profaning it and who hold fast to My covenant—

7I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar, for My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.”

Proverbs 1:20-21

20Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;

21in the main concourse she cries aloud, at the city gates she makes her speech:

Proverbs 1:24

24Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,

Proverbs 8:34

34Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my doorway.

Luke 4:16

16Then Jesus came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. As was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath. And when He stood up to read,

Acts 2:42

42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Acts 13:42

42As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people urged them to continue this message on the next Sabbath.

Hebrews 10:25

25Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Matthew 6:6

6But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Ephesians 6:18

18Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.

Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.

Exodus 20:8

8Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

Exodus 20:10-11

10but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant or livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates.

11For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, but on the seventh day He rested. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.

Isaiah 56:2

2Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without profaning it and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

Isaiah 56:4

4For this is what the LORD says: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, who choose what pleases Me and hold fast to My covenant—

Isaiah 56:6-7

6And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD to minister to Him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be His servants— all who keep the Sabbath without profaning it and who hold fast to My covenant—

7I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar, for My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.”

Revelation 1:10

10On the Lord’s day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,

Genesis 2:2-3

2And by the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on that day He rested from all His work.

3Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on that day He rested from all the work of creation that He had accomplished.

Acts 20:7

7On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Since Paul was ready to leave the next day, he talked to them and kept on speaking until midnight.

1 Corinthians 16:1-2

1Now about the collection for the saints, you are to do as I directed the churches of Galatia:

2On the first day of every week, each of you should set aside a portion of his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will be needed.

Exodus 20:10

10but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant or livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates.

Matthew 5:17-18

17Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.

18For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.

Exodus 20:8

8Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

Exodus 16:23

23He told them, “This is what the LORD has said: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of complete rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. So bake what you want to bake, and boil what you want to boil. Then set aside whatever remains and keep it until morning.’”

Exodus 16:25-26

25“Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a Sabbath to the LORD. Today you will not find anything in the field.

26For six days you may gather, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, it will not be there.”

Exodus 16:29-30

29Understand that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day He will give you bread for two days. On the seventh day, everyone must stay where he is; no one may leave his place.”

30So the people rested on the seventh day.

Exodus 31:15-17

15For six days work may be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must surely be put to death.

16The Israelites must keep the Sabbath, celebrating it as a permanent covenant for the generations to come.

17It is a sign between Me and the Israelites forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’”

Isaiah 58:13

13If you turn your foot from breaking the Sabbath, from doing as you please on My holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight, and the LORD’s holy day honorable, if you honor it by not going your own way or seeking your own pleasure or speaking idle words,

Nehemiah 13:15-22

15In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them against selling food on that day.

16Additionally, men of Tyre who lived there were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem.

17Then I rebuked the nobles of Judah and asked, “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day?

18Did not your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this disaster on us and on this city? And now you are rekindling His wrath against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!”

19When the evening shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem, just before the Sabbath, I ordered that the gates be shut and not opened until after the Sabbath. I posted some of my servants at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day.

20Once or twice, the merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods camped outside Jerusalem,

21but I warned them, “Why are you camping in front of the wall? If you do it again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on, they did not return on the Sabbath.

22Then I instructed the Levites to purify themselves and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this as well, O my God, and show me mercy according to Your abundant loving devotion.

Matthew 12:1-13

1At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them.

2When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”

3Jesus replied, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?

4He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for them to eat, but only for the priests.

5Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and yet are innocent?

6But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.

7If only you had known the meaning of ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

8For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

9Moving on from there, Jesus entered their synagogue,

10and a man with a withered hand was there. In order to accuse Jesus, they asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

11He replied, “If one of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out?

12How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

13Then Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored to full use, just like the other.