Bible Strands
John 5:10
so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “This is the Sabbath! It is unlawful for you to carry your mat.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The Jews confront the healed man immediately after he picks up his mat and begins to walk. They declare his action unlawful because it occurs on the Sabbath.
The words — The Greek οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι (hoi Ioudaioi) literally identifies the speakers as "the Jews." The verb ἔλεγον (elegon) indicates they were repeatedly making this charge.
The thread — The text connects this carrying restriction to Jeremiah 17:21, Luke 6:2, and John 9:16. These references record parallel objections to Sabbath work.
Why it lands — The passage states that religious regulation is invoked to restrict a healed man's movement. It asks the reader to identify where they enforce tradition at the expense of immediate human need.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
Cross-references
- Jeremiah 17:21 This is what the LORD says: Take heed for yourselves; do not carry a load or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day.
- Luke 6:2 But some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”
- John 9:16 Because of this, some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a sinful man perform such signs?” And there was division among them.
- Mark 3:4 And He asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” But they were silent.
- Luke 13:14 But the synagogue leader was indignant that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. “There are six days for work,” he told the crowd. “So come and be healed on those days and not on the Sabbath.”
- Nehemiah 13:15 In 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.
- Mark 2:24 So the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”
- Matthew 12:2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”
- John 5:16 Now because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews began to persecute Him.
- Exodus 20:8 Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.