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What does the Bible say about the sabbath day?

Bible Topic · WEB

The Bible teaches that the Sabbath is God’s holy gift, calling his people to rest from ordinary labor, worship him, and delight in his mercy and rule. God blessed and set apart the seventh day at creation, and the fourth commandment grounds Sabbath keeping in his own rest (Genesis 2:3; Exodus 20:8-11). Israel’s Sabbath was a covenant sign, exposing both the goodness of God’s law and the people’s need for obedient faith (Ezekiel 20:12-24). Jesus declared that the Sabbath was made for man and affirmed his lordship over it (Mark 2:27). Christians therefore honor its abiding moral purpose, gathering on the Lord’s Day for worship and finding their deepest rest in Christ (Hebrews 4:9).

Top passages, ranked by readers

Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible

  • Exodus 20:8-11 5 votes

    [8] "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. [9] You shall labor six days, and do all your work, [10] but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your man-servant, nor your maid-servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates; [11] for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy.

  • Mark 2:27 4 votes

    He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

  • Leviticus 23:3 4 votes

    "'Six days shall work be done: but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation; you shall do no manner of work. It is a Sabbath to Yahweh in all your dwellings.

  • Genesis 2:3 3 votes

    God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because he rested in it from all his work which he had created and made.

  • Isaiah 58:13 3 votes

    If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, [and] the holy of Yahweh honorable; and shall honor it, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking [your own] words:

  • Hebrews 4:9 2 votes

    There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God.

  • Exodus 20:8 2 votes

    "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

  • Matthew 5:17-19 2 votes

    [17] "Don't think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn't come to destroy, but to fulfill. [18] For most assuredly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished. [19] Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

  • Ezekiel 20:12-24 2 votes

    [12] Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am Yahweh who sanctifies them. [13] But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they didn't walk in my statutes, and they rejected my ordinances, which if a man keep, he shall live in them; and my Sabbaths they greatly profaned. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them in the wilderness, to consume them. [14] But I worked for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them out. [15] Moreover also I swore to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands; [16] because they rejected my ordinances, and didn't walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols. [17] Nevertheless my eye spared them, and I didn't destroy them, neither did I make a full end of them in the wilderness. [18] I said to their children in the wilderness, Don't you walk in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their ordinances, nor defile yourselves with their idols. [19] I am Yahweh your God: walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, and do them; [20] and make my Sabbaths holy; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am Yahweh your God. [21] But the children rebelled against me; they didn't walk in my statutes, neither kept my ordinances to do them, which if a man do, he shall live in them; they profaned my Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness. [22] Nevertheless I withdrew my hand, and worked for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them forth. [23] Moreover I swore to them in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the nations, and disperse them through the countries; [24] because they had not executed my ordinances, but had rejected my statutes, and had profaned my Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols.

  • Isaiah 58:13-14 2 votes

    [13] If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, [and] the holy of Yahweh honorable; and shall honor it, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking [your own] words: [14] then shall you delight yourself in Yahweh; and I will make you to ride on the high places of the earth; and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father: for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken it.

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