Luke 13:10-17 · Bible study
Luke 13:10-17 Commentary: Sabbath Healing of the Bent-Over Woman
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Study Luke 13:10-17: Jesus heals a woman on the Sabbath, exposing religious hypocrisy and revealing the true purpose of rest.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus heals a woman on the Sabbath, arguing that mercy and liberation are at the heart of God's rest day, overriding rigid human traditions.
- Key words: 'Spirit of infirmity' (πνεῦμα ἀσθενείας), an affliction tied to Satan; 'you have been freed' (ἀπολέλυσαι), perfect passive indicating permanent release; 'hypocrites' (ὑποκριταί), plural in best manuscripts, showing the ruler represents a system.
- Main debate: Whether the woman's condition was a form of demon possession or a natural illness permitted by Satan. Both views agree her suffering was real and divinely permitted.
- Theological theme: The Sabbath is for doing good, especially to those bound by suffering. Jesus as Lord of the Sabbath reclaims its purpose of rest and restoration.
- Best use: Preaching on compassion vs. legalism, the nature of true worship, and Jesus' authority over spiritual oppression and sickness.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
10One Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues,
11and a woman there had been disabled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was hunched over and could not stand up straight.
12When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your disability.”
13Then He placed His hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and began to glorify God.
14But 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.”
15“You hypocrites!” the Lord replied. “Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it to water?
16Then should not this daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be released from her bondage on the Sabbath day?”
17When Jesus said this, all His adversaries were humiliated. And the whole crowd rejoiced at all the glorious things He was doing.
WEB World English Bible 2000
10He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath day.
11Behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years. She was bent over and could in no way straighten herself up.
12When Jesus saw her, he called her and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your infirmity.”
13He laid his hands on her, and immediately she stood up straight and glorified God.
14The ruler of the synagogue, being indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the multitude, “There are six days in which men ought to work. Therefore come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day!”
15Therefore the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each one of you free his ox or his donkey from the stall on the Sabbath and lead him away to water?
16Ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham whom Satan had bound eighteen long years, be freed from this bondage on the Sabbath day?”
17As he said these things, all his adversaries were disappointed; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
KJV King James Version 1769
10And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.
11And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.
12And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
13And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
14And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.
15The 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?
16And 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?
17And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
10And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath day.
11And behold, a woman that had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years; and she was bowed together, and could in no wise lift herself up.
12And when Jesus saw her, he called her, and said to her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
13And he laid his hands upon her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
14And the ruler of the synagogue, being moved with indignation because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, answered and said to the multitude, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the day of the sabbath.
15But the Lord answered him, and said, Ye hypocrites, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?
16And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had bound, lo, these eighteen years, to have been loosed from this bond on the day of the sabbath?
17And as he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame: and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
10And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath,
11and lo, there was a woman having a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and she was bowed together, and not able to bend back at all,
12and Jesus having seen her, did call her near, and said to her, `Woman, thou hast been loosed from thy infirmity;'
13and he laid on her his hands, and presently she was set upright, and was glorifying God.
14And the chief of the synagogue answering--much displeased that on the sabbath Jesus healed--said to the multitude, `Six days there are in which it behoveth us to be working; in these, then, coming, be healed, and not on the sabbath-day.'
15Then the Lord answered him and said, `Hypocrite, doth not each of you on the sabbath loose his ox or ass from the stall, and having led away, doth water it ?
16and this one, being a daughter of Abraham, whom the Adversary bound, lo, eighteen years, did it not behove to be loosed from this bond on the sabbath-day?'
17And he saying these things, all who were opposed to him were being ashamed, and all the multitude were rejoicing over all the glorious things that are being done by him.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
10And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.
11And lo, [there was] a woman having a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and she was bent together and wholly unable to lift her head up.
12And Jesus, seeing her, called to [her], and said to her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
13And he laid his hands upon her; and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
14But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus healed on the sabbath, answering said to the crowd, There are six days in which [people] ought to work; in these therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.
15The Lord therefore answered him and said, Hypocrites! does not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the manger and leading [it] away, water [it]?
16And this [woman], who is a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound, lo, [these] eighteen years, ought she not to be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
17And as he said these things, all who were opposed to him were ashamed; and all the crowd rejoiced at all the glorious things which were being done by him.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
10And he was teaching in their synagogue on their sabbath.
11And behold there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years. And she was bowed together: neither could she look upwards at all.
12Whom when Jesus saw, he called her unto him and said to her: Woman, thou art delivered from thy infirmity.
13And he laid his hands upon her: and immediately she was made straight and glorified God.
14And the ruler of the synagogue being angry that Jesus had healed on the sabbath answering, said to the multitude: Six days there are wherein you ought to work. In them therefore come and be healed: and not on the sabbath day.
15And the Lord answering him, said: Ye hypocrites, doth not every one of you, on the sabbath day, loose his ox or his ass from the manger and lead them to water?
16And ought not this daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
17And when he said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the things that were gloriously done by him.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Luke 13:10
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this passage presents Jesus healing a woman on the Sabbath and defending the act as a proper use of the day. The woman's condition is described as a 'spirit of infirmity' (πνεῦμα ἀσθενείας), which Clarke and the Cambridge Bible attribute directly to Satanic agency, while Vincent leaves the door open to a more natural illness permitted by the adversary. All note the detail that she had suffered for eighteen years, underscoring the reality of the miracle and the long duration of her bondage. Jesus' declaration "Woman, you are freed from your infirmity" uses the perfect tense (ἀπολέλυσαι), which Vincent highlights as denoting a permanent release, a state of being loosed that continues. The ruler's indignation is called hypocrisy by Jesus, because they would untie an ox or donkey on the Sabbath to water it, yet they objected to freeing a human being from Satan's bondage. Barnes and Calvin agree that Jesus' argument from lesser to greater is unanswerable. The passage concludes with the adversaries put to shame and the crowd rejoicing. The central truth is that the Sabbath was made for mercy and restoration, not for rigid rule-keeping.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Jesus healed a woman who had been physically bound for eighteen years, and he defended his action by arguing that mercy on the Sabbath is not only permitted but required.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the infirmity | The woman's condition was real, long-lasting, and connected to Satan (v. 16). Her suffering was not a punishment from God but an affliction that Jesus came to reverse. | Some commentators (Clarke, Cambridge) see this as a case of demonic possession; others (Barnes, Vincent) prefer to see a natural illness caused by Satan, not possession per se. |
| The ruler's sin | The ruler was wrong to criticize Jesus for healing on the Sabbath. He was hypocritical because he would water his animals on the same day. | Whether his sin was mainly hypocrisy (pretending zeal for God while hiding envy) or a genuine misunderstanding of the Sabbath law. Jesus calls him 'hypocrite,' so hypocrisy is primary. |
| Jesus' relationship to Sabbath law | Jesus upholds the Sabbath as a day for mercy and freedom. He does not abolish the Sabbath but reinterprets its purpose. | Some read this as Jesus setting aside the specific restrictions of the Sabbath commandment; others see him clarifying the original intent that was never meant to prohibit works of mercy. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Luke sets this scene in a synagogue on a Sabbath, a time and place holy to Israel. Synagogues served as local centers for prayer, scripture reading, and teaching. The ruler of the synagogue (ἀρχισυνάγωγος) was responsible for selecting readers and maintaining order. Jesus had a custom of teaching in synagogues on the Sabbath (Luke 4:16). This practice put him in regular contact with both the faithful and the skeptical.
The woman's condition is described as being bent over (συγκύπτουσα, a word used only here in the New Testament). The phrase 'spirit of infirmity' suggests a connection to the demonic, though commentators debate whether this implies full possession. The Cambridge Bible notes that her curvature is 'directly attributed to Satanic agency,' connecting to Job 2:7 where Satan strikes Job with sores. In Jewish thought, physical affliction was often seen as the result of sin or demonic activity, though this was not always the case (John 9:3).
Healing on the Sabbath was a loaded issue. Jewish tradition interpreted the commandment to rest as prohibiting work, including medical treatment except in life-threatening cases. The ruler's objection reflects a common interpretation: healing was considered 'work' and therefore unlawful on the seventh day. But Jesus counters by pointing to the practice of watering livestock, an act of kindness that everyone performed on the Sabbath. His argument exposes the inconsistency: if an animal may be loosed to drink, how much more should a daughter of Abraham be loosed from eighteen years of bondage? The term 'daughter of Abraham' (θυγάτηρ Ἀβραάμ) identifies her as a member of the covenant community, with all the rights and privileges that entailed, including the expectation of mercy.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources mention two textual points. In verse 15, the majority of early manuscripts (including codex Vaticanus and Sinaiticus) read Hypocrites! (ὑποκριταί) in the plural, rather than the singular (Thou hypocrite) found in later copies. The Cambridge Bible notes that the plural 'classes the man with the whole sect to which he belonged.' In verse 16, some manuscripts read 'whom Satan had bound, lo, these eighteen years' with a slightly different word order, but the meaning is unchanged. No other significant variants are noted in the materials provided.
Reception History
This passage has been used throughout church history to illustrate the proper use of the Lord's Day. Early fathers like Irenaeus and Justin Martyr drew on Jesus' argument to show that Christians rest from sin, not from good works. In the medieval period, the story was read on the feast of certain women saints, highlighting Christ's compassion toward the afflicted. The Reformers (Calvin, Luther) used it to attack the idea that human traditions can bind the conscience, especially regarding the Sabbath. In modern times, the passage is frequently preached on themes of liberation from spiritual bondage and the church's responsibility to care for the marginalized. The woman's posture, bowed down for eighteen years, has also been interpreted allegorically as a picture of humanity bent under sin, unable to look up until Christ sets it free.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- A woman bound. For eighteen years she was unable to stand straight, a visible picture of long-term suffering and oppression. She came to the synagogue anyway, hoping in God.
- Jesus sets free. He sees her, calls her, declares her loosed, and touches her. The healing is immediate and complete, showing his authority over both physical and spiritual forces.
- Hypocrisy exposed. The leader's indignation is met with a simple question: you would care for your animal on the Sabbath; why not for this woman? The Sabbath is for doing good, not for withholding mercy.
Five-point outline
- The setting: a normal Sabbath. Jesus is teaching in the synagogue, going about his regular ministry (Luke 4:16, Matthew 4:23).
- The sufferer: a woman bent double. Afflicted by 'a spirit of infirmity' for eighteen years, unable to lift herself. Yet she is present, drawing near to worship.
- The action: Jesus heals her. He calls her, speaks the word, and lays his hands on her. Immediately she straightens and glorifies God.
- The opposition: the ruler's indignation. He scolds the crowd, not daring to rebuke Jesus directly, but clearly angry that a miracle has occurred on the Sabbath.
- The defense: a lesson in priorities. Jesus calls him a hypocrite. If it is lawful to untie an animal on the Sabbath, it is even more lawful to free a daughter of Abraham from Satan's bondage.
Illustration hooks
- The long-term condition. A chronic disease or disability that no one expects to see healed. The woman had eighteen years of hope deferred. Her story resonates with anyone who has prayed for years without change.
- The rule that blocks help. A workplace policy or a church tradition that prevents someone from receiving needed assistance, and the frustration when compassion is overruled by procedure.
- The animal that gets watered. Most people would not think twice about helping an animal in need on a day off. The disconnect between how we treat animals and how we treat people is a starting point for the same kind of argument Jesus made.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can I tell if I am using religious rules to avoid showing mercy?
- What do I do when a good deed is criticized by others who claim to be faithful?
- Is it okay to ask God for healing even if I have suffered a long time?
Leading a Discussion
This passage challenges us to think about how we observe holy days and whether our practices align with God's heart for people. The woman who had been bent over for eighteen years represents all who suffer quietly, hoping for relief. Jesus sees her and acts. The ruler represents those who are so focused on rules that they miss the mercy right in front of them.
Discussion questions
- Read verses 10, 13. What does Jesus' action of calling the woman over and speaking to her teach us about how he approaches suffering people?
- Why do you think Luke emphasizes that the woman had been afflicted for eighteen years? What does that detail add to the story?
- In verse 14, the ruler addresses the crowd rather than Jesus directly. What does his approach reveal about his motives? (See also Calvin’s comment that he 'does not dare to pass censure openly on Christ.')
- Jesus calls the ruler a hypocrite (v. 15). What is the specific inconsistency he points out? How does that expose the ruler's heart?
- Jesus uses the phrase 'daughter of Abraham' (v. 16). What does this title tell us about the woman's standing before God and about the basis for Jesus' defense of her healing?
- Verse 17 says the adversaries were ashamed and the crowd rejoiced. What does this reaction suggest about how people respond when hypocrites are exposed and mercy wins?
- How does this story affect your understanding of the Sabbath or of religious practices in general? Are there any 'rules' you hold that might need to be re-examined in light of love?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Matthew 4:23 | Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people. |
| Luke 4:15 | He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. |
| Luke 4:16 | He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. He entered, as was his custom, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. |
| Luke 4:44 | He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee. |
| Job 2:7 | So Satan went out from the presence of Yahweh, and struck Job with painful sores from the sole of his foot to his head. |
| Psalms 6:2 | Have mercy on me, Yahweh, for I am faint. Yahweh, heal me, for my bones are troubled. |
| Psalms 38:6 | I am in pain and bowed down greatly. I go mourning all day long. |
| Psalms 42:5 | Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him for the saving help of his presence. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke traces the woman's condition to two sources: sin as its ultimate origin and Satan as the direct agent. He stresses the humiliation of being bent so she could not look toward heaven, yet notes she still attended the synagogue for eighteen years, where Jesus saw her, called her, and laid on his hands to heal her instantly.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes focuses on the synagogue ruler's hypocrisy: he would loose his cattle on the Sabbath but condemns Jesus for loosing a woman from her long infirmity. Barnes draws the broader lesson that people often oppose good works simply because they are not
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that the woman’s bent body was not an ordinary disease but a “spirit of infirmity” inflicted by Satan with God’s permission. This made Christ’s healing a direct triumph over demonic power. Calvin then contrasts the ruler’s hypocrisy: loosing an ox on the Sabbath is lawful, but loosing a daughter of Abraham from Satan’s bonds is not.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws attention to the detail that this woman was bound by Satan himself, not merely by disease. He highlights the irony that the synagogue ruler would readily loose his ox on the Sabbath for water, yet objected to Jesus freeing a daughter of Abraham from eighteen years of Satan's bondage, exposing the hypocrisy of valuing an animal above a human soul.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB suggests the woman's long illness may have come from a milder form of demonic possession, yet he stresses she is still called a daughter of Abraham, an heir of the promise. He also notes the ruler's indignation was less about Sabbath rules and more about Christ being glorified.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent highlights the medical language woven through the account, noting that several Greek terms appear only here in the New Testament. He observes that words like “bowed together” and “thou art loosed” are used by medical writers for spinal strengthening and releasing from disease, reflecting a physician’s careful eye.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley exposes the synagogue ruler's real motive as envy, not religious zeal, making him a hypocrite. He then drives home the contrast: if an ox or donkey is cared for on the Sabbath, how much more does this woman, a daughter of Abraham in both body and spirit, deserve to be released from her bondage.