Luke 6:6-11 Meaning: The Right Hand Withered
6It also happened on another Sabbath that he entered into the synagogue and taught. There was a man there, and his right hand was withered.
7The scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against him.
8But he knew their thoughts; and he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Rise up and stand in the middle.” He arose and stood.
9Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you something: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?”
10He looked around at them all, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did, and his hand was restored as sound as the other.
11But they were filled with rage, and talked with one another about what they might do to Jesus.
6And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.
7And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.
8But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.
9Then 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?
10And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
11And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.
6And it came to pass on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man there, and his right hand was withered.
7And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath; that they might find how to accuse him.
8But he knew their thoughts; and he said to the man that had his hand withered, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.
9And Jesus said unto them, I ask you, Is it lawful on the sabbath to do good, or to do harm? to save a life, or to destroy it?
10And he looked round about on them all, and said unto him, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored.
11But they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.
6And it came to pass also, on another sabbath, that he goeth into the synagogue, and teacheth, and there was there a man, and his right hand was withered,
7and the scribes and the Pharisees were watching him, if on the sabbath he will heal, that they might find an accusation against him.
8And he himself had known their reasonings, and said to the man having the withered hand, `Rise, and stand in the midst;' and he having risen, stood.
9Then said Jesus unto them, `I will question you something: Is it lawful on the sabbaths to do good, or to do evil? life to save or to kill?'
10And having looked round on them all, he said to the man, `Stretch forth thy hand;' and he did so, and his hand was restored whole as the other;
11and they were filled with madness, and were speaking with one another what they might do to Jesus.
6And it came to pass on another sabbath also that he entered into the synagogue and taught; and there was a man there, and his right hand was withered.
7And the scribes and the Pharisees were watching if he would heal on the sabbath, that they might find something of which to accuse him.
8But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, Get up, and stand in the midst. And having risen up he stood [there].
9Jesus therefore said to them, I will ask you if it is lawful on the sabbath to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy [it]?
10And having looked around on them all, he said to him, Stretch out thy hand. And he did [so] and his hand was restored as the other.
11But they were filled with madness, and they spoke together among themselves what they should do to Jesus.
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus heals a man with a withered right hand on the Sabbath, revealing that doing good and saving life are always lawful.
Context
Luke places this story right after Jesus was challenged for letting his disciples pluck grain on the Sabbath. Now, on another Sabbath, Jesus goes to the synagogue to teach. A man is there whose right hand is withered, dried up, useless. The scribes and Pharisees are watching, not out of curiosity but to catch Jesus in something they could use against him. They want to see if he will heal on the holy day.
Jesus knows what they are thinking. He tells the man to stand in the middle of the room, where everyone can see. Then Jesus asks a question that cuts to the heart: Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do harm? To save a life or to destroy it? Then he looks around at all of them and tells the man to stretch out his hand. The hand is restored, whole as the other. But instead of wonder, the religious leaders are filled with madness and start plotting what to do with Jesus.
Key Words
Three words in this passage open up what is really happening.
The man’s hand is described as ξηρά (xēra), which means dried up, shrunken, like a plant without water. This is not just a limp hand or a weak grip; it is dead tissue, beyond hope. The detail that it is the right hand makes it even harder, the hand for working, eating, greeting, blessing. This man could do nothing with that hand.
The scribes and Pharisees παρετηροῦντο (paretērounto) him. That verb means to watch closely, but with a sideways, hostile intent. Adam Clarke notes it means they “watched maliciously.” They were not just observing; they were hunting for grounds to accuse him.
After the healing, the man’s hand ἀπεκατεστάθη (apekatestathē), it was restored to its original condition, set back in its former state. This word, used only here and in Matthew, emphasizes that the hand was not just moved or unclenched; it was made new. Jesus did not bend a bone back into place; he restored what was dead to full life.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have found different layers in this passage.
Many Protestant commentators, like Matthew Henry and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, highlight Jesus’ ethical principle: to neglect doing good is to do harm. The Sabbath is not a day to avoid helping someone in need.
Reformed writers such as Calvin note that Jesus knew their thoughts even before words were spoken, pointing to his divine awareness.
Anglican sources like the Cambridge Bible mention that the strict Shammai school of Pharisees would have considered healing on the Sabbath a violation of their oral law, which is why they were watching so closely.
Wesley, reading the text, saw that Jesus’ question “to save life or to destroy” directly confronted the murderous intent rising in their hearts. Across these readings, one thing holds: Jesus does not abolish the Sabbath; he reveals its true purpose as a day for doing good and restoring what is broken.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers assume Jesus was breaking the Sabbath command to show that rules do not matter. In fact, Jesus was not ignoring God’s law. He was correcting a human-made tradition that had turned rest into a cage. By healing the man, Jesus showed that the Sabbath was always meant to be a day for mercy and restoration. Doing good is not a violation of rest; it is the heart of it.
Living This Out
This week, you will probably face a moment when doing good and following a rule seem to pull in opposite directions. Maybe you have a day off and a neighbor asks for help moving a piece of furniture. Maybe a friend needs a long phone call on a Sunday afternoon when you usually rest.
Jesus’ question is for you: Is it lawful to do good, or to do harm? Not doing good when you can is not neutral, it is a form of harm. The man with the withered hand needed a touch. Who around you needs your time, your presence, even if it is inconvenient? Rest is holy when it makes room for love, not when it keeps you closed off.
Main takeaway: Jesus heals on the Sabbath to show that doing good and saving life are always in line with God’s will.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
A man had a hand that wouldn’t work. Jesus told him to stretch it out, and it became all better. Jesus wants us to help people, even when it’s a special day to rest.
For ages 9, 12
In this story, some religious leaders were watching Jesus, hoping to catch Him breaking the Sabbath rules. But Jesus saw what really mattered: a man needed help. He healed him and asked a powerful question: Is it right to do good on the Sabbath or to do harm? Jesus showed that caring for people is more important than keeping traditions for their own sake. When you have free time, think about how you can help someone instead of just keeping to yourself.
Questions People Ask
Why did Luke specify that the man's right hand was withered?
Luke, who was a physician, often adds medical details. The right hand was the one used for work, eating, and greeting, so this man's disability was especially hard. Also, ancient writers often noted whether the right or left side was affected, and Luke follows that precise habit.
What were the scribes and Pharisees trying to do by watching Jesus?
They were not just curious. The Greek verb used means they watched with hostile intent, looking for a reason to accuse Him of breaking the Sabbath. They wanted to use His own act of mercy as evidence against Him.
Does this passage mean Christians can ignore the Sabbath command?
No. Jesus did not cancel the Sabbath; He corrected a misunderstanding of it. Throughout Christian history, believers have set aside Sunday as a day of rest and worship. But the point is that mercy and help are always in harmony with God's rest, not contrary to it.
What does Jesus mean by 'to save life or to destroy'?
Jesus is drawing a sharp contrast. He is about to save a man's withered hand and give him a fuller life. At the same time, Wesley noted that Jesus probably saw murderous intent in the Pharisees' hearts. They were planning to destroy Him. So His question exposes their hypocrisy: they accuse Him of breaking the Sabbath while they are planning a killing.
Why were the Pharisees filled with madness after the healing?
Several commentators point out that they were enraged because Jesus had clearly done a miracle, proving He was from God, and because He had publicly shamed their interpretation of the law. Their pride and malice combined into senseless fury, as the Greek word anoia suggests, a kind of unreasoning rage.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study