Luke 6:6-11 · Bible study
Luke 6:6-11 Commentary: Healing the Withered Hand on the Sabbath
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the significance of Jesus healing a man with a withered right hand on the Sabbath, revealing His authority and challenging religious legalism.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, asserting that doing good is always lawful and exposing the Pharisees’ legalism and murderous intent.
- Key words: paretērounto (they kept watching maliciously, imperfect tense); dialogismous (thoughts/reasonings); anoia (senseless rage, literally want of understanding).
- Main debate: While the core events are undisputed, some traditions debate the extent to which Sabbath rest is binding, are works of mercy required or only permitted? The passage shows that neglect of good is itself evil.
- Theological theme: Jesus’ authority as Lord of the Sabbath and the priority of mercy over ritual compliance.
- Best use: Preaching on the purpose of the Sabbath, exposing hidden motives, and calling the church to active compassion.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
6On another Sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered.
7Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He would heal on the Sabbath.
8But Jesus knew their thoughts and said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and stand among us.” So he got up and stood there.
9Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”
10And after looking around at all of them, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and it was restored.
11But the scribes and Pharisees were filled with rage and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.
WEB World English Bible 2000
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.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
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.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
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.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
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.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
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 if he would heal on the sabbath: that they might find an accusation against him.
8But he knew their thoughts and said to the man who had the withered hand: Arise and stand forth in the midst. And rising he stood forth.
9Then Jesus said to them: I ask you, if it be lawful on the sabbath days to do good or to do evil? To save life or to destroy?
10And looking round about on them all, he said to the man: Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it forth. And his hand was restored.
11And they were filled with madness: and they talked one with another, what they might do to Jesus.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Luke 6:6
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Luke’s account emphasizes Jesus’ authority over the Sabbath through both word and action. Vincent highlights Luke’s specification that the man’s right hand was withered, a detail only Luke gives, reflecting his medical precision, since ancient physicians always noted which side was affected. The scribes and Pharisees kept watching (paretērounto, imperfect tense, intense, ongoing surveillance) to find grounds to accuse him (Clarke, Cambridge). Jesus, knowing their thoughts (dialogismous, inward reasonings), forces the issue: “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save a life or to destroy it?” Barnes and J.‑F.‑B. note that the implied principle is that neglecting to do good is itself doing evil. The miracle itself is immediate and complete; the hand was restored sound as the other, though some manuscripts omit “sound” (Clarke). The Pharisees’ response, being “filled with madness” (anoia, literally want of understanding, senseless rage), shows that pride and stubborn prejudice, not reasoned piety, drove their opposition (Vincent, Cambridge, Lange).
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath, claims authority over the day, and teaches that doing good is always lawful, while the Pharisees respond with irrational anger.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Sabbath interpretation | Christians agree that the Sabbath is a day set apart for God and rest, and that Jesus teaches mercy is central to its observance. | Some traditions (e.g., Seventh-day Adventists) maintain Saturday as the Sabbath and hold to specific rest rules; others worship on Sunday and see the Lord’s Day as a fulfillment, with less emphasis on prohibitions. Both affirm that good works are appropriate. |
| The nature of the miracle | All agree that Jesus instantly restored the man’s hand, which is a supernatural act confirming His divine authority. | A few earlier critics (noted by Clarke) suggested the arm was merely dislocated and the stretching realigned it; the overwhelming consensus, including Clarke and all supplied commentators, insists this was a genuine creative miracle, since muscles and ligaments could not heal instantly. |
| The significance of the right hand | Luke’s unique mention of the right hand emphasizes the severity of the condition, as the right hand was essential for work, greeting, and daily life. | Some see this as a symbolic detail, the right hand being the hand of strength and blessing (cf. Zech 11:17, 1 Kings 13:4), while others focus on Luke’s medical interest. Both views are complementary, not contradictory. |
| The response of the Pharisees | All commentators note the irrational anger of the Pharisees after the miracle, described as <em>anoia</em> (madness or folly). | Some emphasize their hardened hearts leading to murderous plotting (Barnes, Wesley); others (Cambridge, Vincent) stress that their anger stemmed from having their theological system challenged. Both highlight the tragic result of rejecting Jesus. |
| Jesus’ knowledge of thoughts | Jesus knew the thoughts of the Pharisees before they spoke, demonstrating His omniscience. | Calvin notes that Matthew records an explicit verbal question while Luke says Jesus knew their thoughts, but both are true: they likely expressed their intent partly in words and partly in unspoken malice. No substantive disagreement. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This passage is set in a Galilean synagogue on an unnamed Sabbath, shortly after Jesus declared that “the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath” (Luke 6:5). The synagogue was the local center for prayer, Scripture reading, and teaching; Jesus regularly attended “as was his custom” (Luke 4:16). The man with the withered hand was almost certainly present for worship, likely hoping for healing, a hope the religious leaders viewed as a violation of Sabbath law.
The Pharisees and scribes followed interpretations of Sabbath rest that went far beyond the biblical command. The school of Shammai, which held great influence at this time, taught that tending the sick or even offering comfort on the Sabbath constituted forbidden work (Cambridge). Such additions to the law turned Sabbath observance into a burden. The Greek verb paretērounto (“they watched”) carries a distinctly hostile sense, spying with malicious intent, as used in Luke 14:1 and 20:20 (Clarke). The leaders were not seeking truth; they wanted evidence to bring formal accusation (katēgorein).
By calling the man to stand “in the midst,” Jesus makes the confrontation public and inescapable. He then formulates a moral dilemma: on the Sabbath, does God’s law permit doing good (healing) or only forbid evil? The implication is sharp: failing to help is equivalent to harming, and to stand by while a person suffers is to collaborate in destruction. Wesley suggests that Jesus saw “the design to kill him rising in their hearts.” Jesus’ question exposes the murderous intent hidden behind their piety, while his act of healing demonstrates that mercy is always appropriate on God’s holy day.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no major textual variants that affect the meaning of the passage. In verse 10, a few manuscripts omit the word hugiēs (“sound,” “whole”) after “his hand was restored”; Griesbach left it out of his text (Clarke). The meaning is unchanged, the hand was fully restored. In verse 7, some manuscripts read therapeuei (present tense, “whether He is healing”) rather than therapeusei (future, “whether He would heal”; Vincent). The difference is minor: either way, the leaders are watching to see if Jesus intends to heal on the Sabbath. The consulted sources do not mention any other significant variants.
Reception History
Early church fathers such as Irenaeus and Justin Martyr used this passage to argue that the Sabbath was made for man, and that Christ’s healing demonstrates the Law’s true purpose, mercy, not bondage. During the Reformation, both Luther and Calvin cited the story to oppose works‑righteousness and to affirm that Christians are free from ceremonial legalism while bound to love. In more recent centuries, the passage has been foundational for Sabbath‑day debates, with Christians on all sides citing it to argue for either strict rest or liberty for works of necessity and mercy. Its vivid question, “to save a life or to destroy it?”, continues to challenge believers to examine whether their religious practices draw people to Christ or push them away.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Jesus sees beyond the surface. He knew their thoughts (dialogismous, reasonings, designs). He perceives not only the man’s physical need but the hidden malice of the religious leaders.
- Jesus reframes the question. Instead of asking whether healing is work, He asks whether it is better to do good or evil, to save or to destroy. The Sabbath is a day for doing good, not for plotting harm.
- Jesus acts with authority and compassion. He commands the man to stretch out his hand, and the impossible becomes possible. The restoration is immediate, whole, and public. The leaders respond not with joy but with anoia, irrational rage (Vincent).
Five-point outline
- Setting the stage: Another Sabbath, another synagogue, Jesus continues teaching, and the opposition continues watching.
- The trap: The scribes and Pharisees wait to see if Jesus will heal, intending to accuse Him. Their watching is tense and calculated (Clarke).
- The counter‑move: Jesus exposes their reasoning by bringing the man forward and posing a stark question about the purpose of the Sabbath.
- The miracle: Jesus speaks a simple command; the man obeys, and the hand is restored. The act requires no physical contact, only the word of the Lord.
- The aftermath: Rather than rejoicing, the leaders are filled with senseless rage and begin to plot Jesus’ destruction (Matthew 12:14, Mark 3:6).
Illustration hooks
- An unexpected kindness on your day off. Imagine you are resting at home after a long week. A neighbor knocks, needing help with a broken pipe. You have the skill and time, but you feel the pull of “my day off.” Jesus’ question asks: is it better to help or to refuse? Not helping is harming.
- Rules vs. people in a school setting. A teacher notices a student struggling but the school policy says no extra help after hours. Which matters more, the rule or the student? Jesus shows that the heart of the law is mercy.
- A public stand that forces a choice. When the man was called to stand in the middle, everyone had to take sides. In our lives, Jesus’ acts of grace often push us to decide: will we support the work of God or will we cling to our comfortable traditions?
Questions your congregation is asking
- “Does God really care about keeping the Sabbath, or is mercy always more important?”
- “How can I tell whether my religious practices are helping me love God or just making me proud?”
- “When I see someone in need, how do I know if I should help immediately or wait for a ‘proper’ time?”
Leading a Discussion
This passage challenges us to examine our motives when we approach God’s commands. The Pharisees had many correct rules about the Sabbath, but they used those rules to judge others and to protect their own authority. Jesus shows that the Sabbath is a gift for doing good, not a tool for controlling people. As you discuss these questions, let the Spirit search your heart: are you more like the Pharisees, or are you ready to stretch out your hand and receive healing?
Discussion questions
- Read Luke 6:6-11 in your group. What do you notice about the setting? Why does Luke include the detail that the man’s right hand was withered (Vincent calls this “medical accuracy”)?
- The scribes and Pharisees were watching Jesus closely. What does the Greek verb paretērounto suggest about their attitude (Clarke calls it “malicious watching”)?
- Jesus asks, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save a life or to destroy it?” How does this question reframe the whole debate about Sabbath rules? What principle does it establish (Barnes, JFB mention neglecting good is evil)?
- Why do you think Jesus made the man rise and stand in the middle before healing him? What did this public display accomplish?
- The leaders were “filled with madness” (anoia). Vincent and Cambridge explain that this word means senseless rage, like an irrational fury. What causes religious people to react so strongly when God works in unexpected ways?
- How does this story fulfill Jesus’ earlier statement that “the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath” (Luke 6:5)?
- Think of a situation in your own life where you have seen a rule used to avoid doing good. How might Jesus’ example guide you to choose mercy?
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)
| I Kings 13:4 | When the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar in Bethel, Jeroboam put out his hand from the altar, saying, “Seize him!” His hand, which he put out against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back again to himself. |
| Zechariah 11:17 | Woe to the worthless shepherd who leaves the flock! The sword will strike his arm and his right eye. His arm will be completely withered, and his right eye will be totally blinded!” |
| 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. |
| Matthew 12:9 | He departed from there and went into their synagogue. |
| Matthew 12:14 | But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how they might destroy him. |
| Mark 3:1 | He entered again into the synagogue, and there was a man there whose hand was withered. |
| Mark 3:6 | The Pharisees went out, and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him. |
| 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. |
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
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke firmly rejects the theory that the man's withered hand was only a dislocated joint restored naturally by stretching. He argues that even if that were the case, the muscles and ligaments would need weeks to heal, so a miracle still took place. The Pharisees' fury, he observes, shows how pride and self-interest can turn murderous plots into imagined piety.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes focuses on the multiple causes of the Pharisees' rage: Jesus showed divine power, healed contrary to their Sabbath interpretation, proved they were wrong, and showed no regard for their human traditions. Their fury came from wounded pride, obstinacy, and envy, not just doctrinal disagreement. He notes that people still resent others who do good in ways they personally disapprove of.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin harmonizes Matthew and Luke by noting that Jesus’ opponents spoke openly, yet their deeper, insidious designs remained unexpressed. Christ discerned both their words and their hidden intentions, so the two accounts are not contradictory but complementary.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Pharisees watched Jesus to see if He would side with the strict Shammai school or the lax Sadducees, hoping to ruin His popularity either way. But Jesus ignored party politics entirely and appealed only to moral principles, refusing to be governed by the popular orthodoxy of the hour.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that Jesus healed the man knowing full well what the Pharisees were plotting, because he is the omniscient God. Though they said nothing aloud, Jesus read their secret intentions to accuse him, and he acted anyway, exposing their hypocrisy.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights Jesus teaching that failing to do good on the Sabbath is equivalent to doing evil. Idle neutrality in a moment of need becomes moral guilt. The madness of his opponents is senseless rage, not reasoned opposition—they are enraged that Jesus exposed their hardness of heart by both his words and his healing.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry observes that the Pharisees demanded a stricter rest than the Lawgiver ever intended. Jesus corrects this by showing that both the grain-plucking and the healing are permissible because works of mercy belong on the Sabbath.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent points out that only Luke specifies the withered hand was the right one, a detail he calls professional accuracy because ancient medical writers always note which limb is affected. He also observes that the "madness" filling the Pharisees is the Greek word for senseless rage, not intelligent indignation.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that Jesus' question about saving life or killing was not merely a Sabbath debate. Jesus likely saw the Pharisees' murderous intent rising in their hearts at that moment. The question exposed their hidden plot to kill him.