Luke 13:14 kjv

And 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.

Luke 13:14 nkjv

But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, "There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day."

Luke 13:14 niv

Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said to the people, "There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath."

Luke 13:14 esv

But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, "There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day."

Luke 13:14 nlt

But the leader in charge of the synagogue was indignant that Jesus had healed her on the Sabbath day. "There are six days of the week for working," he said to the crowd. "Come on those days to be healed, not on the Sabbath."

Luke 13 verses

Luke 13 14 Meaning

Luke 13:14 details the synagogue ruler's indignant reaction to Jesus healing a woman on the Sabbath. He addresses the crowd, asserting that healing should only occur on the six permissible working days, implying that Jesus' act violated the Sabbath law and was an improper 'work'. This reveals a legalistic mindset prioritizing rigid adherence to man-made interpretations of the Sabbath over the compassionate act of alleviating human suffering.

Luke 13 14 Context

This verse immediately follows Jesus' healing of a woman who had been crippled for eighteen years (Lk 13:10-13). The healing was instantaneous and divinely empowered, a clear act of compassion. The ruler's response is a direct reaction to this event taking place on the Sabbath.

Broader context reveals recurring tension between Jesus and the Jewish religious authorities regarding the interpretation and application of the Mosaic Law, particularly concerning the Sabbath. The synagogue, the setting for this incident, was not just a place of worship but also teaching and legal discussions. The ruler, a prominent figure responsible for maintaining order and doctrine, perceived Jesus' act as a public violation of their traditions, choosing to rebuke the crowd indirectly rather than confronting Jesus directly, perhaps due to Jesus' growing popularity or the impact of the miracle itself.

Luke 13 14 Word analysis

• But: Signals a contrast with the joyous outcome for the woman and Jesus' act of liberation.
• the ruler of the synagogue (ἀρχισυνάγωγος, archisynagōgos): A high-ranking official responsible for synagogue administration, management of services, and sometimes teaching. His indignation carries official weight and represents the prevailing legalistic interpretation of the Law.
• indignant (ἀγανακτέω, aganakteō): Expresses strong displeasure, vexation, or even outrage. This was not a mild disagreement but a deep emotional reaction, implying his belief that a grave impropriety or offense had occurred. His indignation stems from his zeal for the Sabbath law as he understood it.
• because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath: This phrase specifies the exact reason for his indignation. It wasn't that she was healed, but when. The ruler does not dispute the miraculous healing itself, but the timing in relation to his rigid understanding of the Sabbath law. He implicitly views healing as a form of "work."
• said to the crowd: He addresses the multitude, not Jesus directly. This tactic is possibly intended to publicize his condemnation, turn public opinion against Jesus, or avoid a direct theological debate with Jesus whom he may have found formidable. It's an attempt to uphold authority publicly.
• There are six days in which work ought to be done: A reference to the Sabbath commandment (Exod 20:9). He selectively quotes the Law, emphasizing the working days, implying that acts of healing should be confined to these days.
• work ought to be done (δεῖ ἐργάζεσθαι, dei ergazesthai): This reflects a rigid interpretation of melachah (work) from the Torah, extended by Rabbinic tradition to forbid activities not specifically mentioned in scripture, including seemingly beneficial acts if they resemble creative labor. The ruler considers Jesus' healing act as such a prohibited "work."
• come on those days and be healed: This is a direct legalistic counsel to the sick and, implicitly, a condemnation of healing on the Sabbath. It dismisses the immediacy of the woman's suffering and the divine timing of Jesus' compassion. It treats healing as a scheduled procedure, not a miraculous intervention.
• and not on the Sabbath day: Explicitly forbids healing on the Sabbath, directly contrasting with Jesus' practice and demonstrating his absolute adherence to rigid traditions over human need and God's merciful character.

Word group analysis:

• "ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath": This grouping highlights the clash between established religious authority and Jesus' divine authority and compassionate action. The official's personal anger reveals his human limitations in understanding divine grace.
• "said to the crowd, 'There are six days... come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day'": This entire statement is a public denouncement born from legalistic zeal. It reveals a spirit focused on external observance and regulations, failing to grasp the essence of God's law which is rooted in love, mercy, and liberating those in bondage. He applies a commercial-like schedule to God's intervention, prioritizing rule over suffering.

Luke 13 14 Bonus section

• The irony in the ruler's words is profound: He cares more about the calendar than about a human being who has suffered for eighteen years, trivializing both the woman's prolonged anguish and Jesus' divine power to end it.
• The healing performed by Jesus was by word of power ("Woman, you are set free from your infirmity," Lk 13:12), requiring no physical labor or tools, clearly distinguishing it from what human tradition might classify as "work."
• This incident is part of a larger pattern in the Gospels where Jesus consistently challenges and reinterprets the Sabbath, not to abolish it, but to restore its true meaning as a day for good, for liberation, and for drawing nearer to God through acts of mercy.

Luke 13 14 Commentary

Luke 13:14 captures a quintessential conflict between Jesus' ministry of compassion and liberation, and the prevailing legalism of some religious authorities. The synagogue ruler's indignation stemmed not from malicious intent but from a sincere, yet misguided, conviction that Jesus' healing violated the Sabbath. His logic was based on a rigid interpretation of the fourth commandment, which had evolved over centuries into a complex system of human regulations concerning 'work'. This ruler represented those who, in their zeal to uphold God's law, paradoxically stifled God's immediate desire to bring healing and restoration.

His public address to the crowd, rather than to Jesus, underscores a tactical move to garner public support for his legalistic stance and to subtly rebuke Jesus without direct confrontation. He attempted to turn a miraculous display of divine power and mercy into a simple scheduling conflict, reducing profound spiritual liberation to a trivial breach of etiquette. This highlights the blindness of those who elevated human tradition above the clear demonstration of God's active, compassionate will. Jesus' subsequent response (Lk 13:15-16), though not in this verse, will brilliantly expose the hypocrisy by comparing his healing of a human being with their common practice of tending to animals on the Sabbath, thereby reasserting the primacy of mercy and the true purpose of the Sabbath.