Bible Passages about the Weekly Sabbath

I'm currently working on a series on the weekly Sabbath. In the process, I compiled this list of Sabbath-related Bible verses/passages. I'm sure that I'm not the only one who could use this list, so here it is. Feel free to suggest additions in the comments.

  • Genesis 2:2-3 – God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because he rested from his work in creation.
  • Exodus 16:1-30 – Gather manna for 6 days. Gather twice as much on the 6th. Do not gather on the 7th.
  • Exodus 20:8-11 - Remember the Sabbath day. Keep it holy. Do all work in 6 days. 7th is a Sabbath to God. No work for anyone in your house or city because God created in 6 days and rested on the 7th. Blessed the Sabbath and made it holy.
  • Exodus 23:12 – 6 days work, 7th day rest for animals, family, and everyone.
  • Exodus 31:12-17 – Sabbath important. Sign between God and Israel that the people are sanctified like the day. Death for profaning it. Cut off for doing work. 6 days work. 7th day a solemn rest, holy to God. Death for working on it. Covenant forever. 6 days God created, 7th day rested and refreshed.
  • Exodus 34:21 – 6 days work, but the 7th is a Sabbath.
  • Exodus 35:1-3 – 6 days work. 7th day is a Sabbath. Death for working. No kindling fires. Set between Moses going into the Tabernacle to commune with God and the people giving gifts for the Tabernacle’s construction.
  • Leviticus 19:3 – Revere your parents and keep my Sabbaths.
  • Leviticus 19:30 – Keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary.
  • Leviticus 23:1-3 – Sabbath is one of God’s feasts. Work 6 days, rest on the 7th.
  • Leviticus 24:1-9 – Showbread arranged on the Sabbath.
  • Leviticus 26:2 – Keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary.
  • Numbers 15:30-36 – The man profaning the Sabbath by collecting firewood.
  • Numbers 28:9-10 – Sabbath day sacrifices.
  • Deuteronomy 5:12-15 – Keep the Sabbath. 6 days labor, 7th is Sabbath to God. No work for anyone in your house or city. You were a slave, so give your slaves a Sabbath.
  • Joshua 6:1-5 – God commanded Israel to march around Jericho on the Sabbath day.
  • 2 Kings 4:23 – The Shunammite woman regularly went to Elisha on the Sabbath and new moons.
  • 2 Kings 11:5-9 – The priests and Levites who served as Temple and royal guards changed shifts at the beginning of the Sabbath.
  • 2 Kings 16:18 – It had once been tradition for the King to attend at the Temple every Sabbath.
  • 1 Chronicles 9:32 – The showbread prepared every Sabbath by Kohathites.
  • 1 Chronicles 23:31 – Special prayers and songs offered to God during the Sabbath day offerings.
  • 2 Chronicles 2:4 – Sabbath offerings one of the purposes of the Temple.
  • 2 Chronicles 8:12-13 – Sabbath offerings made every week at the Temple.
  • 2 Chronicles 23:1-11 – The priests and Levites who served as Temple and royal guards changed shifts at the beginning of the Sabbath. 
  • 2 Chronicles 31:2-3 – Sabbath offerings restored with the rest of the Law.
  • Nehemiah 9:14 – Sabbath revealed by God at Sinai.
  • Nehemiah 10:31 – The people vow not to sell on the Sabbath.
  • Nehemiah 10:32-33 – The people vow to make offerings for the Sabbath and feast days.
  • Nehemiah 13:15-22 – Nehemiah rebukes the people for profaning the Sabbath.
  • Isaiah 1:12-14 – Don’t keep the Sabbath disingenuously. 
  • Isaiah 56:1-8 – Blessed is the man who keeps the Sabbath. Foreigners who keep the Sabbath made to be Israelites.
  • Isaiah 58:13-14 – If you keep the Sabbath, not doing your own thing, you will be blessed.
  • Isaiah 66:23 – From Sabbath to Sabbath…
  • Jeremiah 17:19-27 – Blessings for keeping the Sabbath. Curses for breaking it.
  • Lamentations 2:5-7 – God made Israel forget the feasts and Sabbath because they profaned them.
  • Ezekiel 20:11-24 – Sabbaths as a sign of sanctification. They rejected the Sabbath. Curses for profaning the Sabbath.
  • Ezekiel 22:8 – Judgment for profaning the Sabbath.
  • Ezekiel 23:36-49 – Judgment for profaning the Sabbath.
  • Ezekiel 44:24 – Priests in the Millennial Era will teach the laws and keep the Sabbath.
  • Ezekiel 46:1-3 – The gate of the New Jerusalem will be closed 6 days and opened only on the Sabbath. People worship on the Sabbath and new moons.
  • Hosea 2:11 – Sabbath taken away with feasts as punishment.
  • Amos 8:4-14 – Impatience for the Sabbath to end is equated to oppression of the poor.
  • Matthew 12:1-14 – Walking, plucking grain, and healing on the Sabbath. Lawful to do good on the Sabbath.
  • Matthew 24:20 – Pray you don’t have to flee on the Sabbath.
  • Matthew 27:62 – Chief Priests and Pharisees gathered to accuse Yeshua on the Sabbath. Weekly Sabbath or Unleavened Bread?
  • Matthew 28:1 – Women went to the tomb after the Sabbath.
  • Mark 1:21-34 – Yeshua taught in the synagogue and healed on the Sabbath.
  • Mark 2:23-28 – Walking, plucking grain on the Sabbath. Sabbath made for man. Yeshua is lord of the Sabbath
  • Mark 3:1-6 – Yeshua healed in the synagogue on the Sabbath.
  • Mark 6:2 – Yeshua taught at the synagogue on the Sabbath. 
  • Mark 15:42 – The day before the Sabbath called the Preparation. Weekly or Feast Sabbath?
  • Mark 16:1 – After the Sabbath, the women took spices to anoint Yeshua’s body.
  • Luke 4:16-41 – Yeshua read Isaiah and taught in the synagogues and healed on the Sabbath. He also walked from one town to another.
  • Luke 6:1-5 – Walking, plucking grain on the Sabbath. Yeshua is lord of the Sabbath.
  • Luke 6:6-11 – Teaching and healing on the Sabbath. 
  • Luke 13:10-17 – Yeshua teaching in the synagogue and healing on the Sabbath.
  • Luke 14:1-6 – Yeshua dined with Pharisees and then healed on the Sabbath.
  • Luke 23:54-56 – Women prepared for Yeshua’s burial on the Preparation day and then rested on the Sabbath
  • John 5:1-18 – Yeshua healed on the Sabbath. “My Father is working, so I am too.”
  • John 7:22-24 – Circumcision and healing on the Sabbath. 
  • John 9:1-41 – Yeshua heals the faithful blind on the Sabbath.
  • John 19:31 – Take Yeshua from the cross on the preparation day before the high Sabbath.
  • Acts 1:12 – Mt of Olives is a Sabbath Day’s journey from Jerusalem, right outside the city.
  • Acts 13:14-15 – Paul and friends went to synagogue on Sabbath and were invited to teach.
  • Acts 13:27 – The prophets read in the synagogues every Sabbath.
  • Acts 13:42 – The people begged Paul and friends to teach on the next Sabbath too.
  • Acts 13:44-48 – Paul and Barnabas teach gentiles on the Sabbath.
  • Acts 15:21 – Moses is read in the synagogue every Sabbath.
  • Acts 16:13-15 – Apostles find a place of prayer and ministry for the Sabbath. Teach gentile women.
  • Acts 17:1-9 – Paul customarily went to the synagogue and taught on Sabbath days. 
  • Acts 18:4 – Paul went to the synagogue every Sabbath and reasoned with the Jews.
  • Colossians 2:16-19 – Don’t let anyone pass judgment on you for not keeping the Sabbath according to man-made rules.
  • Hebrews 4:1-10 – A Sabbath rest for the people of God. Rest on the Sabbath like God did.