LUKE 6:9 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you if it is lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save a life or to destroy?”

UST Then Jesus said to them, “I want to ask you a question. Do the laws that God gave Moses command people to do good on the Sabbath, or to do harm? Do they command people to save a life on the Sabbath, or to destroy it?”

BSB Then 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]?”

MSB Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you one thing: Is it lawful[fn] on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy [it]?”

BLB Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you whether it is lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?"

AICNT [Therefore][fn] Jesus said to them, “I ask you, {is it}[fn] lawful on the {Sabbath}[fn] to do good or to do harm, to save a life or to {destroy it}?”[fn] [[But they were silent.]][fn]

6:9, Therefore: Some manuscripts include. A(02) BYZ TR

6:9, is it: Some manuscripts read “what is.” A(02) BYZ TR

6:9, Sabbath: Some manuscripts read “Sabbaths.” BYZ TR

6:9, destroy it: 𝔓4 ℵ(01) B(03) D(05) W(032) TR NA28 SBLGNT THGNT ‖ Some manuscripts read “kill.” A(02) BYZ

6:9, But they were silent: Some manuscripts include. D(05)

OEB and Jesus said to them, ‘I ask you, is it allowable to do good on the Sabbath – or harm? To save a life, or let it perish?’

WEBBE Then 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?”

WMBB Then Yeshua 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?”

NET Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil, to save a life or to destroy it?”

LSV Then Jesus said to them, “I will question you something: is it lawful on the Sabbaths to do good, or to do evil? To save life or to kill?”

FBV Then Jesus turned to them and said, “Let me ask you a question. Is it legal to do good on the Sabbath, or to do bad? To save life, or to destroy it?”

TCNT Then Jesus said to them, “[fn]Let me ask you something: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to [fn]kill?”

6:9 Let me ask you something: Is ¦ I ask you, is CT

6:9 kill ¦ destroy it CT TR

T4T Then Jesus said to the others, “I ask you this: Do the laws that God gave Moses permit people to do what is good ◄on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day►, or do they permit people to harm others? Do they permit us to save a person’s life on our day of rest or to let him die [HYP] by refusing to help him?”

LEB And Jesus said to them, “I ask you whether it is permitted on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save a life or to destroy it?”[fn]

6:9 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation

BBE And Jesus said, I put the question to you, Is it right to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil? to give life or to take it away?

Moff Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it right on the sabbath to help or to hurt, to save life or to kill?"

Wymth Then Jesus said to them, "I put it to you all whether we are allowed to do good on the Sabbath, or to do evil; to save a life, or to destroy it."

ASV And 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?

DRA Then 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?

YLT Then 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?'

Drby Jesus 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]?

RV And 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?

SLT Then said Jesus to them, I will ask you; What is lawful in the sabbath; to do good, or to do evil? to save the life, or destroy.

Wbstr Then said Jesus to 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 ?

KJB-1769 Then 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?

KJB-1611 Then said Iesus vnto them, I will aske you one thing, Is it lawfull on the Sabbath dayes to doe good, or to doe euill? to saue life, or to destroy it?
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from marking of added words (and possibly capitalisation and punctuation))

Bshps Then sayde Iesus vnto them, I wyll aske you a question: Whether is it lawfull on the Sabboth dayes to do good, or to do euyll? to saue ones lyfe, or to destroy it?
(Then said Yesus/Yeshua unto them, I will ask you a question: Whether is it lawful on the Sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save ones life, or to destroy it?)

Gnva Then sayd Iesus vnto them, I will aske you a question, Whether is it lawfull on the Sabbath dayes to doe good, or to doe euill? to saue life, or to destroy?
(Then said Yesus/Yeshua unto them, I will ask you a question, Whether is it lawful on the Sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy? )

Cvdl Then sayde Iesus vnto the: I wil axe you a question: What is it laufull to do vpo the Sabbath? good, or euell? to saue life, or to destroye it?
(Then said Yesus/Yeshua unto them: I will axe you a question: What is it lawful to do upon the Sabbath? good, or evil? to save life, or to destroy it?)

TNT Then sayde Iesus vnto them: I will axe you a question: Whether is it laufull on the saboth dayes to do good or to do evill? to save lyfe or for to destroye it?
(Then said Yesus/Yeshua unto them: I will axe you a question: Whether is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good or to do evill? to save life or for to destroy it? )

Wycl And Jhesus seide to hem, Y axe you, if it is leueful to do wel in the sabat, or yuel? to make a soule saaf, or to leese?
(And Yhesus said to hem, I axe you, if it is lawful to do well in the sabbath, or evil? to make a soul safe, or to leese?)

Luth Da sprach JEsus zu ihnen: Ich frage euch: Was ziemet sich zu tun an den Sabbaten, Gutes oder Böses, das Leben erhalten oder verderben?
(So spoke Yesus to/for to_them: I ask you: What ziemet itself/yourself/themselves to/for do/put at/to the sabbaths, goodness/good_(person) or evil, the life receive/obtain or spoil/corrupt?)

ClVg Ait autem ad illos Jesus: Interrogo vos si licet sabbatis benefacere, an male: animam salvam facere, an perdere?[fn]
(He_said however to those Yesus: Interrogo you(pl) when/but_if although sabbaths to_do_good, an male: the_soul has_saved to_do, an to_lose? )

6.9 Interrogo vos. BEDA. Præveniens calumniam quam sibi parabant, arguit eos, etc., usque ad non est auctor mali Deus, sed quos non salvat, perdere dicitur.

6.9 Interrogo you(pl). BEDA. Præveniens slander how to_himself parabant, argues them, etc., until to not/no it_is author evil God, but which not/no savet, to_lose it_is_said.

UGNT εἶπεν δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς πρὸς αὐτούς, ἐπερωτῶ ὑμᾶς, εἰ ἔξεστιν τῷ Σαββάτῳ ἀγαθοποιῆσαι ἢ κακοποιῆσαι, ψυχὴν σῶσαι ἢ ἀπολέσαι?
(eipen de ho Yaʸsous pros autous, eperōtō humas, ei exestin tōi Sabbatōi agathopoiaʸsai aʸ kakopoiaʸsai, psuⱪaʸn sōsai aʸ apolesai?)

SBL-GNT εἶπεν ⸀δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς πρὸς αὐτούς· ⸀Ἐπερωτῶ ὑμᾶς, ⸀εἰ ἔξεστιν ⸂τῷ σαββάτῳ⸃ ἀγαθοποιῆσαι ἢ κακοποιῆσαι, ψυχὴν σῶσαι ἢ ⸀ἀπολέσαι;
(eipen ⸀de ho Yaʸsous pros autous; ⸀Eperōtō humas, ⸀ei exestin ⸂tōi sabbatōi⸃ agathopoiaʸsai aʸ kakopoiaʸsai, psuⱪaʸn sōsai aʸ ⸀apolesai;)

RP-GNT Εἶπεν οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς πρὸς αὐτούς, Ἐπερωτήσω ὑμᾶς τί, Ἔξεστιν τοῖς σάββασιν ἀγαθοποιῆσαι ἢ κακοποιῆσαι; Ψυχὴν σῶσαι ἢ ἀποκτεῖναι;
(Eipen oun ho Yaʸsous pros autous, Eperōtaʸsō humas ti, Exestin tois sabbasin agathopoiaʸsai aʸ kakopoiaʸsai; psuⱪaʸn sōsai aʸ apokteinai;)

TC-GNT Εἶπεν [fn]οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς πρὸς αὐτούς, [fn]Ἐπερωτήσω ὑμᾶς [fn]τι, Ἔξεστι [fn]τοῖς σάββασιν ἀγαθοποιῆσαι ἢ κακοποιῆσαι; Ψυχὴν σῶσαι ἢ [fn]ἀποκτεῖναι;
(Eipen oun ho Yaʸsous pros autous, Eperōtaʸsō humas ti, Exesti tois sabbasin agathopoiaʸsai aʸ kakopoiaʸsai; psuⱪaʸn sōsai aʸ apokteinai; )

6:9 ουν ¦ δε CT

6:9 επερωτησω ¦ επερωτω CT

6:9 τι ¦ ει CT

6:9 τοις σαββασιν ¦ τω σαββατω CT

6:9 αποκτειναι ¦ απολεσαι CT TR

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translation Notes:

Section 6:1–11: Jesus taught that he was Lord of the Sabbath

In the Old Testament, God commanded the Jewish people to rest on the seventh day of each week. They called this day the “Sabbath.” The Pharisees believed that Jewish people should not do any work at all on the Sabbath day. They made many strict rules about what people were not allowed to do on the Sabbath.

In this section, the Pharisees continued their disagreement with Jesus from Luke 5:33–39. The Pharisees questioned Jesus’ authority to change the old traditions. They focused on the laws and traditions concerning the Sabbath. Jesus stated and proved that he did indeed have greater authority than the Pharisees to decide what a person could do on the Sabbath. As a result, the Pharisees perceived Jesus as a threat to their own authority.

Some other possible headings for this section are:

The Pharisees and Jesus disagreed about Sabbath-day laws

Jesus showed/taught the true meaning/use of the Sabbath day

A Discussion about the Sabbath (NLT)

There are parallel passages in Matthew 12:1–14 and Mark 2:23–3:6.

Paragraph 6:6–11

In this paragraph, Jesus demonstrated his authority over the Sabbath. He had just stated in 6:5 that he had the authority to decide what people could or could not do on the Sabbath day. When he healed the man with the shriveled hand, he confirmed that authority.

The Pharisees’ laws about the Sabbath day stated that it was work to heal a person whose life was not in danger on the Sabbath. So when Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath day, the Pharisees found a reason to accuse him.

6:9a

Then Jesus said to them,

Then Jesus said to the Pharisees and teachers of the law,
Then Jesus turned to the Pharisees and experts in the law and said,

Then: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as Then introduces the next development in the conflict. Most English versions translate it here as “Then.” A few versions translate it as “And” (RSV). Connect verses 6:8 and 6:9 in the way that is most natural in your language.

Jesus said to them: Jesus asked the Pharisees and the teachers of the law a question. In some languages, it may be natural to translate this as:

Jesus asked them

them: The pronoun them refers to the Pharisees and the teachers of the law. They were the people who wanted to accuse Jesus. The pronoun does not refer to the whole crowd.

6:9b–d

I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?: This is a rhetorical question. It emphasizes a fact that everyone knew to be true: It was lawful on the Sabbath to do good, not evil. It was also lawful to save life, not to kill. Jesus emphasized this fact in order to challenge the Pharisees and teachers of the law. He challenged them to admit that healing the man on the Sabbath was lawful.

There are at least two ways to translate this rebuke:

As a rhetorical question. For example:
I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it? (NLT)
As a statement and a challenge. For example:
We know that it is lawful on the Sabbath to do good, and not to do harm. We know that it is lawful to save life, and not to kill. Do you agree with this?
I want you to consider whether our law permits us to do good or to do evil on the rest day. Tell me whether it permits us to save a person’s life or to kill him.

Use whichever form is most natural in your language to emphasize a fact that everyone knows is true and to express a challenge.

6:9b

“I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath:

“I have a question for you: Is it allowed/permitted on the Sabbath day
“Here is a question for you:^(plur) What does our law permit us^(incl) to do on the rest day?
“Here is something to think about: On the day for resting our law permits us

I ask you: The phrase I ask you introduces a question. Some other ways to translate this are:

I have a question for you. (NLT)

Here is a question:

Consider this:

which is lawful: The Greek word that the BSB translates as lawful means “permitted in the religious law.” It is the same word that was used in 6:2b and 6:4b. You should translate it in the same way here. Some other ways to translate this word are:

Does the law permit (NLT)

Is it legal (NLT96)

what is the right thing (GW)

Sabbath: For advice on translating the word Sabbath, see the note at 6:1a.

6:9c

to do good or to do evil,

to do good or to do evil?
Does it permit us^(incl) to help people? Or does it permit us to harm people/them?
to do good, not evil.

to do good or to do evil: The terms good and evil are very general terms. Use general terms to describe what is morally good/right and what is morally evil/wrong. You could also use a term that means to help people and a term that means to hurt or harm people. For example:

To help or to harm? (GNT)

to help someone or to harm someone

6:9d

to save life or to destroy it?”

Is it allowed/permitted to save/rescue someone from danger/death or to kill someone on the Sabbath day?”
Does it permit us on the rest day to preserve life or to take away life?”
It permits us to save life on the day for resting, not to destroy/kill a life. Do you agree with that?”

to save life: The phrase to save life in this context refers to saving someone from danger or distress. If you cannot speak generally about saving life, you could say:

to save/rescue a person

to save/rescue a person from danger/death

See save, Meaning 1a, in the Glossary.

to destroy it: The phrase to destroy it means “to destroy a life” or “to kill.” If you have an expression similar to “save a life,” use an expression here that contrasts with it, even if your expression does not use the word “destroy.” If you must speak about saving a person, then you could simply say “to kill” or “to kill a person” here.

General Comment on 6:9b–d

In some languages, it may be clearer to express 6:9b–d as four separate questions or statements. For example:

Does our Law allow us to do good on the Sabbath? Or does it allow us to do evil? Does it allow us to save someone’s life? Or does it allow us to kill someone?

In other languages, it may be more natural to express 6:9b–d as two questions. One question could refer to the actions of doing good and saving life. The other question could refer to the actions of doing evil and killing. For example:

Is it lawful to do good and to save a life? Or it is lawful to do evil and to kill someone?

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-pronouns

πρὸς αὐτούς

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἶπεν Δέ ὁ Ἰησοῦς πρός αὐτούς Ἐπερωτῶ ὑμᾶς εἰ ἔξεστιν τῷ Σαββάτῳ ἀγαθοποιῆσαι ἤ κακοποιῆσαι ψυχήν σῶσαι ἤ ἀπολέσαι)

The pronoun them refers to the scribes and Pharisees. Alternate translation: [to the scribes and Pharisees]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

ἐπερωτῶ ὑμᾶς, εἰ ἔξεστιν τῷ Σαββάτῳ ἀγαθοποιῆσαι ἢ κακοποιῆσαι, ψυχὴν σῶσαι ἢ ἀπολέσαι?

Jesus asks this question to get the Pharisees to admit that it is legitimate to heal on the Sabbath. The intent of the question is therefore rhetorical. Jesus is not trying to obtain information; he wants someone to admit that something is true. However, Jesus says, “I ask you,” so this question is not like other rhetorical questions that might appropriately be translated as statements. This one should be translated as a question.

ἀγαθοποιῆσαι ἢ κακοποιῆσαι

˓to˒_do_good (Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἶπεν Δέ ὁ Ἰησοῦς πρός αὐτούς Ἐπερωτῶ ὑμᾶς εἰ ἔξεστιν τῷ Σαββάτῳ ἀγαθοποιῆσαι ἤ κακοποιῆσαι ψυχήν σῶσαι ἤ ἀπολέσαι)

Alternate translation: [to help someone or to harm someone]

Parallel LUKE 6:9