9 Key Bible Verses about the Sabbath

Have you ever wondered what the Sabbath really means in the Bible? Where it comes from, and what ended up happening to it?

Is it even relevant at all?

While it’s often difficult to come to the answers we need through a simple search – there are 159 times the Sabbath is mentioned in the Bible after all – fear not, we’ve compiled a list of some of the verses that we feel contribute to the core of the topic of Sabbath.

Genesis 2:2-3

And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.

Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

Genesis 2:2-3, NKJV

This is the first place we see Sabbath mentioned in the Bible – right at the beginning. Here, we see God at rest after creating the world. Although some argue that this cannot be accurate – after all, God doesn’t need rest – we more often see it as God taking time to dwell with His creations and setting aside time for us to do so together. Rather than needing rest, it appears God wanted to rest with His new children and their new home – delighting in showing them all its beauties and wonders. The Sabbath is introduced to us here as a blessing – but how does it continue?

Exodus 20:8-11

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.

For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

Exodus 20:8-11, NKJV

This sanctified day of rest is solidified into a command in Exodus 20:8-11, as God tells Moses how to respect this blessed day in a world of sin. Here, we’re given what it means to rest.

At the time of this command, the Israelites were told not to work on the Sabbath – with work being defined as their usual daily errands– such as collecting wood or cooking meals.

This is the first time in the Bible that we see the Sabbath laid out as a command; however, it is argued that although it wasn’t a law per se in Creation, as it was ‘blessed and sanctified,’ it’s clearly a day that was always meant to be remembered. This is further indicated at the beginning of the command given here in Exodus, beginning with ‘remember.’

Numbers 15:32-35

‘One day while the people of Israel were in the wilderness, they discovered a man gathering wood on the Sabbath day.

The people who found him doing this took him before Moses, Aaron, and the rest of the community.

They held him in custody because they did not know what to do with him.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “The man must be put to death! The whole community must stone him outside the camp.’

Numbers 15:32-35, NLT

This is perhaps the most harsh example of what disrespecting the Sabbath meant in the Old Testament – demonstrating that it was as much a law as the rest of the Ten Commandments. Although, without context, this story can seem overly aggressive, it is a clear example of where intention matters. Although there wasn’t a clear direction not to pick up firewood on the Sabbath, there was the prohibition of lighting a fire (Exodus 35:3) and leaving one’s dwelling for work purposes during the Sabbath (Exodus 16:29-30). Therefore, the discussion was around whether intending to commit an offense was included in punishment – and, further, what kind of punishment was to be laid out.

Just as we today are punished for a clear intent to commit a crime, so this man was – but we can be grateful that we no longer have such harsh penalties today! But why is that? Keep reading: the New Testament sheds some light on these changes.

Exodus 31:13 and Ezekiel 20:12

‘You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the LORD, sanctify you.’

Exodus 31:13, ESV

‘And I gave them my Sabbath days of rest as a sign between them and me. It was to remind them that I am the LORD, who had set them apart to be holy.’

Ezekiel 20:12, NLT

Finally, the words of Ezekiel mirror that of Exodus 31:13, where we are reminded that the Sabbath was an important law and day to be kept – not one that will fade with time or be replaced, but rather meant to last as a sign of God’s love and blessing forever.

Isaiah 66:22-23

“For as the new heavens and the new earth

Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the LORD,

“So shall your descendants and your name remain.

And it shall come to pass

That from one New Moon to another,

And from one Sabbath to another,

All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the LORD.”

Isaiah 66:22-23, NKJV

One of the final mentions of Sabbath in the Old Testament is seen here as a lasting gift from God to mankind: not only is it something that we are to respect and hold throughout history, but also into the future – even into the ‘new heavens and new earth’ that God promises to restore after Jesus returns in Revelation 21. This vision suggests that the Sabbath is not merely a practice for ancient Israel but a divine institution with lasting significance—one that extends beyond history and into eternity. Rather than being abolished, the Sabbath is portrayed as a permanent rhythm of worship, a sacred time set apart for all of God's people, even in the renewed creation. This reinforces the idea that the Sabbath is more than just a ritual; it is a reflection of God's ongoing relationship with humanity.

Matthew 12:10-13

“…and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”

 So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other.

Matthew 12:10-13, NIV

In the Old Testament, we see a culture where everyone kept the same commands and worked together to do so. However, we currently live in a time where that is not the case – being more multicultural and/or multi-religious (or even non-religious) than ever. While the Bible may not enforce that we respect the Sabbath or be put to death – these specifics done away with by Jesus' death – we are still asked to respect the day of rest by desisting from our daily work and are encouraged to look after ourselves, and each other, as Jesus encouraged His disciples to do in the verse below. In fact, Jesus defies the Pharisees and their penchant for loving the law more than the people, asking what constitutes being good. Should we be helping others… or doing nothing for them?

In this passage, we understand that rest doesn’t mean sitting around and not doing anything. On the contrary, we’re encouraged to do as Jesus did: spend time with others, learn with our community, and be present in our relationship with God. It’s a brief reminder of what the Ten Commandments mean when summarised: to love God and love each other (Matthew 22:37-39). As God loves us, aren’t we fulfilling both at once by helping and loving those in need? It seems here that Jesus would argue yes: and thus, so would we.

Mark 2:23-28

One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain.

And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”

And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him:

how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?”

And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

Mark 2:23-28, ESV

Growing on our point of the modern Sabbath we see how Jesus encouraged His disciples – and us – to behave surrounding it. Here, we understand while we’re meant to respect it, we’re also not meant to worship it or make it legalistic. It’s made for us to help us – not to cause us pain or hindrance.

Again, Jesus asserts His dominance over old tradition – stating that the overall intent and outcome is more important than the actual action – for example, picking grain heads as one walks. In these verses, we don’t see Jesus overthrowing the law but rather simply the traditions. However, we are reminded that Jesus has authority over all things, including the law. Thus, it is not up to the Pharisees to prescribe it, but Jesus Himself to decree what is or is not appropriate – and He deems that respecting the law through doing good and allowing it to give rest rather than stress is the most appropriate activity.

Colossians 2:16-17

So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

Colossians 2:16-17, NKJV

Now, we come to one of the more debated passages regarding the Sabbath. In Colossians 2:16-17, Paul urges believers not to judge one another over food, drink, festivals, new moons, or Sabbaths—stating that these are merely “a shadow of things to come,” with Christ as their ultimate fulfillment. At first glance, some interpret this as a dismissal of the Sabbath altogether. However, understanding Paul’s words in context is crucial. Throughout this chapter, Paul addresses traditions and ceremonial observances rather than moral or divine law. The reference to Sabbaths here aligns with similar mentions in the Old Testament, such as Hosea 2:11, where Sabbaths are grouped with feasts and sacrifices—elements of Israel’s ceremonial system. Paul’s argument is not against the concept of the Sabbath itself but against the idea that these ritualistic observances hold salvational power. With Christ as the ultimate sacrifice, these ceremonial customs no longer define one's faith or righteousness, reinforcing the central message that salvation comes through Him alone.

Acts 13:14, 16:13, 17:2

But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down.

Acts 13:14, NKJV

And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there.

Acts 16:13, NKJV

As was Paul’s custom, he went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he used the Scriptures to reason with the people.

Acts 17:2, NKJV

These three passages provide key insights into the observance of the Sabbath following Jesus’ death, revealing that Paul and the other apostles continued to participate in traditional Sabbath practices, such as attending synagogue services and gathering for prayer. This continuity is significant. If Jesus' death had rendered the Sabbath obsolete, why would his closest followers – those entrusted with spreading his teachings – continue observing it? Their actions suggest that Sabbath-keeping remained a meaningful and relevant practice within the early Christian community. Rather than abandoning the Sabbath, they integrated it into their ministry, using it as an opportunity to engage with both Jewish and Gentile audiences in discussions about Scripture and the message of Christ – that He didn’t come to abolish the law but be the key towards fulfilling it.

Throughout these verses, we see a familiar theme: God’s enduring love for us. From the beginning to the end, God has set apart a day for us to spend with Him in love and in rest. Just like God’s love, Sabbath isn’t something for only the precious few – rather, it’s made to be enjoyed by all. God wants to spend time with you, so why not put it aside for Him too?