¹⁹ When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath,^(A) I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my own men at the gates so that no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day.

²¹ This is what the Lord says: Be careful not to carry a load on the Sabbath^(A) day or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem. ²² Do not bring a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your ancestors.^{(B) 23} Yet they did not listen or pay attention;^(C) they were stiff-necked^(D) and would not listen or respond to discipline.^{(E) 24} But if you are careful to obey me, declares the Lord, and bring no load through the gates of this city on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy^(F) by not doing any work on it, ²⁵ then kings who sit on David’s throne^(G) will come through the gates of this city with their officials. They and their officials will come riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by the men of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, and this city will be inhabited forever.^{(H) 26} People will come from the towns of Judah and the villages around Jerusalem, from the territory of Benjamin and the western foothills, from the hill country and the Negev,^(I) bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and incense, and bringing thank offerings to the house of the Lord. ²⁷ But if you do not obey^(J) me to keep the Sabbath^(K) day holy by not carrying any load as you come through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle an unquenchable fire^(L) in the gates of Jerusalem that will consume her fortresses.’”^(M)

² When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”^(A)

² Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”^(A)

²³ Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man’s whole body on the Sabbath?

¹⁶ Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”^(A)

But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?”^(B) So they were divided.^(C)