Luke 6:9Then 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?"
The setting
Capernaum synagogue, ~28 AD. Sabbath morning. Religious leaders are watching Jesus like hawks, waiting for Him to break their rules...
The emotion here: controlled anger at religious hypocrisy, strategic confrontation
The original word
exestin (ἔξεστιν) — is it permitted by law, specifically challenging their authority to interpret Torah
Why it matters
Pharisees had added 39 categories of forbidden Sabbath work, but healing wasn't technically one of them
Read with care
What most readers miss in Luke 6:9
Jesus asks this BEFORE healing — He's forcing them to take a public position
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about working on Sunday. It's actually about exposing how religious rules can become more important than human suffering.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Luke 6:9
Bible Genome reading
Luke 6:9 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Luke 6:9 comes from the book of Luke, written during the gospel period. The setting is the Temple. These words are attributed to Jesus. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include sabbath, ethics. Notable phrases: is it lawful; do good or harm.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does Luke 6:9 mean to you, today?
A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.
Speak your heart →Get 3 verses for "deciding"
Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.