· Translation: KJV

Matthew 12:10And behold there was a man with a withered hand. They asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?" that they might accuse him.

The setting

Capernaum synagogue, ~30 AD. Saturday morning worship. A man with a paralyzed hand sits near the front as Pharisees watch Jesus enter...

The emotion here: documenting escalating religious tension with growing concern

The original word

xēros (ξηρός) — completely dried up, useless, like a withered plant

Why it matters

Synagogue healing controversies were legal test cases that could result in formal charges

Read with care

What most readers miss in Matthew 12:10

The man didn't ask to be healed — he was used as bait in a trap

Common misconceptionPeople think this man asked Jesus for healing, but he was actually planted there by the Pharisees as a test case. He was being used.

Bible Genome reading

Matthew 12:10 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerMatthew
Eragospel
Primary emotionseeking
Literary typenarrative

Emotional genome

Comfort power30%
Quotability30%
Memorability55%
Crisis relevance70%
Standalone50%
Themes:sufferingtesting

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open Matthew 12

Matthew 12:10 comes from the book of Matthew, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Matthew. The dominant emotion in this verse is seeking, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include suffering, testing. Notable phrases: withered hand; is it lawful; that they might accuse.

Your reflection

What does Matthew 12:10 mean to you, today?

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