Mark 3:2

2 Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath.

Mark 3:2 in Other Translations

2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.

2 And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him.

2 Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus’ enemies watched him closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath.

2 The Pharisees had their eyes on Jesus to see if he would heal him, hoping to catch him in a Sabbath infraction.

2 In order to accuse Him, they were watching Him closely to see whether He would heal him on the Sabbath.

Mark 3:2 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 3:2

And they watched him
The ruler of the synagogue, and the principal men in it; particularly the Scribes and Pharisees, who followed him wherever he went; they observed him diligently, and kept their eyes upon him; this lame man being in the synagogue, to see

whether he would heal him on the sabbath day;
which, knowing his readiness to do good, they might expect he would:

that they might accuse him;
as they had accused his disciples before, of the violation of the sabbath: according to the Evangelist Matthew, they put a question to him, whether it was lawful to heal on the sabbath day? with this view, that they might, one way or another, have something to accuse him of, either to the people, or to the sanhedrim; (See Gill on Matthew 12:10).

Mark 3:2 In-Context

1 Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there.

2 Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath.

3 Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

4 Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.

Cross References

• 1. S Matthew 12:10
• 2. Luke 14:1