Luke 6:9

9 Then Jesus addressed them, "Let me ask you something: What kind of action suits the Sabbath best? Doing good or doing evil? Helping people or leaving them helpless?"

Luke 6:9 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 6:9

Then said Jesus unto them
The Scribes and Pharisees, who were watching him, and whose thoughts, and the reasonings of their minds, purposes, and intentions, he full well knew:

I will ask you one thing;
or question, as they had asked him one before; ( Matthew 12:10 )

is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to
save life, or to destroy it?
(See Gill on Mark 3:4) to which may be added, that to save life on the sabbath day was agreeable to their own canons: there were many things which they allowed might be done on the sabbath day, when life was in danger, which otherwise were not lawful; (See Gill on Matthew 12:8).

Luke 6:9 In-Context

7 The religion scholars and Pharisees had their eye on Jesus to see if he would heal the man, hoping to catch him in a Sabbath infraction.

8 He knew what they were up to and spoke to the man with the crippled hand: "Get up and stand here before us." He did.

9 Then Jesus addressed them, "Let me ask you something: What kind of action suits the Sabbath best? Doing good or doing evil? Helping people or leaving them helpless?"

10 He looked around, looked each one in the eye. He said to the man, "Hold out your hand." He held it out - it was as good as new!

11 They were beside themselves with anger, and started plotting how they might get even with him.