The Sabbath day is a significant part of biblical teachings, with many believers seeking to understand which day is the true Sabbath according to Scripture. While some observe Sunday as the Lord’s day, the Bible provides clear evidence that the seventh day of the week, Saturday, is the true Sabbath.
This topic explores key Bible verses that affirm Saturday as the Sabbath, explaining their meaning and historical context.
1. The Sabbath Was Established at Creation
Genesis 2:2-3
“And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.“
This verse shows that the Sabbath was established at creation, long before the existence of Israel or the Mosaic Law. God sanctified the seventh day, setting it apart as a special day of rest.
2. The Fourth Commandment Confirms the Seventh-Day Sabbath
Exodus 20:8-11
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work… For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.“
The Ten Commandments were written by God’s own hand (Exodus 31:18), emphasizing their importance. This passage explicitly states that the Sabbath is the seventh day, reaffirming the creation account.
3. The Manna Miracle Confirms the Seventh-Day Sabbath
Exodus 16:25-26
“Then Moses said, ‘Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.’“
Before the Ten Commandments were given at Mount Sinai, God tested Israel by providing manna for six days and withholding it on the seventh-day Sabbath. This shows that the Sabbath was already in effect and was not just for the Israelites.
4. Jesus Observed the Sabbath on the Seventh Day
Luke 4:16
“So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.“
Jesus regularly observed the Sabbath by attending the synagogue on the seventh day. If the Sabbath had changed, Jesus would have mentioned it. Instead, He affirmed its importance.
Matthew 24:20
“And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.“
Jesus spoke of the Sabbath in a prophecy concerning the destruction of Jerusalem (70 AD), showing that the Sabbath would still be observed long after His resurrection.
5. The Disciples and Early Church Kept the Seventh-Day Sabbath
Acts 13:42-44
“So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath… On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.“
Even Gentile believers observed the Sabbath, demonstrating that it was not just for Jews but for all followers of God.
Acts 16:13
“And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there.“
This passage shows that Paul and his companions still honored the Sabbath, seeking a place of worship on that day.
Acts 18:4
“And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.“
Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, continued to keep the seventh-day Sabbath, teaching both Jews and non-Jews.
6. The Sabbath Will Be Kept in the Future
Isaiah 66:22-23
“For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me, says the Lord, so shall your descendants and your name remain. And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me, says the Lord.“
This prophecy describes worship in the new earth, where all people will continue observing the Sabbath forever. This confirms that the seventh-day Sabbath remains unchanged.
7. No Biblical Evidence for Sunday as the Sabbath
Many assume that the Sabbath changed to Sunday after Jesus’ resurrection. However, the Bible provides no command to change the Sabbath to the first day of the week. Some cite Acts 20:7 or 1 Corinthians 16:2, but these passages do not declare Sunday as a holy day or a replacement for the Sabbath.
The Bible consistently teaches that the Sabbath is the seventh day of the week—Saturday. From creation to the Ten Commandments, the ministry of Jesus, the early church, and even in prophecy, the seventh-day Sabbath remains unchanged.
Observing the Sabbath is not just a Jewish tradition but a divine commandment given by God for all humanity. Understanding and following the true biblical Sabbath helps believers honor God’s will and experience the spiritual rest He intended.