Sunday has traditionally been a day of rest, rooted in the Bible’s command to keep the Sabbath. While views vary, the Bible’s teachings on rest can encourage us to find a balance between work and relaxation.
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What Does The Bible Say About Working On Sunday
Exodus 20:8-10
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns.”
This verse emphasizes the importance of observing the Sabbath day and refraining from work. It teaches us to set aside one day each week to rest and focus on worshiping and honoring God.
While it specifically mentions not working on the Sabbath, it is important to note that this commandment was given before the coming of Jesus Christ. The Sabbath was part of the Old Covenant, and with the arrival of the New Covenant through Jesus, the focus shifted from strict observance of certain laws to a deeper relationship with God through faith in Christ.
Matthew 12:11-12
“He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
In this verse, Jesus teaches the principle that doing good, such as helping someone in need, is not considered breaking the Sabbath. He prioritizes acts of compassion and mercy over legalistic observance.
While it does not directly address working on Sunday, it emphasizes that the purpose of the Sabbath is to honor God and benefit others. It reminds us to have a heart of compassion and use our time to bless and serve others, even if it means engaging in work or activities that are typically discouraged on the Sabbath.
Mark 2:27-28
“Then he said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.’”
Jesus makes it clear that the Sabbath was designed for the well-being and benefit of humanity. It was not meant to be a burden or restrictive, but rather a gift from God.
While this verse doesn’t directly address working on Sunday, it emphasizes that the Sabbath should serve the needs of people. It encourages us to approach Sabbath observance with a heart of gratitude and intentionality, focusing on rest, worship, and cherishing our relationship with God.
Luke 13:14-16
“Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said to the people, ‘There are six days for work. So, come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.’ The Lord answered him, ‘You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?’”
This passage highlights Jesus’ response to religious leaders who criticized Him for healing on the Sabbath. He challenges their legalistic interpretation and demonstrates that acts of healing and restoration are appropriate on the Sabbath.
While it doesn’t directly address working on Sunday, it illustrates Jesus’ emphasis on showing compassion and meeting the needs of others, even if it goes against strict regulations. It encourages us to prioritize acts of love and mercy over rigid adherence to rules, considering the well-being and liberation of those around us.
Acts 20:7
“On the first day of the week, we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people, and because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight.”
This verse serves as evidence that early Christians gathered for worship, teaching, and fellowship on the first day of the week, which gradually became known as the “Lord’s Day” or Sunday.
Although it doesn’t address the topic of working on Sunday directly, it highlights the practice of believers coming together on this day to dedicate time to God, learning from His Word, and engaging in communion. It is a reminder of the significance of devoting Sundays to communal worship and spiritual growth.
1 Corinthians 16:2
“On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.”
In this verse, the Apostle Paul instructs the Corinthian believers to set aside funds on the first day of each week for the purpose of supporting the work of God and meeting the needs of others.
Although it doesn’t specifically address working on Sunday, it highlights the practice of regularly setting aside time and resources for the work of the Lord. It encourages us to prioritize the worship of God and the support of His kingdom through our giving and generosity.
Hebrews 10:24-25
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
This verse reminds us of the importance of gathering together as believers to encourage and inspire one another in love and good works.
While it doesn’t directly speak about working on Sunday, it highlights the value of assembling as a community of faith on a regular basis. It encourages us to prioritize fellowship, mutual support, and the strengthening of our faith, particularly as the return of Christ draws near.
Romans 14:5-6
“One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.”
In this verse, Paul addresses the issue of differing convictions regarding the observance of specific days. He emphasizes that each person should have their own convictions and motivations in honoring certain days.
This verse indirectly touches on the topic of working on Sunday by affirming the freedom and diversity of individual beliefs regarding the significance of particular days. It encourages us to respect one another’s convictions and give thanks to God in whatever we choose to do on those days.
Galatians 4:9-10
“But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!”
In this passage, Paul confronts the Galatian believers for returning to a legalistic mindset, emphasizing the observance of certain days and seasons.
Though it doesn’t specifically discuss working on Sunday, it challenges the rigid adherence to special days and seasons for spiritual merit. It teaches us that our relationship with God is not dependent on external observances, but on our faith and trust in Christ’s finished work on the cross.
Colossians 2:16-17
“Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.”
This verse echoes the theme of not allowing others to impose judgment based on observances of festivals, new moons, or Sabbaths. It emphasizes that these practices were shadows of what was to come in Christ.
Although it does not directly discuss working on Sunday, it emphasizes the supremacy of Christ over the external rituals and observances of the Old Covenant. It encourages us to find our fulfillment and ultimate rest in Christ rather than being bound by legalistic restrictions.
Isaiah 58:13-14
“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.”
In this Old Testament verse, the prophet Isaiah emphasizes the importance of keeping the Sabbath holy and honoring it as a delight unto the Lord.
Though it doesn’t directly mention working on Sunday, it underscores the significance of dedicating the Sabbath day to worshipping and honoring God. It teaches that by seeking His pleasure and abstaining from our own selfish pursuits, we will find true joy and receive God’s blessings and inheritance.
Isaiah 56:2
“Blessed is the one who does this— the person who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps their hands from doing any evil.”
In this verse, Isaiah highlights the blessing of those who diligently observe the Sabbath without defiling it and refrain from doing evil with their hands.
Though it doesn’t explicitly mention working on Sunday, it teaches the importance of honoring the Sabbath and avoiding actions that are contrary to God’s will. It reminds us of the blessings and favor that come from living in alignment with God’s commands.
Jeremiah 17:21-22
“This is what the Lord says: Be careful not to carry a load on the Sabbath day or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem. Do not bring a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your ancestors.”
In this passage, the Lord commands the people of Jerusalem not to engage in work or carry loads on the Sabbath day, emphasizing the need to keep it holy.
Although it specifically applies to the people of Jerusalem in that context, it reflects the broader principle of setting apart the Sabbath day as a sacred time for worship and rest. It reminds us of God’s command to honor the Sabbath and avoid activities that distract from its sanctity.
Isaiah 66:23
“From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me,” says the Lord.
In this verse, Isaiah prophesies a future time when people from all nations will gather to worship the Lord and bow down before Him, celebrating the New Moons and Sabbaths.
Although it doesn’t directly address working on Sunday, it paints a picture of a time when every Sabbath day will be dedicated to the worship and adoration of God by all peoples. It serves as a reminder of the eternal significance and importance of observing times of worship and rest in alignment with God’s perfect plan.
Hebrews 4:9-11
“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.”
This verse speaks of a “Sabbath-rest” that remains for God’s people, calling believers to enter into that rest by ceasing from their own works.
While it doesn’t specifically address working on Sunday, it emphasizes the spiritual rest that believers can experience through faith in Christ. It urges us to cease striving to earn salvation through our own efforts and instead find rest in the finished work of Christ on the cross.
Genesis 2:2-3
“By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”
This verse describes how God rested on the seventh day after finishing His work of creation, declaring the Sabbath day as holy and setting it apart.
While it doesn’t specifically mention working on Sunday, it serves as the foundation for the institution of the Sabbath, reminding us of God’s divine example of rest and establishing a precedent for dedicating set times for worship and renewal.
Psalm 92:1-2
“It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night.”
These verses express the goodness and joy of praising and worshiping the Lord, proclaiming His love and faithfulness morning and night.
Although it doesn’t directly address working on Sunday, it highlights the importance of dedicating time to worship and honor God, whether in the morning or at night. It encourages us to prioritize personal worship and adoration of our Creator throughout each day as an expression of our faith.
Psalm 118:24
“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
This verse exalts the day that the Lord has made, calling for rejoicing and gladness in His creation.
Although it doesn’t specifically mention Sunday or working, it reminds us that each day is a gift from God, and we are called to approach it with joy and gratitude. It encourages us to make the most of every day, honoring God and finding delight in His presence.
Psalm 29:2
“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.”
In this verse, the psalmist calls for the acknowledgment of the Lord’s glory and the offering of worship in the splendor of His holiness.
While it doesn’t specifically address working on Sunday, it underscores the importance of worshiping and honoring God with reverence and awe. It reminds us that our devotion to Him goes beyond a particular day or time but encompasses a lifestyle of worship and adoration.
Psalm 122:1
“I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’”
In this verse, the psalmist expresses joy and excitement at the opportunity to go to the house of the Lord and worship with others.
While it doesn’t explicitly discuss working on Sunday, it highlights the value of gathering with fellow believers and engaging in corporate worship. It serves as a reminder of the importance of joining together in the presence of God to offer praise, seek Him, and grow in our faith as a community.
Psalm 95:6-7
“Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.”
These verses invite us to come before the Lord in worship and humbly acknowledge Him as our Maker and Shepherd.
Although it doesn’t directly address working on Sunday, it emphasizes the posture of reverence and surrender that should accompany our worship. It encourages us to recognize God’s rightful place in our lives and acknowledge His love and care for us as His people.
Ezekiel 20:20
“Keep my Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.”
In this verse, God instructs His people to keep His Sabbaths holy, emphasizing that their observance serves as a sign of their relationship with Him.
Though it doesn’t specifically mention working on Sunday, it highlights the importance of honoring and setting apart the Sabbath as a means of identifying with God and recognizing His authority over our lives. It invites us to cultivate a deep sense of belonging to Him through the observance of dedicated times of rest and worship.