Exodus 31:14
New International Version
“’Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death; those who do any work on that day must be cut off from their people.

New Living Translation
You must keep the Sabbath day, for it is a holy day for you. Anyone who desecrates it must be put to death; anyone who works on that day will be cut off from the community.

English Standard Version
You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. Whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

Berean Standard Bible
Keep the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Anyone who profanes it must surely be put to death. Whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from among his people.

King James Bible
Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

New King James Version
You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people.

New American Standard Bible
Therefore you are to keep the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it must be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people.

NASB 1995
‘Therefore you are to observe the sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people.

NASB 1977
‘Therefore you are to observe the sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people.

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore you shall keep the sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people.

Amplified Bible
Therefore, you shall keep the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it must be put to death; for whoever does work on the Sabbath, that person (soul) shall be cut off from among his people [excluding him from the atonement made for them].

Christian Standard Bible
Observe the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Whoever profanes it must be put to death. If anyone does work on it, that person must be cut off from his people.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Observe the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Whoever profanes it must be put to death. If anyone does work on it, that person must be cut off from his people.

American Standard Version
Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that profaneth it shall surely be put to death; for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

English Revised Version
Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that profaneth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
" 'Observe the day of worship because it is holy to you. Whoever treats it like any other day must be put to death. Whoever works on that day must be excluded from the people.

Good News Translation
You must keep the day of rest, because it is sacred. Whoever does not keep it, but works on that day, is to be put to death.

International Standard Version
You are to observe the Sabbath, because it's holy for you. Whoever profanes it is certainly to die; indeed, whoever does work on it is to be cut off from among his people.

Majority Standard Bible
Keep the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Anyone who profanes it must surely be put to death. Whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from among his people.

NET Bible
So you must keep the Sabbath, for it is holy for you. Everyone who defiles it must surely be put to death; indeed, if anyone does any work on it, then that person will be cut off from among his people.

New Heart English Bible
You shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

Webster's Bible Translation
Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore: for it is holy to you. Every one that profaneth it shall surely be put to death: for whoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

World English Bible
You shall keep the Sabbath therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and you have kept the Sabbath, for it [is] holy to you, he who is defiling it is certainly put to death—for any who does work in it—that person has even been cut off from the midst of his people.

Young's Literal Translation
and ye have kept the sabbath, for it is holy to you, he who is polluting it is certainly put to death -- for any who doeth work in it -- that person hath even been cut off from the midst of his people.

Smith's Literal Translation
And watch ye the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. He profaning it, dying, shall die; for all doing work in it, and that soul shall be cut off from the midst of his people.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Keep you my sabbath: for it is holy unto you: he that shall profane it, shall be put to death: he that shall do my work in it, his soul shall perish out of the midst of his people.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Keep my Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Whoever will have polluted it, shall die a death. Whoever will have done any work in it, his soul shall perish from the midst of his people.

New American Bible
Therefore, you must keep the sabbath for it is holiness for you. Whoever desecrates it shall be put to death. If anyone does work on that day, that person must be cut off from the people.

New Revised Standard Version
You shall keep the sabbath, because it is holy for you; everyone who profanes it shall be put to death; whoever does any work on it shall be cut off from among the people.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
You shall keep the sabbath; for it is holy to you; every one who defiles it shall surely be put to death; and whoever shall do any work on it, that soul shall surely be cut off from among his people.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
“You say to the children of Israel, ‘Be keeping the Sabbath because that is a sign between me and you for your generations, that you will know that I AM LORD JEHOVAH, I Who hallow you.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore, for it is holy unto you; every one that profaneth it shall surely be put to death; for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And ye shall keep the sabbaths, because this is holy to the Lord for you; he that profanes it shall surely be put to death: every one who shall do a work on it, that soul shall be destroyed from the midst of his people.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Sign of the Sabbath
13“Tell the Israelites, ‘Surely you must keep My Sabbaths, for this will be a sign between Me and you for the generations to come, so that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you. 14Keep the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Anyone who profanes it must surely be put to death. Whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from among his people. 15For six days work may be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must surely be put to death.…

Cross References
Leviticus 19:30
You must keep My Sabbaths and have reverence for My sanctuary. I am the LORD.

Leviticus 23:3
For six days work may be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, a day of sacred assembly. You must not do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the LORD.

Leviticus 26:2
You must keep My Sabbaths and have reverence for My sanctuary. I am the LORD.

Numbers 15:32-36
While the Israelites were in the wilderness, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day. / Those who found the man gathering wood brought him to Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation, / and because it had not been declared what should be done to him, they placed him in custody. ...

Isaiah 56:2
Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without profaning it and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

Nehemiah 13:15-22
In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them against selling food on that day. / Additionally, men of Tyre who lived there were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem. / Then I rebuked the nobles of Judah and asked, “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day? ...

Ezekiel 20:12-13
I also gave them My Sabbaths as a sign between us, so that they would know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them. / Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not follow My statutes and they rejected My ordinances—though the man who does these things will live by them—and they utterly profaned My Sabbaths. Then I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and put an end to them in the wilderness.

Ezekiel 22:8
You have despised My holy things and profaned My Sabbaths.

Jeremiah 17:21-27
This is what the LORD says: Take heed for yourselves; do not carry a load or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. / You must not carry a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath day, but you must keep the Sabbath day holy, just as I commanded your forefathers. / Yet they would not listen or incline their ear, but they stiffened their necks and would not listen or receive My discipline. ...

Deuteronomy 5:12-15
Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. / Six days you shall labor and do all your work, / but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox or donkey or any of your livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest as you do. ...

Matthew 12:1-8
At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them. / When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.” / Jesus replied, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? ...

Mark 2:23-28
One Sabbath Jesus was passing through the grainfields, and His disciples began to pick the heads of grain as they walked along. / So the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” / Jesus replied, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? ...

Luke 6:1-5
One Sabbath Jesus was passing through the grainfields, and His disciples began to pick the heads of grain, rub them in their hands, and eat them. / But some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” / Jesus replied, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? ...

Hebrews 4:9-11
There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God. / For whoever enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His. / Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same pattern of disobedience.

Colossians 2:16-17
Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. / These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.


Treasury of Scripture

You shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy to you: every one that defiles it shall surely be put to death: for whoever does any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

keep

Exodus 20:8
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Deuteronomy 5:12-15
Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee…

Nehemiah 9:14
And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:

everyone

Isaiah 56:2,6
Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil…

Ezekiel 20:13,16,21,24
But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them…

doeth

Exodus 35:2,3
Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death…

Numbers 15:35
And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.

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Cut Death Defileth Holy Observe Profanes Profaneth Sabbath Soul Surely Therein Work
Exodus 31
1. Bezaleel and Aholiah are appointed for the work of the tabernacle
12. The observation of the Sabbath is again commanded
18. Moses receives the two tablets














You must keep the Sabbath
This command underscores the importance of the Sabbath as a covenant sign between God and His people. The Hebrew word for "keep" is "shamar," which means to guard, protect, or observe. This implies an active, intentional effort to honor the Sabbath, reflecting its sacredness and the commitment required from the Israelites. The Sabbath is not merely a day of rest but a divine ordinance that signifies trust in God's provision and sovereignty.

for it is holy to you
The term "holy" comes from the Hebrew word "qodesh," meaning set apart or sacred. The Sabbath is not just another day; it is consecrated and distinct from the rest of the week. This holiness is not only about abstaining from work but also about dedicating the day to spiritual renewal and worship. It serves as a reminder of God's creation and His rest on the seventh day, inviting believers to enter into His rest and reflect on His goodness.

Anyone who profanes it
To "profane" is to treat something sacred with irreverence or disrespect. The Hebrew root "chalal" conveys the idea of defiling or polluting. Profaning the Sabbath is a serious offense because it undermines the sanctity of what God has declared holy. It reflects a heart that is not aligned with God's purposes and a disregard for His commandments.

must surely be put to death
This severe consequence highlights the gravity of violating the Sabbath. In the ancient Near Eastern context, the community's survival depended on strict adherence to God's laws. The death penalty underscores the seriousness with which God views the Sabbath, emphasizing that it is not merely a personal preference but a divine mandate with communal implications.

Whoever does any work on that day
The prohibition against work is central to the observance of the Sabbath. The Hebrew word "melachah" refers to occupational or creative work, which is to cease on the Sabbath. This cessation of labor is a tangible expression of faith, acknowledging that God is the ultimate provider and sustainer. It is a call to trust in His provision and to rest in His completed work.

must be cut off from his people
Being "cut off" signifies a form of excommunication or separation from the community. This phrase indicates the seriousness of Sabbath observance as a communal identity marker for the Israelites. It serves as a warning that disobedience not only affects the individual but also the community's relationship with God. The Sabbath is a collective experience that reinforces unity and shared faith in God's covenant promises.

(14) Every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death.--This is a new enactment, and must be regarded in conjunction with the new dignity attached to Sabbath observance by its having become the special covenant sign between God and His people. The Sabbath-breaker now threw himself out of covenant with God, and not only so, but did what in him lay to throw the whole people out of covenant. His guilt was therefore great, and the assignment to it of the death-penalty is in no way surprising; rather, it is in accordance with the general spirit of the code (see Exodus 21:16-17; Exodus 21:29; Exodus 22:18-20, &c.). When the occasion arose, there was no hesitation in carrying the law out (Numbers 15:32-35).

Cut off.--Or, separated, set apart from. His act at once cast him out from the number of God's people, made him an outlaw, ipso facto excommunicated him.

Verse 14. - Every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death. To defile the sabbath was to do any unnecessary servile work upon it. Works of mercy, works of necessity, and works connected with religious observance were not prohibited. (See Matthew 12:1-7; Matthew 10-12.) The penalty of death for breaking the sabbath seems to moderns over-severe; but the erection of sabbath-observance into the special sacramental sign that Israel was in covenant with God made non-observance an offence of the gravest character. The man who broke the sabbath destroyed, so far as in him lay, the entire covenant between God and his people - not only broke it, but annulled it, and threw Israel out of covenant. Hence, when the sin was committed, no hesitation was felt in carrying out the law. (See Numbers 15:32-36.)

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Observe
וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ (ū·šə·mar·tem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

the Sabbath,
הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת (haš·šab·bāṯ)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 7676: Intermission, the Sabbath

for
כִּ֛י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

it
הִ֖וא (hî)
Pronoun - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

is holy
קֹ֥דֶשׁ (qō·ḏeš)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6944: A sacred place, thing, sanctity

to you.
לָכֶ֑ם (lā·ḵem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew

Everyone who profanes it
מְחַֽלְלֶ֙יהָ֙ (mə·ḥal·le·hā)
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2490: To bore, to wound, to dissolve, to profane, to break, to begin, to play

must surely
מ֣וֹת (mō·wṯ)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

be put to death.
יוּמָ֔ת (yū·māṯ)
Verb - Hofal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

Whoever
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

does
הָעֹשֶׂ֥ה (hā·‘ō·śeh)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

work
מְלָאכָ֔ה (mə·lā·ḵāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4399: Deputyship, ministry, employment, work, property

on [that day]
בָהּ֙ (ḇāh)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew

must be cut off
וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה (wə·niḵ·rə·ṯāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3772: To cut, to destroy, consume, to covenant

from
מִקֶּ֥רֶב (miq·qe·reḇ)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7130: The nearest part, the center

his people.
עַמֶּֽיהָ׃ (‘am·me·hā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock


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OT Law: Exodus 31:14 You shall keep the Sabbath therefore (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 31:13
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