One verse. Three ways to understand.
Haven't you read the law? It literally says that priests work in the temple on the Sabbath, technically 'breaking' it, but they're completely innocent because they're doing God's work.
Sometimes doing what God wants matters more than following the rules perfectly.
These are AI-assisted adaptations, not separate Bible editions. Compare them with the KJV source and read our methodology. How these readings are made →
Read the KJV source
King James Version · EnglishOr have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?Ask the AI Assistant
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📚 Historical Context
In the time of Jesus, the Jewish people observed the Sabbath as a sacred day of rest commanded in the Old Testament, prohibiting most forms of work to honor God. However, the priests in the temple were required to perform essential duties, such as offering sacrifices, even on the Sabbath, and the law explicitly declared them blameless because these acts were part of their divine service. This exception illustrated how God's laws could accommodate necessary religious functions without violating the Sabbath's intent.