What Does Matthew 12:10 Mean in the King James?
And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The question asks whether healing is permitted, but its stated purpose reveals that accusation, not the man’s hand, is what the questioners are attending to.
THE MEANING
The man’s hand is dry and impaired, and his need stands plainly before everyone. The question makes permission the focus, but its own purpose clause names accusation as the goal. The verse exposes a collision between care for a person and the use of a rule to indict.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
A question framed around what is lawful is not automatically neutral; the motive attached to it can turn discernment into accusation.
THE ROOT
θεραπεύειν
therapeuein
GROWS FROM
θεραπευ-
Attend to, serve, care for
The verb translated “heal” belongs to a word family that also carries the sense of attending to someone and serving them. Here the act at stake is care directed toward a real body, while the questioners’ stated attention is directed toward accusation.
ALSO GROWS
therapeuō: Attend to, serve; heal
θεραπεύω
This is the verb’s basic form and keeps the sense of care alongside healing.
therapeia: Attendance, care, healing
θεραπεία
The related noun holds care and healing within the same word family.
therapeutēs: Attendant, caregiver, healer
θεραπευτής
The word for one who attends to or cares for another makes the verb’s service-bearing sense visible.
ξηράν
xēran
GROWS FROM
ξηρ-
Dry
“withered” in this verse is xēran. The hand is described with a word meaning dry, giving the condition a concrete, bodily image. The healing being discussed meets that impaired, dried condition with care.
ALSO GROWS
xēros: Dry
ξηρός
This adjective shares the same word family and makes the literal image clear.
xērainō: Dry up, become dry
ξηραίνω
This related verb shows the movement into the condition described of the hand.
κατηγορήσωσιν
katēgorēsōsin
GROWS FROM
κατηγορε-
Bring a charge, accuse
The purpose clause says the question is asked in order to accuse him. The word family names both the act of bringing a charge and the accuser, so the stated motive sharpens the contrast between attending to a person and preparing an indictment.
ALSO GROWS
katēgoria: Accusation, charge
κατηγορία
This noun names the charge produced by the accusing act.
katēgoros: Accuser
κατήγορος
This related word names the person who brings the charge.
THE PATTERN
A practice that claims to honor God is measured by whether it serves mercy and life or turns judgment against the vulnerable.
For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.THE THREAD
And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.Luke uses the same verb θεραπεύω (therapeuō, attend to or heal) for “heal,” alongside the same accusation-shaped purpose. Read beside Matthew, the care being questioned and the intent to bring a charge stand in the same sharp contrast.
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