The Sabbath (i.e. Shabbath), or day of weekly repose from secular avocations (also the observance or institution itself); by extension, a se'nnight, i.e. the interval between two Sabbaths; likewise the plural in all the above applications
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
Sabbaton means Sabbath, the seventh-day rest, and in some constructions can contribute to expressions for a week. Matthew 12 places the Sabbath inside disputes over hungry disciples, priestly service, mercy, healing, and Jesus' declaration that the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.
Reader summary
Full entry for σάββατον (G4521) · Open the biblical lexicon
Sabbaton means Sabbath, the seventh-day rest, and in some constructions can contribute to expressions for a week. Matthew 12 places the Sabbath inside disputes over hungry disciples, priestly service, mercy, healing, and Jesus' declaration that the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.
The BSB source-word alignment has 68 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include Sabbath (43), [the] Sabbath (8), week (6), a Sabbath (2), of [the] week (2).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 12:1. Its strongest book concentrations include Luke (20), John (13), Mark (12), Matthew (11).
Sabbaton means Sabbath, the seventh-day rest, and in some constructions can contribute to expressions for a week. Matthew 12 places the Sabbath inside disputes over hungry disciples, priestly service, mercy, healing, and Jesus' declaration that the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath. The day is a covenant gift ordered toward worship, rest, mercy, and life under God's rule, not a tool for neglecting need or displaying superiority.
Christians differ on how Israel's seventh-day command relates to the Lord's Day and new-covenant practice. Teaching should honor creation, exodus, Jesus' authority, and the church's apostolic pattern without pretending the lexical noun alone settles that theological debate or shaming workers whose circumstances limit rest.
Sabbaton names the Sabbath day. Matthew's controversy presents hunger, temple service, mercy, healing, and the authority of the Son of Man as essential for understanding its faithful purpose.
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.
Matthew 12:1 says Jesus' hungry disciples pluck grain as they pass through fields on the Sabbath. Bodily need introduces the dispute.
When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”
Matthew 12:2 records the Pharisees' charge that the disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath. Jesus answers through Scripture rather than rejecting God's law.
Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and yet are innocent?
Matthew 12:5 points to priests serving in the temple on the Sabbath without guilt, showing that covenant duties must be interpreted within the law's own patterns.
For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
Matthew 12:8 declares the Son of Man Lord of the Sabbath. Jesus possesses authority to reveal the day's true intent.
And a man with a withered hand was there. In order to accuse Jesus, they asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”
Matthew 12:10 asks whether healing is lawful on the Sabbath, and Jesus' action establishes doing good and restoring life as fitting the day.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Greek word. the Sabbath (i.e. Shabbath), or day of weekly repose from secular avocations (also the observance or institution itself); by extension, a se'nnight, i.e. the interval between two Sabbaths; likewise the plural in all the above applications
:--sabbath (day), week.
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 68 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
the Sabbath, a week
Read versethe Sabbath, a week
Read versethe Sabbath, a week
Read versethe Sabbath, a week
Read versethe Sabbath, a week
Read versethe Sabbath, a week
Read versethe Sabbath, a week
Read versethe Sabbath, a week
Read versethe Sabbath, a week
Read versethe Sabbath, a week
Read versethe Sabbath, a week
Read versethe Sabbath, a week
Read versethe Sabbath, a week
Read versethe Sabbath, a week
Read versethe Sabbath, a week
Read versethe Sabbath, a week
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 7 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 68 lexical occurrence verses.
A creation and covenant ordinance fulfilled under Christ’s lordship.
Covenant sign over which Jesus asserts authority.
Hebrew roots and equivalents that share conceptual or etymological ground with this Greek word.
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sabbaton reminds the church that time belongs to God and creatures are not machines. Matthew 12 does not stage mercy against a bad divine command; Jesus interprets Sabbath within Scripture, recalling hungry David, priestly service, God's desire for mercy, and His own authority as Son of Man. Healing is not an interruption of the day's purpose but an enactment of restorative good.
Christians reach different conclusions about seventh-day continuity and first-day gathering, so teachers should distinguish lexical observation from covenant synthesis. Whatever position is taught, churches should resist exploitative schedules, honor worship and embodied limits, make rest accessible to workers and caregivers, and refuse to use Sabbath convictions for self-righteousness or neglect of urgent need.
Matt.12.8
Sabbaton is a Greek borrowing from the Hebrew and Aramaic Sabbath term. It usually names the Sabbath day and can appear in idioms where the plural or counting expression refers to a week.
Genesis grounds seventh-day rest in God's completion, Exodus joins it to creation and covenant, and Deuteronomy joins it to liberation and rest for servants and animals.
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain