When people search for “Sunday Sabbath Bible verse,” they are often looking for scriptural justification showing that the day of rest and worship—the Sabbath—has been changed from Saturday to Sunday in the Christian faith.
This is a vital question for anyone seeking to align their practice with the teachings of the Bible.
However, as we will explore in this article, there is no biblical support for transferring the holy Sabbath from the seventh day (Saturday) to the first day (Sunday).
Instead, the Bible consistently establishes the seventh day as the Sabbath, and neither Jesus nor the apostles ever changed it.
Let’s dive into the relevant Bible verses, the early church’s practices, and what the New Testament really says about the Sabbath and Sunday.
The Biblical Foundation: God Established the Seventh Day
The Sabbath—the seventh day of the week—was instituted by God Himself at creation:
Genesis 2:2-3 KJV And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
When God delivered the Ten Commandments at Sinai, He reiterated this special day:
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God:…
“ (Exodus 20:8-10, KJV)
Notice it says “the seventh day,” not the first. No Bible verse ever states that God, Jesus, or the apostles changed this holy appointment.
Sunday is known as the first day of the week in the Bible and Saturday the seventh! (Mark 16:1,9)
Jesus and the Apostles Kept the Sabbath
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus is often found keeping the Sabbath:
“And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. .”
(Luke 4:16, KJV)
Likewise, after Christ’s ascension, the apostles continued to observe the seventh-day Sabbath:
Acts 13:14, 42, 44 KJV But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.
And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.
And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
Acts 16:13 KJV And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side…
Acts 17:2 KJV And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
Examining the “Sunday Verses”: Do They Show a Changed Sabbath?
Let’s address the three main New Testament verses most cited in support of Sunday worship.
Acts 20:7 — “Breaking Bread on the First Day”
“And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. ”
(Acts 20:7, KJV)
Does this verse show the Sabbath was changed to Sunday, the first day?
No, it does not.
The verse describes a specific event—one “meeting” among the believers—not a new commandment establishing Sunday as the Sabbath.
The context reveals this was a farewell meeting for Paul. In fact, in Bible reckoning, “the first day” began at sundown on what we would call Saturday evening (see Genesis 1:5)—so this was actually a Saturday night meeting!
There is no instruction to honor Sunday as a new Sabbath here.
And the apostles were breaking bread everyday! (Acts 2:46)
This meeting was simply because Paul, their beloved teacher, was ready to depart the next day.
1 Corinthians 16:2 — “Collection on the First Day”
“Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.”
(1 Corinthians 16:2, KJV)
Does this verse command Sunday worship as the new Sabbath?
Not at all.
Paul is instructing believers to set aside offerings at home on the first day, not to gather for a worship service.
These were to be picked up by Paul on the way while travelling to Jerusalem to relieve the Church there.
There is no mention of congregational worship, rest, or sanctity given to Sunday in this passage. More about this is mentioned in Romans 15:25-26.
Revelation 1:10 — “The Lord’s Day”
“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day…”
(Revelation 1:10, KJV)
Does “the Lord’s Day” mean Sunday?
This is an assumption that does not rest on biblical evidence.
Nowhere does Scripture identify Sunday as “the Lord’s day.”
By contrast, Jesus said, “The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:28).
Thus, the Bible designates the seventh-day Sabbath as the Lord’s Day.
Early Christians and Jews both understood the phrase “the Lord’s Day” as referring to the Sabbath, not the first day of the week.
To make it even clearer Isaiah 58:13-14 tells us the Sabbath is the Lord’s Day, not Sunday.
The Early Church and the Origin of Sunday Observance
Since there are no Bible verses transferring the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday, how did Sunday become the main day of worship for Christians?
Historical change, not biblical authority:
For several centuries, most Christians—both Jewish and Gentile converts—kept the seventh-day Sabbath.
Pressure from anti-Jewish sentiment and Roman law led to a shift in some communities toward Sunday gathering as a celebration of Jesus’ resurrection.
This change took centuries to become official. It was not until the early 4th century, under the Roman Emperor Constantine, that Sunday was legally established as a day of rest for Christians (A.D. 321).
But this change was a man-made tradition, not a biblical command.
What About Sunday Worship Today?
Many sincere Christians observe Sunday in honor of Jesus’ resurrection and as a tradition inherited from many generations.
However, tradition cannot—must not—replace the direct instruction of God’s Word.
Jesus warned:
“But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
(Matthew 15:9, KJV)
Based on the Bible alone, the Sabbath remains on the seventh day—Saturday.
Conclusion: The Bible’s Clear Testimony
To answer the intent of anyone searching for “Sunday Sabbath Bible verses”:
There is no verse in the Bible that establishes Sunday as the Sabbath or commands its observance as a holy day.
Jesus never established Sunday worship in commemoration of His resurrection. He established baptism for that. (Romans 6:3-4)
From Genesis to Revelation, God’s Sabbath is the seventh day. Jesus and the apostles kept it.
The verses usually cited for Sunday simply describe gatherings or practical matters, not a new day of worship.
The Sabbath is God’s sign of creation and redemption—a memorial that He said would last “for ever.”
“The seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God…
For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.”
(Exodus 20:10–11)
In the end, it all comes down to the question of who do we obey? God’s commandments or man’s teachings?
What will you choose?
My Letter To A Sunday Keeper – Sabbath Documentary
The Days of Noah – Powerful Documentary (Video Format)
Bible Studies – Written Format
