In Luke 13:12-13, Jesus is teaching in a synagogue on the Sabbath. He sees a woman who has been bent over for eighteen years. He calls her forward, tells her she is set free, and lays his hands on her. She stands up straight at once and praises God. He did it on the rest day, in public.
It was the Sabbath, the rest day. Jesus was teaching in a synagogue, the meeting house where people gathered to pray and hear the old books read. The Gospel of Luke tells this in chapter 13.
A woman was there who had been bent over for eighteen years. She could not stand up straight at all. For eighteen years she had looked at the ground. She saw people's feet, not their faces.
She did not ask Jesus for anything. He saw her.
And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
Luke 13:12-13 · King James Version
He did not wait
Loosed means set free. Infirmity means sickness or weakness. Jesus called her to the front, in the middle of everyone, and healed her right there.
It was the one day of the week when the rules said not to do this kind of work. He knew that. He did it anyway, out loud, in front of the whole room.
She stood up
For the first time in eighteen years, she stood straight and looked people in the face. And the first thing she did was thank God.
What came next
The leader of that synagogue was angry. He did not speak to Jesus. He turned to the people and told them there were six days to come and be healed, but not on the Sabbath. Jesus called him a hypocrite to his face.
What it means
Jesus would not make her wait one more day. To him, a woman in pain mattered more than a rule about a day. If you have been waiting a long time, bent under something heavy, he sees you.
You can read the full teaching on the ox and the woman free in the Mercy app.
Read the whole chapter: Luke 13
1There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilæans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
2And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilæans were sinners above all the Galilæans, because they suffered such things?
3I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
4Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
5I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
6¶ He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
7Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?
8And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
9And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
10And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.
11¶ And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.
12And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
13And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
14And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.
15The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?
16And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
17And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
18¶ Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it?
19It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.
20And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God?
21It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
22And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.
23Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
24¶ Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
25When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
26Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
27But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
28There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
29And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
30And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.
31¶ The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.
32And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.
33Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.
34O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!
35Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
King James Version