What Is The First Day of The Week According To The Bible

According to the Bible, the first day of the week is Sunday. The book of Acts, chapter 1, verse 12, explains that Jesus’ disciples met on “the first day of the week” to pray and celebrate together.

In addition to this passage, there are other references to Sundays being considered holy and special in scripture:

The Fourth Commandment states that we should keep a Sabbath rest from our work every seventh day, which would mean Saturday. However, Exodus 20:10 shows that it is not enough for us to simply rest one day out of seven; we must also observe “the seventh day” by keeping it holy as well! This means that we must observe both Saturday and Sunday as days of rest (Exodus 31:15–16).

The New Testament also mentions how Jesus rose from the dead on Sunday morning (Mark 16:9–11).

Where in the Bible Does ‍It Say Sunday Is the First Day of ‍the Week?

The concept of a “first day Sabbath” is an important one in the Christian faith, as highlighted in various passages in the Bible. Throughout scripture, we see evidence of the significance of observing the first day of the week as a day of rest and worship. Let’s explore some key verses that shed light on this topic:

1. Matthew 28:1

In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. [2] And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

2. Mark 16:1-2

“When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb.”

3. Luke 24:1

“On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.”

4. John 20:1

“Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.”

5. Acts 20:7

“On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight.”

6. 1 Corinthians 16:2

“On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.”

These verses clearly demonstrate the biblical precedent for observing the first day of the week as a special day for worship and gathering as believers. The early Christians recognized the significance of this day, not only as a memorial of Christ’s resurrection but also as a time for fellowship and giving.

What Is The⁢ First Day of The Week According To The Bible

According to the Bible, Sunday is considered the first day of ‍the week. The concept of a seven-day week ⁤can be traced back to the creation account ⁣in Genesis. In Genesis 1,‍ it is stated that God created the world in six days and rested on the‍ seventh day, which became known⁤ as the Sabbath. This establishes the seven-day ‍week cycle, ‍with Sunday being the first day⁣ after the‌ day of rest. The New Testament⁢ also ⁢references Sunday as the first day of⁣ the week.‌ In the book of Matthew, it is mentioned that after the crucifixion of Jesus, He ⁢rose from the dead on the first day of the ‍week,‍ which‌ is Sunday (Matthew 28:1). This further solidifies the belief that Sunday holds significance as the first day of the week in the Bible.

Worship on ‍the First Day of the Week in the Bible

Worshiping ⁤on⁣ the first day of the week holds great importance in the Christian faith. Early⁢ Christian communities started gathering together on the first day of the ⁤week to honor the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The book of Acts provides evidence of this practice, stating that the disciples met on the first day ⁢of the week to ⁣break bread ⁣and preach the teachings of Jesus (Acts 20:7). Furthermore, the apostle⁢ Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians‌ 16:2, “On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store⁢ it up, as he may prosper.” ⁣This passage encourages believers to set aside offerings on the first day of the week, indicating that worship gatherings were taking place on this day.

Who Changed the Sabbath Day to Sunday?

The shift from observing the ⁣Sabbath day to worshiping on Sunday can be attributed⁢ to the early Christian communities. After the ‍resurrection of Jesus‌ Christ, the disciples and followers of Jesus ‌gradually transitioned from observing the Jewish Sabbath (Saturday) to gathering together on the first day of the week (Sunday) to commemorate His⁢ victory over death. This change was influenced by the significance of Jesus’ resurrection, which ⁤occurred‍ on a Sunday.⁣ As Christianity spread and separated from its Jewish‍ roots, the first day of the week became recognized as the Lord’s Day, symbolizing the new covenant and the risen Lord. The early Church Fathers played a role in solidifying‍ this shift, as they emphasized the importance of the resurrection and celebrated it⁣ on Sunday. As a result, Sunday gradually ⁣became the designated⁣ day of worship for Christians, replacing the traditional Jewish observance of the Sabbath.

Sabbath⁢ vs First Day of the Week

Did the Apostles Worship ⁣on⁣ the First Day of the Week?

Yes, there is evidence in the Bible to suggest⁤ that the apostles worshiped on the first day of the week. In Acts 20:7,⁢ it is stated that “on the first day of the week, when we were‍ gathered together to break‍ bread, Paul talked with⁤ them, intending to‌ depart‍ on the next day.” This verse indicates that the apostles, including Paul, held gatherings on the first day of the week for worship and⁢ fellowship. The apostle John⁤ also mentions being “in ‌the Spirit on the Lord’s day,” which is believed to refer to Sunday, the first day of the week‍ (Revelation 1:10). This further supports the idea that the apostles recognized and observed Sunday as a special day for worship‌ and reflection.

Is Sunday ‍the ⁣First Day of the Week?

Yes, Sunday is widely considered the first day of ‍the week both in ‌the Bible and⁤ in modern‍ calendars. The‍ belief ⁤in Sunday being the first day of the week is deeply rooted ⁢in⁤ Christian ‌tradition and scripture. As mentioned earlier, the resurrection of Jesus ‍on a ‍Sunday solidified its significance ‍as the first day of the week. In various languages and cultures, the names of the days of the week ⁢are derived ‌from the Latin and Greek words for the Sun, further reinforcing the idea that Sunday holds the position of the first day. This understanding is prevalent across different Christian denominations and remains consistent around the world.

When Is the Sabbath Day According to‌ the Bible?

According ⁤to the Bible, the Sabbath day falls on the seventh day⁣ of⁢ the week, which‌ is Saturday. In the Old Testament, specifically in the book of Exodus, God commanded the Israelites to observe the Sabbath as a day of rest and worship. Exodus 20:8-11 states, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it ‍holy. Six days you shall labor, and ‍do‌ all your work, but the seventh day is ‌a ‍Sabbath to the Lord your God.” This commandment served ⁣as a sign of the covenant between God and His people, and it was‌ meant to provide a dedicated day for⁣ rest, reflection, and worship. The‍ observance of ⁤the Sabbath continued as a prominent tradition in Judaism, and it is still followed by many Jewish communities ⁣today. However, with the advent of Christianity, the focus shifted from the traditional Sabbath observance ⁤to the worship of Jesus Christ on the first day of the week.

Which is the First Day of the Week:
Sunday or Monday?

Christians and Jews both traditionally regarded Sunday as the first day of the week. Following Jewish tradition, the Bible is quite explicit that God rested on the seventh day of Creation, which formed the basis for the Sabbath, the day of rest.

Even when Constantine made Sunday the Christian day of rest, thus giving it the traditional functions of the Jewish Sabbath, there was no question that Sunday remained the first day of the week. The week introduced by Constantine treated Sunday as Kyriaki ‘of the Lord’, followed by numbered days from Monday to Thursday (‘second’ to ‘fifth’) and specific names for Friday and Saturday. Saturday was Savvato, the Sabbath.

(As to whether Constantine was swayed by his previous worship of the Sun God or whether he simply ratified a practice that already existed among practicing Christians, this is a point of heated debate among certain modern Christians. However, it does appear that Constantine’s motivation was a spirit of compromise rather than doctrinal purity. A lot of information about this can be found on the Web).

Notwithstanding Constantine, the custom of treating Monday as the first day of the week may have appeared quite early. Michael Falk explains this as follows:

We may note that in early Christian coinages Saturday is denoted as day seven, following the Bible. In later coinages, however, it is denoted as day six. This change appears to have been brought about by a natural tendency to consider the celebrated special day of the weekly cycle as ending the cycle rather than beginning it. So, after about the tenth century for most Christians Sunday replaced Saturday as day seven. An analogous change occurred in the Islamic world where Friday began as day six but later became counted as day seven.

Thus, when saints Cyril and Methodius brought Christianity to the Slavs, they took with them the Greek tradition of numbering the days but numbered them from Monday instead of Sunday.

As a result, Slavic languages now treat Monday as the first day, Tuesday as the second, etc. Saturday and Sunday are the only days that are named rather than numbered. Saturday is the Sabbath and Sunday in Russian is the word for “Resurrection”. (The foregoing information on Greek and Slavic naming is due to John Wilson’s personal communication.).

In Hungarian, which is a non-Slavic language in a Roman Catholic country, Tuesday appears to come from the word for ‘two’ (but see note below). Lithuanian and Latvian, neither of which is Slavic, also name the days with numerals, with Monday coming first.

www.friesian.com takes a different view of the change to Monday as the first day of the week:

The convention, becoming more common, to start calendar weeks on Monday, is a result of the Western European names, especially the German ones, which do not call Saturday the Sabbath — or do not do so anymore in a recognizable way. Since Christians, especially Protestants, think of Sunday as the “Sabbath,” the tendency is to number it as the 7th, rather than as the 1st, day. Familiarity with Greek or Arabic, or several Romance languages, however, would inform one that Saturday remained the Sabbath, as in Hebrew, even for Christians and Muslims.

In more modern times, industrial society has done much to destroy the traditional concept of Sunday as the first day. According to Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary (1983), the term ‘weekend’, first recorded in 1878, refers to ‘the period between the close of one working, business or school week and the beginning of the next’. This concept firmly places Sunday at the end of the week.

Possibly because of this, the International Standards Organization has decided that Monday should be regarded as the first day of the week. Calendars in many European countries, in particular, now follow the ISO decision by starting the week on Monday. Airline timetables also number the days from Monday as 1, Tuesday as 2, Wednesday as 3, etc.

Information on the web is rather fragmentary, but references can be found at On the Name of the Weekly Day of Rest by Michael Falk, Is Sunday or Monday the first day of the week?, the Catholic Encyclopedia (Sunday, the Sabbath, and Liturgical Week), the Days of the Week page, Claus Tøndering’s Calendar FAQ, International Units: The Week, and Wikipedia.

Re Hungarian: The following note was received from Gyorgy Kereszti:

In the Hungarian language, the name of Tuesday does not really come from the number two. Tuesday = kedd and two is either két or kettö. The name of Tuesday starts with “k”, but there is no definite relation between the name and the number two.

However, Monday literally means “the head (or start) of the week”. Monday = hétfö, where hét = week and fö = head (or beginning of something). Therefore, Monday in Hungarian is the first day of the week.

Sunday, in Hungarian, means the market-day: Sunday = vasárnap, where vásár = market and nap = day (the first vowel is modified). Market-day is generally considered to be the last day of the week.

All other days have widely different names (as opposed to languages with a prefix followed by “day”, like Monday or Montag (German)) and none includes any resemblance to numbers or sequencing.