Luke 6:9
Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?
Then said Jesus unto them,.... The Scribes and Pharisees, who were watching him, and whose thoughts, and the reasonings of their minds, purposes, and intentions, he full well knew:
I will ask you one thing; or question, as they had asked him one before; Matthew 12:10
Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?
See Gill on "Mark 3:4" to which may be added, that to save life on the sabbath day was agreeable to their own canons: there were many things which they allowed might be done on the sabbath day, when life was in danger, which otherwise were not lawful; See Gill on "Matthew 12:8".