Misinterpretations often include applying the death penalty literally to contemporary believers, overlooking the Old Covenant's ceremonial context fulfilled in Christ's Sabbath rest; treating it as a blanket ban on all rest-day activities including necessary mercy works, contrary to Jesus' teachings; or promoting rigid legalism that burdens consciences rather than conveying God's gracious provision and the Sabbath's spiritual purpose.
Exodus 31:14
King James Version (1769)
14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
This passage emphasizes the profound holiness of the Sabbath as a sacred covenant sign for Israel, commanding strict observance with no work permitted, under penalty of death or being cut off from the community, to instill reverence for God's authority, commemorate creation and redemption, and promote communal rest and worship as an eternal statute.