安息日的主

有一个安息日,耶稣和门徒走过一片麦田,门徒随手摘下一些麦穗搓了吃。 有些法利赛人说:“你们为什么做在安息日不准做的事?”

耶稣答道:“你们没有读过大卫的事吗?有一天,大卫和他的部下饿了, 他进入上帝的殿,拿了献给上帝的供饼。这饼只有祭司才可以吃,大卫不但自己吃了,还分给他的部下吃。” 耶稣又对他们说:“人子是安息日的主。”

又有一个安息日,耶稣进入会堂教导人,座中有一个右手萎缩的人。 律法教师和法利赛人密切地监视耶稣,看祂会不会在安息日医治病人,好找个借口控告祂。 耶稣知道他们的心思,就对那个右手萎缩的人说:“起来,站在大家面前!”那人就起来站在那里。

耶稣问众人:“我问你们,在安息日应该行善呢,还是作恶呢?救人呢,还是害人呢?” 10 祂环视众人,然后对那人说:“把手伸出来!”那人的手一伸就复原了。

11 但法利赛人和律法教师却怒火中烧,开始商议对付耶稣的办法。

拣选十二使徒

12 一天,耶稣到山上整夜向上帝祷告。 13 天明时分,祂召集门徒,从中选出十二人立为使徒。 14 他们是:西门——耶稣给他取名叫彼得、西门的兄弟安得烈、雅各、约翰、腓力、巴多罗买、 15 马太、多马、亚勒腓的儿子雅各、激进党人[a]西门、 16 雅各的儿子犹大和出卖耶稣的加略人犹大。

17 耶稣和他们下了山,站在一处平地上,身边有一大群门徒,还有大批从犹太、耶路撒冷以及泰尔和西顿沿海地区来的人,要听祂讲道,盼望祂医治他们的疾病。 18 那些被污鬼缠身的人也得到了祂的医治。 19 大家都想去摸祂,因为有能力从祂身上发出来,可以治好人们的疾病。

论四福

20 耶稣抬头望着门徒,对他们说:

“贫穷的人有福了,
因为上帝的国属于你们!
21 现在饥饿的人有福了,
因为你们将得饱足!
现在哀哭的人有福了,
因为你们将要欢笑!

22 你们为人子的缘故而遭人憎恨、弃绝、侮辱、毁谤,就有福了! 23 那时你们要欢喜雀跃,因为你们在天上有大赏赐!他们的祖先也曾这样恶待以前的先知。

论四祸

24 “富有的人有祸了,
因为你们已经享尽了人世间的安逸!
25 现在饱足的人有祸了,
因为你们将要挨饿!
现在欢笑的人有祸了,
因为你们将要哀哭!
26 人人都夸赞你们的时候,
你们就有祸了,
因为他们的祖先也是这样夸赞假先知!

论爱仇敌

27 “但是,我告诉你们这些听道的人,要爱你们的仇敌,要善待恨你们的人, 28 要为咒诅你们的人祝福,要替恶待你们的人祷告。 29 如果有人打你一边的脸,连另一边也转过来让他打。如果有人夺你的外衣,连内衣也由他拿去。 30 有人向你求什么,就给他;有人拿了你的东西,不要追讨。 31 你们想要别人怎样对待你们,你们就要怎样对待别人。 32 如果你们只爱那些爱你们的人,有什么功劳呢?就是罪人也会这样做。 33 如果你们只善待那些善待你们的人,有什么功劳呢?就是罪人也会这样做。 34 如果你们借钱给人,指望收回,有什么功劳呢?即使罪人也会借贷给罪人,日后再如数收回。

35 “然而,要爱你们的仇敌,善待他们;无论借出什么,都不要指望归还。这样,你们将有大赏赐,并且将成为至高者的儿子,因为祂以恩慈待那些忘恩负义和作恶的人。 36 你们要怜悯人,像你们的天父怜悯人一样。

责人先责己

37 “不要论断人,免得你们被人论断;不要定人的罪,免得自己也被定罪。要饶恕人,这样你们也必蒙饶恕。 38 你们要给他人,这样上帝必给你们,并且会用大号升斗摇匀压实,满满地倒给你们,因为你们用什么样的量器量给别人,上帝也会用什么样的量器量给你们。”

39 耶稣又给他们讲了个比喻,说:“瞎子岂能给瞎子带路?二人岂不是要双双掉进坑里吗? 40 学生不会高过老师,学成之后不过像老师一样。 41 为什么你只看见你弟兄眼中的小刺,却看不见自己眼中的大梁呢? 42 你既看不见自己眼中的大梁,又怎能对弟兄说‘让我除去你眼中的小刺’呢?你这伪君子啊!要先除掉自己眼中的大梁,才能看得清楚,以便清除弟兄眼中的小刺。

树和果子

43 “好树不结坏果子,坏树也结不出好果子。 44 树的好坏从果子就可以分辨出来。人不会从荆棘中采集无花果,也不会在蒺藜上摘取葡萄。 45 善人心存良善,就从他里面发出良善;恶人心存邪恶,就从他里面发出邪恶。因为心里充满的,口里自然会说出来。

两种盖房子的人

46 “你们为什么‘主啊,主啊’地称呼我,却不遵行我的话呢? 47 我要告诉你们那到我这里来,听了我的话又去遵行的人是什么样。 48 他好比一个人盖房子,把地挖深,根基立在磐石上。当河流泛滥,洪水冲击房子时,房子却屹立不摇,因为它的根基稳固。 49 但听了我的话却不遵行的人,好比一个人没有打根基,便将房子盖在地面上,洪水一冲,房子立刻倒塌,完全毁坏了。”

Footnotes

  1. 6:15 当时激进的民族主义者,常以行动反抗统治他们的罗马政府。

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

(A)On a Sabbath,[a] while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples (B)plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. But some of the Pharisees said, (C)“Why are you doing (D)what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” And Jesus answered them, (E)“Have you not read (F)what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and took and ate (G)the bread of the Presence, (H)which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?” And he said to them, (I)“The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

A Man with a Withered Hand

On another Sabbath, (J)he entered the synagogue (K)and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and the Pharisees (L)watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, (M)so that they might find a reason to accuse him. But (N)he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there. And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, (O)is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” 10 And (P)after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And (Q)he did so, and his hand was restored. 11 But they were filled with (R)fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.

The Twelve Apostles

12 In these days (S)he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. 13 And when day came, (T)he called his disciples (U)and (V)chose from them twelve, whom he named (W)apostles: 14 Simon, (X)whom he named Peter, and (Y)Andrew his brother, and (Z)James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, 15 and (AA)Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called (AB)the Zealot, 16 and (AC)Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Jesus Ministers to a Great Multitude

17 And (AD)he came down with them and stood on a level place, with (AE)a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of (AF)Tyre and Sidon, 18 who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. (AG)And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. 19 And all the crowd (AH)sought to touch him, for (AI)power came out from him and healed them all.

The Beatitudes

20 And (AJ)he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, (AK)and said:

“Blessed are you who are poor, for (AL)yours is the kingdom of God.

21 (AM)“Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.

(AN)“Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

22 “Blessed are you when (AO)people hate you and when they (AP)exclude you and revile you and (AQ)spurn your name as evil, (AR)on account of the Son of Man! 23 (AS)Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for (AT)so their fathers did to the prophets.

Jesus Pronounces Woes

24 (AU)“But woe to you who are rich, (AV)for you (AW)have received your consolation.

25 “Woe to you who are full now, for (AX)you shall be hungry.

“Woe to (AY)you who laugh now, (AZ)for you shall mourn and weep.

26 “Woe to you, (BA)when all people speak well of you, for (BB)so their fathers did to (BC)the false prophets.

Love Your Enemies

27 “But I say to you who hear, (BD)Love your enemies, (BE)do good to those who hate you, 28 (BF)bless those who curse you, (BG)pray for those who abuse you. 29 (BH)To one who (BI)strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic[b] either. 30 (BJ)Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And (BK)as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

32 (BL)“If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And (BM)if you (BN)lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But (BO)love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and (BP)you will be sons of (BQ)the Most High, for (BR)he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 (BS)Be merciful, even as (BT)your Father is merciful.

Judging Others

37 (BU)(BV)“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; (BW)forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 (BX)give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put (BY)into your lap. For (BZ)with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

39 He also told them a parable: (CA)“Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 (CB)A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is (CC)fully trained will be like his teacher. 41 (CD)Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but (CE)do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit

43 “For (CF)no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, 44 for (CG)each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 (CH)The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces (CI)evil, (CJ)for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Build Your House on the Rock

46 (CK)“Why (CL)do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? 47 (CM)Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.[c] 49 (CN)But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and (CO)the ruin of that house was great.”

Footnotes

  1. Luke 6:1 Some manuscripts On the second first Sabbath (that is, on the second Sabbath after the first)
  2. Luke 6:29 Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin
  3. Luke 6:48 Some manuscripts founded upon the rock

1-2 One Sabbath Day,[a] some Pharisees confronted Jesus again. This time, they saw the disciples picking some grain as they walked through the fields. The disciples would dehusk the grain by rubbing the kernels in their hands, and then they would eat it raw.

Jesus certainly has His detractors. They watch Him closely and voice their opposition to His words and actions. Sometimes they even try to stump Him with questions or publicly humiliate Him. But Jesus refuses to be intimidated. For every charge they level, He has an answer. To the charge of blasphemy, He responds, “I have the authority to forgive sins.” To the charge that He befriends sinners and parties too much, He answers, “These are My people; I’ve come for them.” To the accusation that He breaks Sabbath law, He quips, “The Sabbath is a great servant, but it’s not your master. I am Lord of the Sabbath.” The crowds are amazed at the tense give-and-take between Jesus and His opponents. They seem to respect the Pharisees for their strict observance of God’s law, or perhaps they fear them because they don’t want to become targets of Pharisaic criticism. Yet the people are attracted to Jesus because of the peculiar moral authority He exhibits. As time goes on, Jesus crosses more and more lines drawn in the sand. The tension between Jesus and the Pharisees now becomes a major plotline of Luke’s story.

Pharisees: Don’t You know the sacred law says You can’t harvest and mill grain on the Sabbath Day—the day on which all work is forbidden? Why do You think You can ignore the sacred law?

The Pharisees think they have God all figured out. They claim to be experts in the sacred writings—the Hebrew Scriptures. But Jesus doesn’t fit in with their assumptions and expectations, and He doesn’t submit to their presumed expertise. So they are constantly criticizing Him and trying to trap Him in some obvious wrongdoing or unorthodoxy. But Jesus responds with questions instead of answers. He seems to decide that the best way to help them is by challenging them to think, to question their assumptions, to see things from a higher or deeper perspective. For example, they argue about what is permissible on the Sabbath Day (the seventh day, the day of rest); this is how Jesus gets them thinking about the deeper purpose of the Sabbath Day.

Jesus: Speaking of the sacred law, haven’t you ever read about the time when David and his companions were hungry? Don’t you remember how he went into the house of God and took the sacred bread of the presence—which, you may recall, only the priests were lawfully permitted to eat? Remember that he not only ate it, but he also gave it to his companions?[b] Likewise, the Son of Man has authority over the Sabbath.

On another Sabbath, Jesus entered the synagogue and taught there. In the congregation was a man who had a deformed right hand. The religious scholars and Pharisees watched Jesus; they suspected that He might try to perform a healing on that day, which they would use as evidence to convict Him of Sabbath-breaking.

Jesus knew about their plan, and He told the man with the deformed hand to come and stand in front of everyone. The man did so. Then Jesus spoke directly to the religious scholars and Pharisees.

Jesus: Here’s a question for you: On the Sabbath Day, is it lawful to do good or to do harm? Is it lawful to save life or to destroy it?

10 He turned His gaze to each of them, one at a time. Then He spoke to the man.

Jesus: Stretch your hand out.

As the man did, his deformed hand was made normal again. 11 This made the Pharisees and religious scholars furious. They began discussing together what they would do to Jesus.

12 Around this time, Jesus went outside the city to a nearby mountain, along with a large crowd of His disciples. He prayed through the night to God. 13 The next morning, He chose 12 of them and gave each a new title of “emissary.”

They are no longer simply disciples, which means “learners”; now they are also apostles, which means “emissaries.”

14 They included Simon (Jesus called him Peter) and Andrew (Simon’s brother); James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; 15 Matthew and Thomas; James (son of Alphaeus) and Simon (known as the Zealot); 16 Judas (son of James) and the other Judas (Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed Jesus).

17 The whole crowd of disciples (including the 12 now designated as His emissaries) came down together, and they stood on a level area nearby. They were joined by an even greater crowd of people who had come from across the whole region—from all of Judea, from Jerusalem, from the coastal areas of Tyre and Sidon. 18 These people came to hear Jesus teach and to be healed by Jesus of their diseases. Those who were troubled by demonic spirits were liberated.

19 Everyone wanted to touch Jesus because when they did, power emanated from Him and they were healed. 20 He looked across the faces of His disciples.

Jesus: All you who are poor, you are blessed
        for the kingdom of God belongs to you.
21     All you who are hungry now, you are blessed
        for your hunger will be satisfied.
    All you who weep now, you are blessed
        for you shall laugh!
22     When people hate you,
        when they exclude you
        and insult you
        and write you off as evil
        on account of the Son of Man, you are blessed.
23     When these things happen, rejoice! Jump for joy!
        Then you have a great reward in heaven
        For at that moment, you are experiencing what the ancient prophets did when they were similarly treated by the ancestors of your detractors.
24     All you who are rich now, you are in danger
        for you have received your comfort in full.
25     All you who are full now, you are in danger
        for you shall be hungry.
    All you who laugh now, you are in danger
        for you shall grieve and cry.
26     And when everyone speaks well of you, you are in danger
        for their ancestors spoke well of the false prophets too.

Here is Luke’s most concentrated summary of Jesus’ teachings for His followers. Here He describes what life in the kingdom of God looks like.

27 If you’re listening, here’s My message: Keep loving your enemies no matter what they do. Keep doing good to those who hate you. 28 Keep speaking blessings on those who curse you. Keep praying for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone strikes you on one cheek, offer the other cheek too. If someone steals your coat, offer him your shirt too. 30 If someone begs from you, give to him. If someone robs you of your valuables, don’t demand them back. 31 Think of the kindness you wish others would show you; do the same for them.

32 Listen, what’s the big deal if you love people who already love you? Even scoundrels do that much! 33 So what if you do good to those who do good to you? Even scoundrels do that much! 34 So what if you lend to people who are likely to repay you? Even scoundrels lend to scoundrels if they think they’ll be fully repaid.

35 If you want to be extraordinary—love your enemies! Do good without restraint! Lend with abandon! Don’t expect anything in return! Then you’ll receive the truly great reward—you will be children of the Most High—for God is kind to the ungrateful and those who are wicked. 36 So imitate God and be truly compassionate, the way your Father is.

37 If you don’t want to be judged, don’t judge. If you don’t want to be condemned, don’t condemn. If you want to be forgiven, forgive. 38 Don’t hold back—give freely, and you’ll have plenty poured back into your lap—a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, brimming over. You’ll receive in the same measure you give.

39 Jesus told them this parable:

Jesus: What happens if a blind man leads a blind man? Won’t both of them fall into a pit? 40 You can’t turn out better than your teacher; when you’re fully taught, you will resemble your teacher.

41 Speaking of blindness: Why do you focus on the speck in your brother’s eye? Why don’t you see the log in your own? 42 How can you say to your brother, “Oh, brother, let me help you take that little speck out of your eye,” when you don’t even see the big log in your own eye? What a hypocrite! First, take the log out of your own eye. Then you’ll be able to see clearly enough to help your brother with the speck in his eye.

43 Count on this: no good tree bears bad fruit, and no bad tree bears good fruit. 44 You can know a tree by the fruit it bears. You don’t find figs on a thorn bush, and you can’t pick grapes from a briar bush. 45 It’s the same with people. A person full of goodness in his heart produces good things; a person with an evil reservoir in his heart pours out evil things. The heart overflows in the words a person speaks; your words reveal what’s within your heart.

46 What good is it to mouth the words, “Lord! Lord!” if you don’t live by My teachings? 47 What matters is that you come to Me, hear My words, and actually live by them. 48 If you do that, you’ll be like the man who wanted to build a sturdy house. He dug down deep and anchored his foundation to solid rock. During a violent storm, the floodwaters slammed against the house, but they couldn’t shake it because of solid craftsmanship. [It was built upon rock.][c]

49 On the other hand, if you hear My teachings but don’t put them into practice, you’ll be like the careless builder who didn’t bother to build a foundation under his house. The floodwaters barely touched that pathetic house, and it crashed in ruins in the mud.

Footnotes

  1. 6:1 Other manuscripts read “On the second Sabbath after the first.”
  2. 6:4 1 Samuel 21:2–6
  3. 6:48 The earliest manuscripts omit this portion.

The Question about the Sabbath

On a sabbath,[a] while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some ears of grain, rubbing them in their hands. But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the sabbath?” And Jesus answered, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?” And he said to them, “The Son of man is lord of the sabbath.”

The Man with a Withered Hand

On another sabbath, when he entered the synagogue and taught, a man was there whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him. But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there. And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” 10 And he looked around on them all, and said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored. 11 But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.

Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles

12 In these days he went out into the hills to pray; and all night he continued in prayer to God. 13 And when it was day, he called his disciples, and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles; 14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, 15 and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Jesus Teaches and Heals

17 And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; 18 and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. 19 And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came forth from him and healed them all.

Blessings and Woes

20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:[b]

“Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

21 “Blessed are you that hunger now, for you shall be satisfied.

“Blessed are you that weep now, for you shall laugh.

22 “Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, on account of the Son of man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.

24 “But woe to you that are rich, for you have received your consolation.

25 “Woe to you that are full now, for you shall hunger.

“Woe to you that laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.

26 “Woe to you, when all men speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.

Love for Enemies

27 “But I say to you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from him who takes away your cloak do not withhold your coat as well. 30 Give to every one who begs from you; and of him who takes away your goods do not ask them again. 31 And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them.

32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return;[c] and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Judging Others

37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

39 He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but every one when he is fully taught will be like his teacher. 41 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 42 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit

43 “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; 44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 The good man out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure produces evil; for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

The Two Foundations

46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? 47 Every one who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep, and laid the foundation upon rock; and when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it had been well built.[d] 49 But he who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation; against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”

Footnotes

  1. Luke 6:1 Other ancient authorities read On the second first sabbath (on the second sabbath after the first)
  2. 6.20-49 Luke’s discourse is shorter than that of Matthew because it does not contain Matthew’s additional material collected from other occasions, or his details that would interest only Jews.
  3. Luke 6:35 Other ancient authorities read despairing of no man
  4. Luke 6:48 Other ancient authorities read founded upon the rock

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath(A)

One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels.(B) Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”(C)

Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?(D) He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat.(E) And he also gave some to his companions.” Then Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man(F) is Lord of the Sabbath.”

On another Sabbath(G) he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely(H) to see if he would heal on the Sabbath.(I) But Jesus knew what they were thinking(J) and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there.

Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”

10 He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. 11 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were furious(K) and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.

The Twelve Apostles(L)

12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.(M) 13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:(N) 14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew,(O) Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Blessings and Woes(P)

17 He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon,(Q) 18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, 19 and the people all tried to touch him,(R) because power was coming from him and healing them all.(S)

20 Looking at his disciples, he said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,
    for yours is the kingdom of God.(T)
21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
    for you will be satisfied.(U)
Blessed are you who weep now,
    for you will laugh.(V)
22 Blessed are you when people hate you,
    when they exclude you(W) and insult you(X)
    and reject your name as evil,
        because of the Son of Man.(Y)

23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy,(Z) because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.(AA)

24 “But woe to you who are rich,(AB)
    for you have already received your comfort.(AC)
25 Woe to you who are well fed now,
    for you will go hungry.(AD)
Woe to you who laugh now,
    for you will mourn and weep.(AE)
26 Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,
    for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.(AF)

Love for Enemies(AG)

27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,(AH) 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.(AI) 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.(AJ) 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.(AK)

32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?(AL) Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you?(AM) Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them,(AN) and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children(AO) of the Most High,(AP) because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful,(AQ) just as your Father(AR) is merciful.

Judging Others(AS)

37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.(AT) Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.(AU) 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.(AV) For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”(AW)

39 He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?(AX) 40 The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.(AY)

41 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit(AZ)

43 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit.(BA) People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.(BB)

The Wise and Foolish Builders(BC)

46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’(BD) and do not do what I say?(BE) 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice,(BF) I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”