Luke 6
New Living Translation
A Discussion about the Sabbath
6 One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples broke off heads of grain, rubbed off the husks in their hands, and ate the grain. 2 But some Pharisees said, “Why are you breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?”
3 Jesus replied, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He went into the house of God and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests can eat. He also gave some to his companions.” 5 And Jesus added, “The Son of Man[a] is Lord, even over the Sabbath.”
Jesus Heals on the Sabbath
6 On another Sabbath day, a man with a deformed right hand was in the synagogue while Jesus was teaching. 7 The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath.
8 But Jesus knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” So the man came forward. 9 Then Jesus said to his critics, “I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?”
10 He looked around at them one by one and then said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! 11 At this, the enemies of Jesus were wild with rage and began to discuss what to do with him.
Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles
12 One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. 13 At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. Here are their names:
14 Simon (whom he named Peter),
Andrew (Peter’s brother),
James,
John,
Philip,
Bartholomew,
15 Matthew,
Thomas,
James (son of Alphaeus),
Simon (who was called the zealot),
16 Judas (son of James),
Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).
Crowds Follow Jesus
17 When they came down from the mountain, the disciples stood with Jesus on a large, level area, surrounded by many of his followers and by the crowds. There were people from all over Judea and from Jerusalem and from as far north as the seacoasts of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those troubled by evil[b] spirits were healed. 19 Everyone tried to touch him, because healing power went out from him, and he healed everyone.
The Beatitudes
20 Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said,
“God blesses you who are poor,
for the Kingdom of God is yours.
21 God blesses you who are hungry now,
for you will be satisfied.
God blesses you who weep now,
for in due time you will laugh.
22 What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. 23 When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way.
Sorrows Foretold
24 “What sorrow awaits you who are rich,
for you have your only happiness now.
25 What sorrow awaits you who are fat and prosperous now,
for a time of awful hunger awaits you.
What sorrow awaits you who laugh now,
for your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow.
26 What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds,
for their ancestors also praised false prophets.
Love for Enemies
27 “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. 30 Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. 31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
32 “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! 34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.
35 “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.
Do Not Judge Others
37 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.[c]”
39 Then Jesus gave the following illustration: “Can one blind person lead another? Won’t they both fall into a ditch? 40 Students[d] are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher.
41 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye[e] when you have a log in your own? 42 How can you think of saying, ‘Friend,[f] let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.
The Tree and Its Fruit
43 “A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 44 A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. 45 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.
Building on a Solid Foundation
46 “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? 47 I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. 48 It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. 49 But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house right on the ground, without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”
Luke 6
New King James Version
Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath(A)
6 Now (B)it happened [a]on the second Sabbath after the first that He went through the grainfields. And His disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate them, rubbing them in their hands. 2 And some of the Pharisees said to them, “Why are you doing (C)what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?”
3 But Jesus answering them said, “Have you not even read this, (D)what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: 4 how he went into the house of God, took and ate the showbread, and also gave some to those with him, (E)which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat?” 5 And He said to them, “The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”
Healing on the Sabbath(F)
6 (G)Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7 So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would (H)heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an (I)accusation against Him. 8 But He (J)knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, “Arise and stand here.” And he arose and stood. 9 Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one thing: (K)Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or [b]to destroy?” 10 And when He had looked around at them all, He said to [c]the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored [d]as whole as the other. 11 But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.
The Twelve Apostles(L)
12 Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in (M)prayer to God. 13 And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; (N)and from them He chose (O)twelve whom He also named apostles: 14 Simon, (P)whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; 15 Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; 16 Judas (Q)the son of James, and (R)Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor.
Jesus Heals a Great Multitude(S)
17 And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples (T)and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, 18 as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. 19 And the whole multitude (U)sought to (V)touch Him, for (W)power went out from Him and healed them all.
The Beatitudes(X)
20 Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said:
(Y)“Blessed are you poor,
For yours is the kingdom of God.
21 (Z)Blessed are you who hunger now,
For you shall be (AA)filled.[e]
(AB)Blessed are you who weep now,
For you shall (AC)laugh.
22 (AD)Blessed are you when men hate you,
And when they (AE)exclude you,
And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,
For the Son of Man’s sake.
23 (AF)Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!
For indeed your reward is great in heaven,
For (AG)in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.
Jesus Pronounces Woes
24 “But(AH) woe to you (AI)who are rich,
For (AJ)you have received your consolation.
25 (AK)Woe to you who are full,
For you shall hunger.
(AL)Woe to you who laugh now,
For you shall mourn and (AM)weep.
26 (AN)Woe [f]to you when [g]all men speak well of you,
For so did their fathers to the false prophets.
Love Your Enemies(AO)
27 (AP)“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 (AQ)bless those who curse you, and (AR)pray for those who spitefully use you. 29 (AS)To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. (AT)And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. 30 (AU)Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. 31 (AV)And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
32 (AW)“But 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 (AX)And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. 35 But (AY)love your enemies, (AZ)do good, and (BA)lend, [h]hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and (BB)you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 (BC)Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.
Do Not Judge(BD)
37 (BE)“Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. (BF)Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 (BG)Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your (BH)bosom. For (BI)with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
39 And He spoke a parable to them: (BJ)“Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? 40 (BK)A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. 41 (BL)And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? 42 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye.
A Tree Is Known by Its Fruit(BM)
43 (BN)“For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 For (BO)every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. 45 (BP)A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil [i]treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out (BQ)of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Build on the Rock(BR)
46 (BS)“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? 47 (BT)Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was [j]founded on the rock. 49 But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it [k]fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”
Footnotes
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
