Luke 6
New Testament for Everyone
Teachings on the sabbath
6 One sabbath, Jesus was walking through some cornfields. His disciples were plucking and eating ears of grain, rubbing them with their hands.
2 “Why,” asked some Pharisees, “are you doing something that isn’t permitted on the sabbath?”
3 “Haven’t you read what David did?” replied Jesus. “When he and his men were hungry, 4 he went into God’s house and took the ‘bread of the presence,’ which no one but the priests was allowed to eat. He ate some, and gave it to his companions.
5 “The son of man,” he declared, “is Lord of the sabbath.”
6 On another sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching. A man was there whose right hand was withered. 7 The scribes and Pharisees were watching him, to see if he would heal him on the sabbath, so that they could find an accusation against him.
8 He knew what they were thinking.
“Get up,” he said to the man with the withered hand, “and come out here in the middle.” He got up and came out.
9 “Let me ask you something,” Jesus said to them. “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath or to do evil? To save life or to destroy it?”
10 He looked round at all of them.
“Stretch out your hand,” he said to the man.
He did so; and his hand was restored. 11 But they were filled with rage, and discussed with each other what they might do to Jesus.
The Beatitudes
12 It happened around that time that Jesus went up into the mountain to pray, and he spent all night in prayer to God. 13 When day came, he called his disciples, and chose twelve of them, calling them “apostles”: 14 Simon, whom he called Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called “the hothead,” 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who turned traitor.
17 He went down with them, and took up a position on a level plain where there was a large crowd of his followers, with a huge company of people from all Judaea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They came to hear him, and to be cured from their diseases. Those who were troubled by unclean spirits were healed, 19 and the whole crowd tried to touch him, because power was going out from him and healing everybody.
20 He lifted up his eyes and looked at his disciples, and said:
“Blessings on the poor: God’s kingdom belongs to you!
21 “Blessings on those who are hungry today: you’ll have a feast!
“Blessings on those who weep today: you’ll be laughing!
22 “Blessings on you, when people hate you, and shut you out, when they slander you and reject your name as if it was evil, because of the son of man. 23 Celebrate on that day! Jump for joy! Don’t you see: in heaven there is a great reward for you! That’s what their ancestors did to the prophets.
24 “But woe betide you rich: you’ve had your comfort!
25 “Woe betide you if you’re full today: you’ll go hungry!
“Woe betide you if you’re laughing today: you’ll be mourning and weeping!
26 “Woe betide you when everyone speaks well of you: that’s what their ancestors did to the false prophets.”
Loving your enemies
27 “But this is my word,” Jesus continued, “for those of you who are listening: love your enemies! Do good to people who hate you! 28 Bless people who curse you! Pray for people who treat you badly!
29 “If someone hits you on the cheek—offer him the other one! If someone takes away your coat—don’t stop him taking your shirt! 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and don’t ask for things back when people have taken them.
31 “Whatever you want people to do to you, do that to them. 32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Think about it: even sinners love people who love them. 33 Or again, if you do good only to people who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Sinners do that too. 34 If you lend only to people you expect to get things back from, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners to get paid back. 35 No: love your enemies, do good and lend without expecting any return. Your reward will be great! You will be children of the Highest! He is generous, you see, to the stingy and wicked. 36 You must be merciful, just as your father is merciful.
37 “Don’t judge, and you won’t be judged. Don’t condemn, and you won’t be condemned. Forgive, and you’ll be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: a good helping, squashed down, shaken in, and overflowing—that’s what will land in your lap. Yes: the ration you give to others is the ration you’ll get back for yourself.”
Judging others and true obedience
39 Jesus told them this riddle. “What do you get when one blind man guides another? Both of them falling in a ditch! 40 Students can’t do better than the teacher; when the course is done, they’ll all be just like the teacher.
41 “Why look at the speck of dust in your brother’s eye, when you haven’t noticed the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Dear brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you can’t see the plank in your own? You’re a fraud! First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you’ll see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
43 “You see, no good tree bears bad fruit; nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 44 Every tree is known by its fruit. You don’t pick figs from thorns; nor do you get grapes from a briar-bush. 45 The good person brings good things out of the good treasure of the heart; the evil person brings evil things out of evil. What comes out of the mouth is what’s overflowing in the heart.
46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do what I say? 47 I’ll show you what people are like when they come to me, and hear my words, and do them. 48 They are like a wise man building a house: he dug, he went down deep, and he laid a foundation on rock. When a flood came, the river burst its banks all over the house, but it couldn’t shake it because it was well built. 49 But when people hear but don’t obey—that’s like a man who built a house on the ground, without a foundation. When the river burst over it, it fell down at once. The ruin of that house was devastating.”
Luke 6
Amplified Bible
Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath
6 One Sabbath while Jesus was passing through fields of standing grain, it happened that His disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them.(A) 2 But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what [a]is unlawful on the Sabbath?”(B) 3 Jesus replied to them, “Have you not even read [in the Scriptures] what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him—(C) 4 how he went into the house of God, and took and ate the [b]consecrated bread, which is not lawful [for anyone] to eat except the priests alone, and [how he also] gave it to the men who were with him?”(D) 5 Jesus was saying to them, “The Son of Man (the Messiah) is Lord [even] of the Sabbath.”
6 On another Sabbath He went into the synagogue and taught, and a man was present whose right hand was withered.(E) 7 The scribes and the Pharisees were watching Him closely [with malicious intent], to see if He would [actually] heal [someone] on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse Him. 8 But He was aware of their thoughts, and He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward.” So he got up and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you directly: Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil, to save a life or to destroy it?” 10 After looking around at them all, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!” And he did, and his hand was [fully] restored. 11 But the scribes and Pharisees were filled with senseless rage [and lacked spiritual insight], and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.
Choosing the Twelve
12 Now at this time Jesus went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God. 13 When day came, He called His disciples and selected twelve of them, whom He also named [c]apostles (special messengers, personally chosen representatives):(F) 14 Simon, whom He also named Peter, and his brother Andrew; and [the brothers] [d]James and John; and Philip, and Bartholomew [also called Nathanael]; 15 and Matthew (Levi, the tax collector) and Thomas; and [e]James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot; 16 Judas [also called Thaddaeus] the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor [to the Lord].
17 Then Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place; and there was a large crowd of His disciples, and a vast multitude of people from all over Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who had come to listen to Him and to be healed of their diseases. Even those who were troubled by unclean spirits (demons) were being healed. 19 All the people were trying to touch Him, because [healing] power was coming from Him and healing them all.
The Beatitudes
20 And looking toward His disciples, He began [f]speaking: “Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired] are you who are poor [in spirit, those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant], for the kingdom of God is yours [both now and forever].(G) 21 Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are you who hunger now [for righteousness, actively seeking right standing with God], for you will be [completely] satisfied. Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace] are you who weep now [over your sins and repent], for you will laugh [when the burden of sin is lifted]. 22 Blessed [morally courageous and spiritually alive with life-joy in God’s goodness] are you when people hate you, and exclude you [from their fellowship], and insult you, and scorn your name as evil because of [your association with] the Son of Man. 23 Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for your reward in heaven is great [absolutely inexhaustible]; for their fathers used to treat the prophets in the same way. 24 But [g]woe (judgment is coming) to you who are rich [and place your faith in possessions while remaining spiritually impoverished], for you are [already] receiving your comfort in full [and there is nothing left to be awarded to you]. 25 Woe to you who are well-fed (gorged, satiated) now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now [enjoying a life of self-indulgence], for you will mourn and weep [and deeply long for God]. 26 Woe to you when all the people speak well of you and praise you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way.
27 “But I say to you who hear [Me and pay attention to My words]: [h]Love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies, [make it a practice to] do good to those who hate you, 28 bless and show kindness to those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 Whoever [i]strikes you on the cheek, offer him the other one also [simply ignore insignificant insults or losses and do not bother to retaliate—maintain your dignity]. Whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either.(H) 30 Give to everyone who asks of you. [j]Whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. 31 Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. 32 If you [only] love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 If you lend [money] to those from whom you expect to receive [it back], what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners expecting to receive back the same amount. 35 But love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies, and do good, and lend, [k]expecting nothing in return; for your reward will be great (rich, abundant), and you will be sons of the Most High; because He Himself is kind and gracious and good to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36 Be merciful (responsive, compassionate, tender) just as your [heavenly] Father is merciful.
37 “[l]Do not judge [others self-righteously], and you will not be judged; do not condemn [others when you are guilty and unrepentant], and you will not be condemned [for your hypocrisy]; pardon [others when they truly repent and change], and you will be pardoned [when you truly repent and change].(I) 38 Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over [with no space left for more]. For with the standard of measurement you use [when you do good to others], it will be measured to you in return.”
39 He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man guide [another] blind man? Will they not both fall into a hole in the ground? 40 A student is not superior to his teacher; but everyone, after he has been completely trained, will be like his teacher. 41 Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice or consider the log that is in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, allow me to 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 (play actor, pretender), 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. 43 For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit.(J) 44 For each tree is known and identified by its own fruit. For figs are not picked from thorn bushes, nor is a cluster of grapes picked from a briar bush. 45 The [intrinsically] good man produces what is good and honorable and moral out of the good treasure [stored] in his heart; and the [intrinsically] evil man produces what is wicked and depraved out of the evil [in his heart]; for his mouth speaks from the overflow of his heart.
A Secure Foundation
46 “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not practice what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words and obeys them, I will show you whom he is like:(K) 48 he is like a [far-sighted, practical, and sensible] man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and yet could not shake it, because it had been securely built and founded on the rock. 49 But the one who has [merely] heard and has not practiced [what I say], is like a [foolish] man who built a house on the ground without any foundation, and the torrent burst against it; and it immediately collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”
Footnotes
- Luke 6:2 See note Matt 12:2.
- Luke 6:4 Or showbread; lit bread of presentation.
- Luke 6:13 In general usage the word “apostle” (Gr apostolos) means “sent one” or “messenger.” In this passage and others in reference to the “twelve,” the word “apostles” is used in a technical sense of the twelve disciples, and later Paul, whom Jesus chose. An apostle was one who had witnessed Christ’s resurrection (Acts 1:21, 22) or (in Paul’s case) had seen the resurrected Christ (1 Cor 9:1, 2). They validated their apostleship by performing “signs and wonders and miracles” (2 Cor 12:12), and were the foundation of the church.
- Luke 6:14 The sons of Zebedee and Salome. Salome is believed to be a sister of Mary, the mother of Jesus.
- Luke 6:15 Also called James the Less or James the Younger. His mother Mary (Gr Maria) is believed to be a sister or sister-in-law of Mary, the mother of Jesus.
- Luke 6:20 In vv 20-22 Luke lists four of the nine Beatitudes recorded by Matthew and follows them with four antithetical woes in vv 24-26.
- Luke 6:24 The four woes (vv 24-26) are addressed to those who lack spiritual perception and are oblivious to the importance of Jesus’ message of salvation.
- Luke 6:27 The key to understanding this and other statements about love is to know that this love (the Greek word agape) is not so much a matter of emotion as it is of doing things for the benefit of another person, that is, having an unselfish concern for another and a willingness to seek the higher good for another.
- Luke 6:29 In this context the “slap” is not an act of violence, but more likely an insult or violation of one’s rights.
- Luke 6:30 Probably a prohibition against frivolous legal action.
- Luke 6:35 Or not despairing at all.
- Luke 6:37 This is not a prohibition of judgment, nor is it a command to stop using godly wisdom, common sense, and moral courage together with God’s written word to discern right from wrong, to distinguish between morality and immorality, and to judge doctrinal truth. There are many judgments that are not only legitimate, but are commanded (cf John 7:24; 1 Cor 5:5, 12; Gal 1:8, 9; 1 John 4:1-3; 2 John 10); however, you cannot judge another if you are committing the same type of sin.
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
