Lord of the Sabbath

On a Sabbath, he passed through the grainfields.(A) His disciples were picking heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them. But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” (B)

Jesus answered them, “Haven’t you read what David and those who were with him did when he was hungry— how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat?(C) He even gave some to those who were with him.”(D) Then he told them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

On another Sabbath(E) he entered the synagogue and was teaching. A man was there whose right hand was shriveled. The scribes and Pharisees were watching him closely,(F) to see if he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they could find a charge against him.(G) But he knew their thoughts(H) and told the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand here.”[a] So he got up and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you: Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”(I) 10 After looking around at them all,(J) he told him, “Stretch out your hand.”(K) He did, and his hand was restored.[b] 11 They, however, were filled with rage and started discussing with one another what they might do to Jesus.

The Twelve Apostles

12 During those days he went out to the mountain to pray(L) and spent all night in prayer to God. 13 When daylight came, he summoned his disciples,(M) and he chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles:(N) 14 Simon, whom he also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; 15 Matthew and Thomas;(O) James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; 16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Teaching and Healing

17 After coming down with them, he stood on a level place with a large crowd of his disciples and a great number of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon.(P) 18 They came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those tormented by unclean spirits were made well. 19 The whole crowd was trying to touch him,(Q) because power was coming out from him and healing them all.(R)

The Beatitudes

20 Then looking up at his disciples, he said:(S)

Blessed are you who are poor,
because the kingdom of God is yours.
21 Blessed are you who are hungry now,
because you will be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now,
because you will laugh.
22 Blessed are you when people hate you,
when they exclude you,(T) insult you,
and slander your name as evil(U)
because of the Son of Man.(V)

23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy. Take note—your reward is great in heaven, for this is the way their ancestors used to treat the prophets.(W)

Woe to the Self-Satisfied

24 But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your comfort.
25 Woe to you who are now full,
for you will be hungry.
Woe to you[c] who are now laughing,
for you will mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you[d]
when all people speak well of you,
for this is the way their ancestors
used to treat the false prophets.(X)

Love Your Enemies

27 “But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.(Y) 29 If anyone hits you on the cheek,(Z) offer the other also. And if anyone takes away your coat, don’t hold back your shirt either. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and from someone who takes your things, don’t ask for them back. 31 Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them.(AA) 32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.(AB) 33 If you do what is 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 to receive, what credit is that to you?(AC) Even sinners lend to sinners to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High.(AD) For he is gracious to the ungrateful and evil. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.(AE)

Do Not Judge

37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.(AF) Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.(AG) 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.(AH) For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”(AI)

39 He also told them a parable: “Can the blind guide the blind? Won’t they both fall into a pit?(AJ) 40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.(AK)

41 “Why do you look at the splinter in your brother’s eye, but don’t notice the beam of wood in your own eye? 42 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the splinter that is in your eye,’ when you yourself don’t see the beam of wood in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the beam of wood out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the splinter in your brother’s eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit

43 “A good tree doesn’t produce bad fruit; on the other hand, a bad tree doesn’t produce good fruit.[e](AL) 44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs aren’t gathered from thornbushes, or grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 A good person produces good out of the good stored up in his heart. An evil person produces evil out of the evil stored up in his heart, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.

The Two Foundations

46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things I say?(AM) 47 I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them:(AN) 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. When the flood came, the river crashed against that house and couldn’t shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The river crashed against it, and immediately it collapsed. And the destruction of that house was great.”(AO)

Footnotes

  1. 6:8 Lit stand in the middle
  2. 6:10 Other mss add as sound as the other
  3. 6:25 Other mss omit to you
  4. 6:26 Other mss omit to you
  5. 6:43 Lit on the other hand, again, a bad tree doesn’t produce good fruit

The Question about the Sabbath

One sabbath[a] while Jesus[b] was going through the cornfields, his disciples plucked some heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them. But some of the Pharisees said, ‘Why are you doing what is not lawful[c] on the sabbath?’ Jesus answered, ‘Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 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 gave some to his companions?’ Then he said to them, ‘The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.’

The Man with a Withered Hand

On another sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees watched him to see whether he would cure on the sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him. Even though he knew what they were thinking, he said to the man who had the withered hand, ‘Come and stand here.’ He got up and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, ‘I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to destroy it?’ 10 After looking around at all of them, he said to him, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ 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 Now during those days he went out to the mountain to pray; and he spent the night in prayer to God. 13 And when day came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles: 14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, and James, and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, 15 and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Simon, who was called the Zealot, 16 and Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Jesus Teaches and Heals

17 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, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. 19 And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them.

Blessings and Woes

20 Then he looked up at his disciples and said:

‘Blessed are you who are poor,
    for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 ‘Blessed are you who are hungry now,
    for you will be filled.
‘Blessed are you who weep now,
    for you will laugh.

22 ‘Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you[d] on account of the Son of Man. 23 Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.

24 ‘But woe to you who are rich,
    for you have received your consolation.
25 ‘Woe to you who are full now,
    for you will be hungry.
‘Woe to you who are laughing now,
    for you will mourn and weep.

26 ‘Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.

Love for Enemies

27 ‘But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

32 ‘If you 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 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, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return.[e] Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Judging Others

37 ‘Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you. A 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 person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? 40 A disciple is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher. 41 Why do you see the speck in your neighbour’s[f] eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? 42 Or how can you say to your neighbour,[g] “Friend,[h] let me take out the speck in your eye”, when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbour’s[i] eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit

43 ‘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. Figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks.

The Two Foundations

46 ‘Why do you call me “Lord, Lord”, and do not do what I tell you? 47 I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them. 48 That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when a flood arose, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built.[j] 49 But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, immediately it fell, and great was the ruin of that house.’

Footnotes

  1. Luke 6:1 Other ancient authorities read On the second first sabbath
  2. Luke 6:1 Gk he
  3. Luke 6:2 Other ancient authorities add to do
  4. Luke 6:22 Gk cast out your name as evil
  5. Luke 6:35 Other ancient authorities read despairing of no one
  6. Luke 6:41 Gk brother’s
  7. Luke 6:42 Gk brother
  8. Luke 6:42 Gk brother
  9. Luke 6:42 Gk brother’s
  10. Luke 6:48 Other ancient authorities read founded upon the rock