Luke 6

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Jesus asserts his authority over the Sabbath by allowing his disciples to pluck corn and by healing a man with a withered hand, provoking the Pharisees. He then chooses twelve apostles after a night of prayer. On a plain, Jesus delivers teachings, including blessings for the poor and woes for the rich, and exhortations to love enemies, be merciful, and practice self-examination before judging others. He concludes with parables emphasizing that true discipleship involves hearing and doing his words, likening it to building a house on a strong foundation.

The Disciples Pluck Grain on the Sabbath 1–5

Now it came to pass on a sabbath, that he was going through the grainfields; and his disciples plucked the ears, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.

But certain of the Pharisees said, Why do ye that which it is not lawful to do on the sabbath day?

And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read even this, what David did, when he was hungry, he, and they that were with him;

how he entered into the house of God, and took and ate the showbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat save for the priests alone?

And he said unto them, The Son of man is lord of the sabbath.

Healing the Man with the Withered Hand 6–11

And it came to pass on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man there, and his right hand was withered.

And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath; that they might find how to accuse him.

But he knew their thoughts; and he said to the man that had his hand withered, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.

And Jesus said unto them, I ask you, Is it lawful on the sabbath to do good, or to do harm? to save a life, or to destroy it?

And he looked round about on them all, and said unto him, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored.

But they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.

Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles 12–16

And it came to pass in these days, that he went out into the mountain to pray; and he continued all night in prayer to God.

And when it was day, he called his disciples; and he chose from them twelve, whom also he named apostles:

Simon, whom he also named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip and Bartholomew,

and Matthew and Thomas, and James the son of Alphæus, and Simon who was called the Zealot,

and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor;

The Sermon on the Plain Begins 17–19

and he came down with them, and stood on a level place, and a great multitude of his disciples, and a great number of the people from all Judæa and Jerusalem, and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;

and they that were troubled with unclean spirits were healed.

And all the multitude sought to touch him; for power came forth from him, and healed them all.

Blessings and Woes 20–26

And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessedare ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.

Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy: for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for in the same manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.

Woe unto you, ye that are full now! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you, ye that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for in the same manner did their fathers to the false prophets.

Love Your Enemies 27–36

But I say unto you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you,

bless them that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you.

To him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and from him that taketh away thy cloak withhold not thy coat also.

Give to every one that asketh thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

And if ye love them that love you, what thank have ye? for even sinners love those that love them.

And if ye do good to them that do good to you, what thank have ye? for even sinners do the same.

And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? even sinners lend to sinners, to receive again as much.

But love your enemies, and do them good, and lend, never despairing; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be sons of the Most High: for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.

Be ye merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Judging Others and Giving Generously 37–38

And judge not, and ye shall not be judged: and condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: release, and ye shall be released:

give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again.

Parables of Discipleship and Integrity 39–45

And he spake also a parable unto them, Can the blind guide the blind? shall they not both fall into a pit?

The disciple is not above his teacher: but every one when he is perfected shall be as his teacher.

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Or how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me cast out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.

For there is no good tree that bringeth forth corrupt fruit; nor again a corrupt tree that bringeth forth good fruit.

For each tree is known by its own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.

The good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth that which is evil: for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

The Foundation of the House 46–49

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Every one that cometh unto me, and heareth my words, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like:

he is like a man building a house, who digged and went deep, and laid a foundation upon the rock: and when a flood arose, the stream brake against that house, and could not shake it: because it had been well builded.

But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that built a house upon the earth without a foundation; against which the stream brake, and straightway it fell in; and the ruin of that house was great.

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Luke 6

Verse 1

the second sabbath after the first — One Greek word, deuteroproton ('second-first'), found only here in the New Testament. The disciples' plucking and rubbing the ears is the act Deut 23:25 allowed: 'thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand'. Matthew and Mark place the same event (Matt 12:1; Mark 2:23).

Verse 2

not lawful to do on the sabbath days — The charge is not that the grain was taken, which Deut 23:25 permitted, but that it was done on the sabbath. 'Lawful' is exesti, the word of the Pharisees' complaint in Mark 2:24 and Matt 12:2, and of Jesus' own question in v.9.

Verse 3

what David did — The account is 1 Sam 21:1–6, where the priest gave David 'hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread'. Jesus asks, 'Have ye not read', of the Pharisees' own Scripture (cf. Matt 12:3). David and 'they which were with him' were hungry, as the disciples were.

Verse 5

Lord also of the sabbath — Kyrios, master, set over the very day the Pharisees invoked. 'The Son of man' is Christ's own title for himself. Mark adds the saying that 'The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath' (Mark 2:27); Matthew has the same claim (Matt 12:8).

Verse 7

watched him — Paratereo, to observe closely and with intent; the purpose clause says why, 'that they might find an accusation'. The same watching recurs in 'they watched him, and sent forth spies' (Luke 20:20). Mark records the same watch, 'that they might accuse him' (Mark 3:2).

Verse 9

to save life, or to destroy it — Sozo, to save, against apollymi, to destroy. Jesus sets the question to those who were watching him (v.7), so that refusing the good counts as the evil. Mark's form, 'to save life, or to kill', adds that 'they held their peace' (Mark 3:4).

Verse 11

filled with madness — Anoia, literally want of understanding, rage. It occurs only here and in 2 Tim 3:9, where the folly of men who resist the truth 'shall be manifest unto all men'. Mark names the next step: they took counsel 'how they might destroy him' (Mark 3:6).

Verse 12

continued all night in prayer to God — Dianuktereuo, to spend the whole night, occurs only here in the New Testament. Luke records Christ's praying before the choice of the twelve; Matthew has him on 'a mountain apart to pray' (Matt 14:23). 'Those days' follow the plot of v.11.

Verse 13

he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles — Apostolos, one sent, from the verb for sending out. 'Chose' is eklegomai, to pick out from the larger company of 'his disciples'. The twelve are later sent with 'power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases' (Luke 9:1).

Verse 15

Simon called Zelotes — Zelotes, one zealous; the word is used of this Simon only here and in Acts 1:13. Matthew and Mark call him 'the Canaanite' (Matt 10:4; Mark 3:18). The list also holds Matthew, the man called from 'the receipt of custom' (Matt 9:9).

Verse 17

stood in the plain — Pedinos, level, found only here in the New Testament; he came down 'with them' from the mountain of v.12. The multitude came from Judaea, Jerusalem and the coast of Tyre and Sidon, cities named in Matt 11:21; they came both 'to hear him, and to be healed'.

Verse 20

Blessed be ye poor — Ptochos, one who has nothing, a beggar. It is addressed to 'his disciples' and put in the second person, 'yours is the kingdom of God'. Matthew words the first beatitude 'poor in spirit' (Matt 5:3). James 2:5 says God has chosen 'the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom'.

Verse 22

separate you from their company — Aphorizo, to mark off by a boundary, to exclude. The blessing is 'for the Son of man's sake', and is joined to joy in v.23: 'for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets'. The apostles later rejoiced 'that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name' (Acts 5:41).

Verse 24

ye have received your consolation — Apecho, to receive in full, as a payment for which a receipt is given. Matthew uses the same verb of the hypocrites, 'They have their reward' (Matt 6:2, 5, 16). The rich man of the parable hears, 'thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things' (Luke 16:25).

Verse 27

Love your enemies — Agapao with echthros, the hostile one. 'Unto you which hear' limits this to those who listen, as in v.47. Matthew gives it with 'pray for them which despitefully use you' and 'persecute you' (Matt 5:44); Proverbs already says, 'If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat' (Prov 25:21).

Verse 29

offer also the other — Siagon is the cheek or jaw; the blow is given 'on the one cheek'. Lam 3:30 says of the afflicted, 'He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him'. 'Cloke' is himation, the outer garment, and 'coat' chiton, the tunic; Matthew reverses the order (Matt 5:40).

Verse 31

as ye would that men should do to you — Matthew gives the same sentence with the added words 'for this is the law and the prophets' (Matt 7:12). Luke places it between the commands about enemies and the questions on 'what thank have ye' (vv.32–34), where it sets the measure for giving.

Verse 32

what thank have ye? — Charis, grace, favour, rendered 'thank' here and in vv.33–34, three times in a row. Matthew's parallel asks 'what reward have ye?' and names 'the publicans' (Matt 5:46). Here the standard is 'sinners' (hamartolos), who do the same, so mere return of love earns no favour.

Verse 35

hoping for nothing again — Apelpizo, found only here in the New Testament. The reward is 'great', and the 'children of the Highest' (hypsistos) copy a God who 'is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil'. Matthew has the same point as the sun and rain given to the evil and the good (Matt 5:45).

Verse 36

merciful, as your Father also is merciful — Oiktirmon, compassionate, found only here and in James 5:11, of the Lord as 'very pitiful, and of tender mercy'. Matthew words the parallel, 'Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect' (Matt 5:48).

Verse 37

forgive, and ye shall be forgiven — Three paired commands: krino, to judge; katadikazo, to pronounce guilty; apoluo, to release. The first is Matthew's 'Judge not, that ye be not judged' (Matt 7:1). The passive verbs leave the judge unnamed, as the 'men' who give in v.38 are left open.

Verse 38

into your bosom — Kolpos, the fold of the garment at the chest. The measure is 'pressed down, and shaken together, and running over'. Mark has the similar saying 'with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you' (Mark 4:24); Prov 19:17 says the LORD repays the one who pities the poor.

Verse 39

Can the blind lead the blind? — Hodegeo, to guide on the road; bothynos, a pit or ditch. Matthew uses the saying of the Pharisees: 'they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch' (Matt 15:14). Luke calls it a 'parable' and joins it to vv.37–38.

Verse 40

every one that is perfect shall be as his master — Katartizo, to fit completely, to bring to full order. Matthew has 'The disciple is not above his master' (Matt 10:24) and John 'The servant is not greater than his lord' (John 13:16). The disciple's goal is the teacher's likeness.

Verse 42

Thou hypocrite — Hypokrites, a stage actor, one who plays a part. 'Mote' (karphos) is a dry splinter and 'beam' (dokos) a roof timber. Matthew has the same order of removal: 'first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly' (Matt 7:5).

Verse 45

out of the good treasure of his heart — Thesauros, a store laid up; 'abundance' is perisseuma, overflow. The word follows the tree and fruit of vv.43–44. Matthew has the same saying to the Pharisees: 'O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things?' (Matt 12:34).

Verse 46

Lord, Lord, and do not — The double address recurs in 'Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven' (Matt 7:21), and in the shut door of Luke 13:25. Kyrios is a title of authority; the question asks why it is spoken without obeying.

Verse 48

digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock — Skapto, to dig, with bathyno, to deepen; the foundation is laid on petra, bedrock. The flood 'beat vehemently' (prosregnymi) and could not shake it. Matthew puts the same house with 'the rain descended, and the floods came' (Matt 7:25).