Luke6
King James Version · Public Domain
1And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.
2And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?
3And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him;
4How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone?
5And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
6And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.
7And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.
8But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.
9Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?
10And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
11And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.
12And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
13And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;
14Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,
15Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes,
16And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.
17And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;
18And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.
19And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.
20And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.
21Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.
22Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
23Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
24But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.
25Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.
26Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
27But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
28Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
29And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.
30Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.
31And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
32For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
33And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
34And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
35But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
36Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
37Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
38Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
39And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?
40The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.
41And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
42Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull 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 pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.
43For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
44For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
45A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
46And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
47Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
48He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
49But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Luke 6.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The disciples pluck corn on the sabbath. (1–5). Works of mercy suitable to the sabbath day. (6–11). The apostles chosen. (12–19). Blessings and woes declared. (20–26). Christ exhorts to mercy. (27–36). And to justice and sincerity. (37–49).
vv1-5
Christ justifies his disciples in a work of necessity for themselves on the sabbath day, and that was plucking the ears of corn when they were hungry. But we must take heed that we mistake not this liberty for leave to commit sin. Christ will have us to know and remember that it is his day, therefore to be spent in his service, and to his honour.
vv6-11
Christ was neither ashamed nor afraid to own the purposes of his grace. He healed the poor man, though he knew that his enemies would take advantage against him for it. Let us not be drawn either from our duty or from our usefulness by any opposition. We may well be amazed, that the sons of men should be so wicked.
vv12-19
We often think one half hour a great deal to spend in meditation and secret prayer, but Christ was whole nights engaged in these duties. In serving God, our great care should be not to lose time, but to make the end of one good duty the beginning of another. The twelve apostles are here named; never were men so privileged, yet one of them had a devil, and proved a traitor. Those who have not faithful preaching near them, had better travel far than be without it. It is indeed worth while to go a great way to hear the word of Christ, and to go out of the way of other business for it. They came to be cured by him, and he healed them. There is a fulness of grace in Christ, and healing virtue in him, ready to go out from him, that is enough for all, enough for each. Men regard the diseases of the body as greater evils than those of their souls; but the Scripture teaches us differently.
Key Words
σάββατον (sábbaton): the Sabbath (i.e. Shabbath), or day of weekly repose from secular avocations (also the observance or institution itself); by extension, a se'nnight, i.e. the interval between two Sabbaths; likewise the plural in all the above applications
αὐτός (autós): the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative G1438 (ἑαυτοῦ)) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
διαπορεύομαι (diaporeúomai): to travel through
διά (diá): through (in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional)
μαθητής (mathētḗs): a learner, i.e. pupil
τίλλω (tíllō): to pull off
καί (kaí): and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
ἐσθίω (esthíō): used only in certain tenses, the rest being supplied by G5315 (φάγω); to eat (usually literal)
στάχυς (stáchys): a head of grain (as standing out from the stalk)
ψώχω (psṓchō): to triturate, i.e. (by analogy) to rub out (kernels from husks with the fingers or hand)
Cross References
Luke 6David's eating of the consecrated shewbread when hungry, cited directly by Jesus to answer Pharisees.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Direct parallel in the Sermon on the Mount concerning persecution, blessing, and reward.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Parallel command to love enemies and pray for persecutors.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Direct parallel in the Sermon on the Mount concerning the mote and the beam.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
Direct parallel addressing those who cry 'Lord, Lord' but do not obey.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Matthew's parallel account of the disciples plucking grain on the Sabbath and Jesus' defense.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Old Testament law defining that shewbread belongs to and is to be eaten only by priests.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The parallel Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount, pronouncing blessings on the poor.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Paraphrases the beatitude, noting God has chosen the poor of this world rich in faith.
Supported by JFB
Parallel command prohibiting censorious judging.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Parallel teaching on blind leaders falling into the ditch.
Supported by JFB
Identical maxim that the disciple is not above his master.
Supported by JFB
Parallel discourse regarding knowing a tree by its good or corrupt fruits.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallel instruction on speech reflecting the abundance of the heart.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Apostolic exhortation to be doers of the word, and not hearers only.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Mark's parallel account of the Sabbath grain-plucking controversy.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The Mosaic law permitting plucking standing grain with hands in a neighbor's field.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Sabbath Lordship claim identical to Luke's record of Christ's supreme authority over the Sabbath.
Supported by JFB
Matthew's parallel account of Jesus healing the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Mark's parallel account of the healing of the withered hand on the Sabbath.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Affirms Jesus' absolute sovereign choice of the twelve: 'Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.'
Supported by John Calvin
Similar occurrence where healing power (virtue) is perceived going out of Jesus upon physical contact.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Abraham reminds the rich man that in his lifetime he received his consolation.
Supported by JFB
Illustrates the false prophets who spoke lies to please the people.
Supported by JFB
The parallel Golden Rule in the Sermon on the Mount.
Supported by JFB
Parallel call to emulate God's perfection, framed as mercy in Luke.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Condemnation of judging another while committing the same or worse offenses.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Old Testament imagery of a wall built without foundation collapsing in a storm.
Pauline imagery of laying a secure foundation in Christ.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Old Testament precedent of Jeroboam's hand drying up and being restored by prayer.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Another instance where Pharisees watched Jesus to see if He would heal on the Sabbath.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Apostolic instruction to continue in prayer, reflecting Jesus' model of spending the night praying.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Denounces woes on the rich who live in luxury and oppress others.
Contrasts God's hungry servants being filled with the full going hungry.
Apostolic instruction to bless those who persecute and curse.
Old Testament precedent of giving one's cheek to him who smites.