Luke6
New International Version
1One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels.
2Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”
3Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?
4He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”
5Then Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
6On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled.
7The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath.
8But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there.
9Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”
10He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored.
11But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.
12One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.
13When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:
14Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,
15Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot,
16Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
17He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon,
18who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured,
19and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.
20Looking at his disciples, he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
22Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.
23“Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.
24“But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.
25Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.
26Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.
27“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
29If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them.
30Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.
31Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.
33And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.
34And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.
35But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
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.
38Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
39He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?
40The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.
41“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
42How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
43“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.
44Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers.
45A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
46“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?
47As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like.
48They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.
49But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
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.