Luke6
New King James Version
1Now it happened on the second Sabbath after the first that He went through the grainfields. And His disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate them, rubbing them in their hands.
2And some of the Pharisees said to them, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?”
3But Jesus answering them said, “Have you not even read this, what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him:
4how he went into the house of God, took and ate the showbread, and also gave some to those with him, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat?”
5And He said to them, “The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”
6Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered.
7So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him.
8But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, “Arise and stand here.” And he arose and stood.
9Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?”
10And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.
11But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.
12Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
13And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also 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 the Zealot;
16Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor.
17And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases,
18as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed.
19And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.
20Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: “Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God.
21Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh.
22Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man’s sake.
23Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.
24“But woe to you who are rich, For you have received your consolation.
25Woe to you who are full, For you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, For you shall mourn and weep.
26Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did their fathers to the false prophets.
27“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
28bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.
29To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.
30Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.
31And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
32“But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
33And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
34And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.
35But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.
36Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.
37“Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
38Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
39And He spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?
40A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.
41And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?
42Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye.
43“For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.
44For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.
45A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
46“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?
47Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:
48He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.
49But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream 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.