Luke 6

Activities on the Sabbath

1 One Sabbath, as Jesus was going through the wheat fields, his disciples were picking the heads of wheat, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them.

2 Some Pharisees said, "Why are you breaking the Sabbath law?"

3 Jesus replied, " Haven't you read what David and his companions did when they were hungry?

4 He broke the Law by going into God's house and eating the bread of the presence, which only the priests can eat. He also gave some of the bread to his companions."

5 Then he said to them, " The Human One is Lord of the Sabbath."

6 On another Sabbath, Jesus entered a synagogue to teach. A man was there whose right hand was withered.

7 The legal experts and the Pharisees were watching him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. They were looking for a reason to bring charges against him.

8 Jesus knew their thoughts, so he said to the man with the withered hand, " Get up and stand in front of everyone." He got up and stood there.

9 Jesus said to the legal experts and Pharisees, " Here's a question for you: Is it legal on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?"

10 Looking around at them all, he said to the man, " Stretch out your hand." So he did and his hand was made healthy.

11 They were furious and began talking with each other about what to do to Jesus.

Jesus chooses apostles

12 During that time, Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night long.

13 At daybreak, he called together his disciples. He chose twelve of them whom he called apostles:

14 Simon, whom he named Peter; his brother Andrew; James; John; Philip; Bartholomew;

15 Matthew; Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus; Simon, who was called a zealot;

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

Jesus’ popularity increases

17 Jesus came down from the mountain with them and stood on a large area of level ground. A great company of his disciples and a huge crowd of people from all around Judea and Jerusalem and the area around Tyre and Sidon joined him there.

18 They came to hear him and to be healed from their diseases, and those bothered by unclean spirits were healed.

19 The whole crowd wanted to touch him, because power was going out from him and he was healing everyone.

Happy people and doomed people

20 Jesus raised his eyes to his disciples and said: “Happy are you who are poor, because God's kingdom is yours.

21 Happy are you who hunger now, because you will be satisfied. Happy are you who weep now, because you will laugh.

22 Happy are you when people hate you, reject you, insult you, and condemn your name as evil because of the Human One.

23 Rejoice when that happens! Leap for joy because you have a great reward in heaven. Their ancestors did the same things to the prophets.

24 But how terrible for you who are rich, because you have already received your comfort.

25 How terrible for you who have plenty now, because you will be hungry. How terrible for you who laugh now, because you will mourn and weep.

26 How terrible for you when all speak well of you. Their ancestors did the same things to the false prophets.

Behaving as God’s children

27 “But I say to you who are willing to hear: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you.

28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you.

29 If someone slaps you on the cheek, offer the other one as well. If someone takes your coat, don't withhold your shirt either.

30 Give to everyone who asks and don't demand your things back from those who take them.

31 Treat people in the same way that you want them to treat you.

32 “If you love those who love you, why should you be commended? Even sinners love those who love them.

33 If you do good to those who do good to you, why should you be commended? Even sinners do that.

34 If you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, why should you be commended? Even sinners lend to sinners expecting to be paid back in full.

35 Instead, love your enemies, do good, and lend expecting nothing in return. If you do, you will have a great reward. You will be acting the way children of the Most High act, for he is kind to ungrateful and wicked people.

36 Be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate.

37 " Don't judge, and you won't be judged. Don't condemn, and you won't be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good portion—packed down, firmly shaken, and overflowing—will fall into your lap. The portion you give will determine the portion you receive in return."

Avoiding self-deception

39 Jesus also told them a riddle. " A blind person can't lead another blind person, right? Won't they both fall into a ditch?

40 Disciples aren't greater than their teacher, but whoever is fully prepared will be like their teacher.

41 Why do you see the splinter in your brother's or sister's eye but don't notice the log in your own eye?

42 How can you say to your brother or sister, ‘Brother, Sister, let me take the splinter out of your eye,' when you don't see the log in your own eye? You deceive yourselves! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother's or sister's eye.

43 “A good tree doesn't produce bad fruit, nor does a bad tree produce good fruit.

44 Each tree is known by its own fruit. People don't gather figs from thorny plants, nor do they pick grapes from prickly bushes.

45 A good person produces good from the good treasury of the inner self, while an evil person produces evil from the evil treasury of the inner self. The inner self overflows with words that are spoken.

46 " Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord' and don't do what I say?

47 I'll show what it's like when someone comes to me, hears my words, and puts them into practice.

48 It's like a person building a house by digging deep and laying the foundation on bedrock. When the flood came, the rising water smashed against that house, but the water couldn't shake the house because it was well built.

49 But those who don't put into practice what they hear are like a person who built a house without a foundation. The floodwater smashed against it and it collapsed instantly. It was completely destroyed."

Luke 6 Commentary

Chapter 6

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)

Verses 1-5 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.

Verses 6-11 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.

Verses 12-19 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.

Verses 20-26 Here begins a discourse of Christ, most of which is also found in ( Matthew 5 , Matthew 7 ) . But some think that this was preached at another time and place. All believers that take the precepts of the gospel to themselves, and live by them, may take the promises of the gospel to themselves, and live upon them. Woes are denounced against prosperous sinners as miserable people, though the world envies them. Those are blessed indeed whom Christ blesses, but those must be dreadfully miserable who fall under his woe and curse! What a vast advantage will the saint have over the sinner in the other world! and what a wide difference will there be in their rewards, how much soever the sinner may prosper, and the saint be afflicted here!

Verses 27-36 These are hard lessons to flesh and blood. But if we are thoroughly grounded in the faith of Christ's love, this will make his commands easy to us. Every one that comes to him for washing in his blood, and knows the greatness of the mercy and the love there is in him, can say, in truth and sincerity, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Let us then aim to be merciful, even according to the mercy of our heavenly Father to us.

Verses 37-49 All these sayings Christ often used; it was easy to apply them. We ought to be very careful when we blame others; for we need allowance ourselves. If we are of a giving and a forgiving spirit, we shall ourselves reap the benefit. Though full and exact returns are made in another world, not in this world, yet Providence does what should encourage us in doing good. Those who follow the multitude to do evil, follow in the broad way that leads to destruction. The tree is known by its fruits; may the word of Christ be so grafted in our hearts, that we may be fruitful in every good word and work. And what the mouth commonly speaks, generally agrees with what is most in the heart. Those only make sure work for their souls and eternity, and take the course that will profit in a trying time, who think, speak, and act according to the words of Christ. Those who take pains in religion, found their hope upon Christ, who is the Rock of Ages, and other foundation can no man lay. In death and judgment they are safe, being kept by the power of Christ through faith unto salvation, and they shall never perish.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or Son of Man
• [b]. Or Son of Man