1 The disciples pull the ears of corn on the Sabbath. 6 Of him that had a withered hand. 13 The election of the Apostles. 20 The blessings and curses. 27 We must love our enemies. 46 With what fruit the word of God is to be heard.

And (A)[a]it came to pass on a second solemn Sabbath, that he went through the corn fields, and his disciples [b]plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, and rubbed them in their hands.

And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath days?

Then Jesus answered them, and said, (B)Have ye not read this, that David did when he himself was an hungered, and they which were with him,

How he went into the house of God, and took, and ate the showbread, and gave also to them which were with him, which was not lawful to eat, but for the (C)Priests only?

And he said unto them, The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath day.

(D)[c]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 dried up.

And the Scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the Sabbath day, that they might find an accusation against him.

But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Arise, and stand up in the midst. And he arose, and stood up.

Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you a question, Whether is it lawful on the Sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to [d]destroy?

10 And he beheld them all in compass, and said unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he did so, and his hand was restored again, as whole as the other.

11 Then they were filled full of madness, and communed one with another, what they might do to Jesus.

12 ¶ And it came to pass in those days, that he went into a mountain to pray, and [e]spent the night in prayer to God.

13 And when it was day, (E)he called his disciples, and of them he chose twelve which also he called Apostles:

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

15 Matthew and Thomas: James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zealous,

16 Judas James’ brother, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.)

17 Then he came down with them, and stood in a plain place with the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judea, and Jerusalem, and from the [f]sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases:

18 And they that were vexed with foul spirits, and they were healed.

19 And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all:

20 (F)[g]And he lifted up his eyes upon his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

21 (G)Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be satisfied: (H)blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

22 (I)Blessed are ye when men hate you, and when [h]they separate you, and revile you, and put out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.

23 Rejoice ye in that day, and [i]be glad: for behold, your reward is great in heaven: for after this manner their fathers did to the Prophets:

24 (J)But woe be to you that are rich: for ye have [j]received your consolation.

25 (K)Woe be to you that are full: for ye shall hunger. Woe be to you that now laugh: for ye shall wail and weep.

26 Woe be to you when all men speak well of you: for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

27 (L)[k]But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies: do well to them which hate you.

28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which hurt you.

29 (M)And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek, offer also the other, (N)and him that taketh away thy cloak, forbid not to take thy coat also.

30 Give to every man that asketh of thee: and of him that taketh away the things that be thine, ask them not again.

31 (O)And as ye would that men should do to you, so do ye to them likewise.

32 (P)For if ye love them which love you, [l]what thank shall ye have? for even the sinners love those that love them.

33 And if ye do good for them which do good for you, what thank shall ye have? for even the sinners do the same.

34 (Q)And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank shall ye have? for even the sinners lend to sinners, to receive the like.

35 Wherefore love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, [m]looking for nothing again, and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of (R)the most High: for he is kind unto the unkind, and to the evil.

36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

37 (S)[n]Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: [o]forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.

38 Give, and it shall be given unto you: (T)a good measure, [p]pressed down, shaken together and running over shall men give into your bosom: for with what measure ye mete, with the same shall men mete to you again.

39 [q]And he spake a parable unto them, (U)Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?

40 (V)The disciple is not above the master: but whosoever will be a perfect disciple, shall be as his master.

41 (W)[r]And why seest thou a mote in thy brother’s eye, and considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou seest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Hypocrite, cast out the beam out of thine own eye first, and then shalt thou see perfectly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.

43 (X)[s]For it is not a good tree that bringeth forth evil fruit: neither an evil tree, that bringeth forth good fruit.

44 (Y)For every tree is known by his own fruit: (Z)for neither of thorns gather men figs, nor of bushes gather they grapes.

45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

46 (AA)But why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things that I speak?

47 [t]Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my words, and doeth the same, I will show you to whom he is like:

48 He is like a man which built an house, and dug deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the waters arose, the flood beat upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was grounded upon a rock.

49 But he that heareth and doeth not, is like a man that built an house upon the earth without foundation, against which the flood did beat, and it fell by and by: and the fall of that house was great.

Footnotes

  1. Luke 6:1 Christ showeth against the superstitious, who stick in every trifle, that the Law of the very Sabbath, was not given to be kept without exception: much less that the salvation of man should consist in the outward keeping of it.
  2. Luke 6:1 Epiphanius noteth well in his treatise, where he confuteth Ebion, that the time, when the disciples plucked the ears of the corn, was in the feast of unleavened bread: Now, whereas in these feasts which were kept many days together, as the feast of Tabernacles, and the Passover, their first day and their last were of like solemnity, Lev. 23. Luke fitly calleth the last day the second Sabbath, though Theophylact understandeth it of any other of them, that followed the first.
  3. Luke 6:6 Charity is the rule of all ceremonies.
  4. Luke 6:9 Whoso helpeth not his neighbor when he can, he killeth him.
  5. Luke 6:12 In that, that Christ useth earnest and long prayer, in choosing twelve of his own company, to the office of the Apostleship, he showeth how religiously we ought to behave ourselves in the choice of Ecclesiastical persons.
  6. Luke 6:17 From all the seacoast, which is called Syro-Phoenecia.
  7. Luke 6:20 Christ teacheth against all Philosophers, and especially the Epicureans, that the chiefest felicity of man is laid up in no place here on earth, but in heaven: and that persecution for righteousness’ sake, is the right way unto it.
  8. Luke 6:22 Cast you out of their Synagogues, as John expoundeth it, John 16:2, which is the sharpest punishment the Church hath, if so be the Elders judge rightfully, and by the word of God.
  9. Luke 6:23 Leaps (as cattle do, which are provender pricked) for exceeding joy.
  10. Luke 6:24 That is, you reap now of your riches, all the commodities and blessings you are ever likely to have, and therefore, you have not to look for any other reward, Matt. 6:2.
  11. Luke 6:27 Christian charity, which differeth much from the worldly, doth not only not revenge injuries, but comprehended even our most grievous enemies, and that for our Father’s sake, which is in heaven: so far is it, from seeking its own profit in doing well.
  12. Luke 6:32 What is there in this your work, that is to be accounted of? for if you look to have commodity by loving, seek those commodities, which are commodities indeed: love your enemies, and so you shall show to the world that you look for those commodities, which come from God.
  13. Luke 6:35 When you will lend, do it only to benefit and pleasure withall, and not for hope, to receive the principal again.
  14. Luke 6:37 Brotherly reprehension must not proceed of curiosity, nor churlishness, nor malice, but they must be just, moderate, and loving.
  15. Luke 6:37 He speaketh not here of civil judgments, and therefore by the word, forgive, is meant that good nature, which the Christians use in suffering and pardoning wrongs.
  16. Luke 6:38 These are borrowed kinds of speeches taken from them which use to measure dry things, as corn and such like, who use a frank kind of dealing therein, and thrust it down and shake it together, and press it and heap it.
  17. Luke 6:39 Unskillful reprehenders hurt both themselves and others: for such as the master is, such is the scholar.
  18. Luke 6:41 Hypocrites, which are very severe reprehenders of others, are very quick of sight to spy other men’s faults, but very blind to see their own.
  19. Luke 6:43 He is a good man, not that is skillful to reprehend others, but he that proveth his uprightness in word and deed.
  20. Luke 6:47 Affliction doth at the length discern true godliness from false and feigned.

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath(A)

One 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.(B) Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”(C)

Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?(D) He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat.(E) And he also gave some to his companions.” Then Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man(F) is Lord of the Sabbath.”

On another Sabbath(G) he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely(H) to see if he would heal on the Sabbath.(I) But Jesus knew what they were thinking(J) and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there.

Then 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?”

10 He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. 11 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were furious(K) and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.

The Twelve Apostles(L)

12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.(M) 13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:(N) 14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew,(O) Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Blessings and Woes(P)

17 He 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,(Q) 18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, 19 and the people all tried to touch him,(R) because power was coming from him and healing them all.(S)

20 Looking at his disciples, he said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,
    for yours is the kingdom of God.(T)
21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
    for you will be satisfied.(U)
Blessed are you who weep now,
    for you will laugh.(V)
22 Blessed are you when people hate you,
    when they exclude you(W) and insult you(X)
    and reject your name as evil,
        because of the Son of Man.(Y)

23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy,(Z) because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.(AA)

24 “But woe to you who are rich,(AB)
    for you have already received your comfort.(AC)
25 Woe to you who are well fed now,
    for you will go hungry.(AD)
Woe to you who laugh now,
    for you will mourn and weep.(AE)
26 Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,
    for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.(AF)

Love for Enemies(AG)

27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,(AH) 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.(AI) 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.(AJ) 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.(AK)

32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?(AL) Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you?(AM) Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them,(AN) and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children(AO) of the Most High,(AP) because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful,(AQ) just as your Father(AR) is merciful.

Judging Others(AS)

37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.(AT) Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.(AU) 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.(AV) For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”(AW)

39 He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?(AX) 40 The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.(AY)

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? 42 How 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.

A Tree and Its Fruit(AZ)

43 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit.(BA) People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 A 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.(BB)

The Wise and Foolish Builders(BC)

46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’(BD) and do not do what I say?(BE) 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice,(BF) I will show you what they are like. 48 They 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. 49 But 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.”