Luke 6–8

Lord of the Sabbath

6On a Sabbath, ^bHe passed through the grainfields. ^cHis disciples were picking heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them. ²But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” ^d

³Jesus answered them, “Haven’t you read what David and those who were with him did when he was hungry— ⁴how he entered the house of God, and took and ate the ^•sacred bread, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat? ^eHe even gave some to those who were with him.” ^f5Then He told them, “The ^•Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

The Man with the Paralyzed Hand

⁶On another Sabbath ^gHe entered the synagogue and was teaching. A man was there whose right hand was paralyzed. ⁷The scribes and Pharisees were watching Him closely, ^hto see if He would heal on the Sabbath, so that they could find a charge against Him. ⁱ⁸But He knew their thoughts ^jand told the man with the paralyzed hand, “Get up and stand here.” ^kSo he got up and stood there. ⁹Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do what is good or to do what is evil, to save life or to destroy it?” ^l10After looking around at them all, ^mHe told him, “Stretch out your hand.” ⁿHe did so, and his hand was restored. ^o11They, however, were filled with rage and started discussing with one another what they might do to Jesus.

The 12 Apostles

¹²During those days He went out to the mountain to pray ^pand spent all night in prayer to God. ¹³When daylight came, He summoned His disciples, ^qand He chose 12 of them—He also named them apostles: ^r

¹⁴Simon, whom He also named Peter,

and Andrew his brother;

James and John;

Philip and Bartholomew;

¹⁵Matthew and Thomas; ^s

James the son of Alphaeus,

and Simon called the Zealot;

¹⁶Judas the son of James,

and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Teaching and Healing

¹⁷After coming down with them, He stood on a level place with a large crowd of His disciples and a great number of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon. ^t18They came to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases; and those tormented by unclean spirits were made well. ¹⁹The whole crowd was trying to touch Him, ^ubecause power was coming out from Him and healing them all. ^v

The Beatitudes

²⁰Then looking up at ^wHis disciples, He said: ^x

You who are poor are blessed,

because the kingdom of God is yours.

²¹You who are now hungry are blessed,

because you will be filled.

You who now weep are blessed,

because you will laugh.

²²You are blessed when people hate you,

when they exclude you, ^yinsult you,

and slander your name as evil ^z

because of the Son of Man. ^a

²³“Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! Take note—your reward is great in heaven, for this is the way their ancestors used to treat the prophets. ^b

Woe to the Self-Satisfied

²⁴But woe to you who are rich,

for you have received your comfort.

²⁵Woe to you who are now full,

for you will be hungry.

Woe to you ^cwho are now laughing,

for you will mourn and weep.

²⁶Woe to you ^d

when all people speak well of you,

for this is the way their ancestors

used to treat the false prophets. ^e

Love Your Enemies

²⁷“But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you, ²⁸bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. ^f29If anyone hits you on the cheek, ^goffer the other also. And if anyone takes away your coat, don’t hold back your shirt either. ³⁰Give to everyone who asks you, and from one who takes your things, don’t ask for them back. ³¹Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them. ^h32If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. ⁱ³³If you do what is 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 to receive, what credit is that to you? ^jEven sinners lend to sinners to be repaid in full. ³⁵But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. ^kFor He is gracious to the ungrateful and evil. ³⁶Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. ^l

Do Not Judge

³⁷“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. ^mDo not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. ⁿ³⁸Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over—will be poured into your lap. ^oFor with the measure you use, ^pit will be measured back to you.” ^q

³⁹He also told them a parable: “Can the blind guide the blind? Won’t they both fall into a pit? ^r40A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher. ^s

⁴¹“Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but don’t notice the log in your own eye? ⁴²Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself don’t see the log in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck in your brother’s eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit

⁴³“A good tree doesn’t produce bad fruit; on the other hand, a bad tree doesn’t produce good fruit. ^t44For each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs aren’t gathered from thornbushes, or grapes picked from a bramble bush. ⁴⁵A good man produces good out of the good storeroom of his heart. An evil man produces evil out of the evil storeroom, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.

The Two Foundations

⁴⁶“Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things I say? ^u47I will show you what someone is like who comes to Me, hears My words, and acts on them: ^v48He is like a man building a house, who dug deep ^wand laid the foundation on the rock. When the flood came, the river crashed against that house and couldn’t shake it, because it was well built. ⁴⁹But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The river crashed against it, and immediately it collapsed. And the destruction of that house was great!” ^x

A Centurion’s Faith

7When He had concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum. ^y2A centurion’s slave, who was highly valued by him, was sick and about to die. ³When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to Him, requesting Him to come and save the life of his slave. ⁴When they reached Jesus, they pleaded with Him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy for You to grant this, ⁵because he loves our nation and has built us a synagogue.” ^z6Jesus went with them, and when He was not far from ^athe house, the centurion sent friends to tell Him, “Lord, don’t trouble Yourself, since I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. ⁷That is why I didn’t even consider myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be cured. ^bc8For I too am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under my command. ^dI say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

⁹Jesus heard this and was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following Him, He said, “I tell you, I have not found so great a faith even in Israel!” ¹⁰When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.

A Widow’s Son Raised to Life

¹¹Soon afterward He was on His way to a town called Nain. His disciples and a large crowd were traveling with Him. ¹²Just as He neared the gate of the town, a dead man was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow. ^eA large crowd from the city was also with her. ¹³When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her ^fand said, “Don’t cry.” ¹⁴Then He came up and touched the open coffin, ^gand the pallbearers stopped. And He said, “Young man, I tell you, get up!” ^h

¹⁵The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. ⁱ¹⁶Then fear ^jcame over everyone, ^kand they glorified God, ^lsaying, “A great prophet has risen among us,” ^mand “God has visited ⁿHis people.” ^o17This report about Him went throughout Judea and all the vicinity.

In Praise of John the Baptist

¹⁸Then John’s disciples told him about all these things. ^pSo John summoned two of his disciples ¹⁹and sent them to the Lord, asking, “Are You the One ^qwho is to come, or should we look for someone else?”

²⁰When the men reached Him, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask You, ‘Are You the One who is to come, or should we look for someone else?’ ”

²¹At that time Jesus healed many people of diseases, ^rplagues, and evil spirits, ^sand He granted sight to many blind people. ^t22He replied to them, “Go and report to John the things you have seen and heard: The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with skin diseases are healed, ^uthe deaf hear, ^vthe dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news. ^w23And anyone who is not ^•offended because of Me is blessed.” ²⁴After John’s messengers left, He began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind? ²⁵What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft robes? Look, those who are splendidly dressed ^xand live in luxury are in royal palaces. ²⁶What then did you go out to see? A prophet? ^yYes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet. ²⁷This is the one it is written about:

Look, I am sending My messenger

ahead of You; ^z

he will prepare Your way before You. ^ab

²⁸I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John, ^cbut the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

²⁹(And when all the people, including the tax collectors, heard this, they acknowledged God’s way of righteousness, ^dbecause they had been baptized with John’s baptism. ^e30But since the Pharisees and experts in the law ^fhad not been baptized by him, they rejected the plan of God for themselves. ^g)

An Unresponsive Generation

³¹“To what…