Luke 6
6
Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath Day
1One Sabbath day when Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples began to break off heads of grain, rub them in their hands, and eat them. 2Some of the Pharisees said, “It’s against the Law to do that on the Sabbath day. Why are you doing it?”
3Jesus answered, “Haven’t you ever read what David did? When he and his men were hungry, 4he went into the house of God and took the holy bread. He ate the bread that only priests were allowed to eat, and he even gave it to his men.” 5Then Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath day.”
6On another Sabbath day, Jesus went into the synagogue and began teaching. A man was there whose right hand was weak and twisted. 7The Pharisees and the teachers of the law wanted to have something they could hold against Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath day. 8But Jesus knew what they were thinking. He said to the man who had the weak and twisted hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So the man got up and stood there.
9Then Jesus said to them, “What does the Law say we should do on the Sabbath day? Should we do good, or should we do evil? Should we save life, or should we destroy it?”
10He looked around at all of them. Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did this, and his hand was made as good as new. 11But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law got very angry. They began to talk to one another about what they could do to Jesus.
Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles
12On one of those days, Jesus went up onto a mountainside to pray. He spent the whole night praying to God. 13When morning came, he called his disciples together and chose 12 of them to be apostles. Here are their names:
14Simon, whom Jesus named Peter, and his brother Andrew,
James,
John,
Philip,
Bartholomew,
15Matthew,
Thomas,
James, the son of Alphaeus,
Simon, who was called the Zealot,
16Judas, the son of James,
and Judas Iscariot, who later handed Jesus over to his enemies.
Jesus Gives Blessings and Warnings
17Jesus came down from the mountain with these men and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there, along with a large number of other people from all over Judea, including Jerusalem, and from the coastland around Tyre and Sidon. 18They had all come to hear Jesus and to be healed of their sicknesses. People who were troubled by evil spirits were made well, 19and everyone was trying to touch Jesus because power was coming from him and healing them all.
20Jesus looked at his disciples and said to them,
“Blessed are you who are poor,
because God’s kingdom belongs to you.
21Blessed are you who are hungry now,
because you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who mourn now,
because you will laugh.
22Blessed are you when people hate you,
when they have nothing to do with you,
when they say bad things about you,
and when they treat your name as evil because of the Son of Man.
23“The prophets of long ago were treated in the same way. So when these things happen to you, be glad and jump for joy. You will receive many blessings in heaven.
24“But woe to you who are rich!
You’ve already had your easy life.
25Woe to you who are well fed now!
You will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now!
You will cry and be sad.
26Woe to you when everyone says good things about you!
That’s how they treated the false prophets long ago.
Love Your Enemies
27“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who call down curses on you, and pray for those who treat you badly. 29Suppose someone slaps you on one cheek. Then let them slap you on the other cheek as well. Suppose someone takes your coat. Don’t stop them from taking your shirt too. 30Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, don’t try to get it back. 31Do to others as you want them to do to you.
32“Suppose you love those who love you. Should anyone praise you for that? Even sinners love those who love them. 33Suppose you do good to those who are good to you. Should anyone praise you? Even sinners do the same. 34And suppose you lend money to those who can pay you back. Should anyone praise you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting them to pay everything back. 35But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then you will have a great reward. You will be children of the Most High God, who is kind to people who do wrong and are ungrateful. 36Show mercy to others, just as your Father shows mercy.
Be Fair When You Judge Other People
37“If you don’t judge other people, then you won’t be judged yourself. If you don’t condemn others, then you won’t be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38Give, and it will be given to you. A full amount will be poured into your lap, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. The same measure you use for others will be used for you.”
39Jesus also gave them an illustration. He asked, “Can a person who is blind lead another blind person? Won’t they both fall into a pit? 40The student isn’t better than the teacher, but everyone who is completely trained will be like their teacher.
41“You look at the bit of sawdust in your friend’s eye, but you pay no attention to the chunk of wood in your own eye. 42While there is a log in your own eye, how can you say to your friend, ‘Let me take the bit of sawdust out of your eye’? Hypocrite! First take the piece of wood out of your own eye, and then you’ll be able to see clearly to take the bit of sawdust out of your friend’s eye.
A Tree and Its Fruit
43“A good tree doesn’t bear bad fruit, and a bad tree doesn’t bear good fruit. 44You can tell any tree by the kind of fruit it bears. People don’t pick figs from thorns, and they don’t pick grapes from bushes. 45A good person says good things that come from the good stored up in their heart, but a bad person says bad things that come from the evil stored up in their heart, because a person’s mouth says whatever’s in their heart.
The Wise and Foolish Builders
46“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I say? 47People who come and listen to me and do what I say are like this: 48They’re like a person who builds a house by digging down deep and laying its foundation on solid rock. When a flood comes, the river rushes against it, but the house can’t be shaken because it is well built. 49But here’s what people are like who listen to my words but don’t obey them: They’re like a person who builds a house on soft ground instead of solid rock. The moment the river rushes against that house, it falls down and is destroyed.”
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Luke 6
6
In Charge of the Sabbath
1-2On a certain Sabbath Jesus was walking through a field of ripe grain. His disciples were pulling off heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands to get rid of the chaff, and eating them. Some Pharisees said, “Why are you doing that, breaking a Sabbath rule?”
3-4But Jesus stood up for them. “Have you never read what David and those with him did when they were hungry? How he entered the sanctuary and ate fresh bread off the altar, bread that no one but priests were allowed to eat? He also handed it out to his companions.”
5Then he said, “The Son of Man is no slave to the Sabbath; he’s in charge.”
6-8On another Sabbath he went to the meeting place and taught. There was a man there with a crippled right hand. The religion scholars and Pharisees had their eyes on Jesus to see if he would heal the man, hoping to catch him in a Sabbath violation. He knew what they were up to and spoke to the man with the crippled hand: “Get up and stand here before us.” He did.
9Then Jesus addressed them, “Let me ask you something: What kind of action suits the Sabbath best? Doing good or doing evil? Helping people or leaving them helpless?”
10-11He looked around, looked each one in the eye. He said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” He held it out—it was as good as new! They were beside themselves with anger, and started plotting how they might get even with him.
The Twelve Apostles
12-16At about that same time he climbed a mountain to pray. He was there all night in prayer before God. The next day he summoned his disciples; from them he selected twelve he designated as apostles:
Simon, whom he named Peter,
Andrew, his brother,
James,
John,
Philip,
Bartholomew,
Matthew,
Thomas,
James, son of Alphaeus,
Simon, called the Zealot,
Judas, son of James,
Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
You’re Blessed
17-21Coming down off the mountain with them, he stood on a plain surrounded by disciples, and was soon joined by a huge congregation from all over Judea and Jerusalem, even from the seaside towns of Tyre and Sidon. They had come both to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. Those disturbed by evil spirits were healed. Everyone was trying to touch him—so much energy surging from him, so many people healed! Then he spoke:
You’re blessed when you’ve lost it all.
God’s kingdom is there for the finding.
You’re blessed when you’re ravenously hungry.
Then you’re ready for the Messianic meal.
You’re blessed when the tears flow freely.
Joy comes with the morning.
22-23“Count yourself blessed every time someone cuts you down or throws you out, every time someone smears or blackens your name to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and that that person is uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—skip like a lamb, if you like!—for even though they don’t like it, I do . . . and all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company; my preachers and witnesses have always been treated like this.
Give Away Your Life
24But it’s trouble ahead if you think you have it made.
What you have is all you’ll ever get.
25And it’s trouble ahead if you’re satisfied with yourself.
Your self will not satisfy you for long.
And it’s trouble ahead if you think life’s all fun and games.
There’s suffering to be met, and you’re going to meet it.
26“There’s trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests—look how many scoundrel preachers were approved by your ancestors! Your task is to be true, not popular.
27-30“To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the supple moves of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more payback. Live generously.
31-34“Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that’s charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that.
35-36“I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You’ll never—I promise—regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we’re at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind.
37-38“Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don’t condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you’ll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity.”
39-40He quoted a proverb: “‘Can a blind man guide a blind man?’ Wouldn’t they both end up in the ditch? An apprentice doesn’t lecture the master. The point is to be careful who you follow as your teacher.
41-42“It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this I-know-better-than-you mentality again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your own part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.
Work the Words into Your Life
43-45“You don’t get wormy apples off a healthy tree, nor good apples off a diseased tree. The health of the apple tells the health of the tree. You must begin with your own life-giving lives. It’s who you are, not what you say and do, that counts. Your true being brims over into true words and deeds.
46-47“Why are you so polite with me, always saying ‘Yes, sir,’ and ‘That’s right, sir,’ but never doing a thing I tell you? These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on.
48-49“If you work the words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who dug deep and laid the foundation of his house on bedrock. When the river burst its banks and crashed against the house, nothing could shake it; it was built to last. But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a dumb carpenter who built a house but skipped the foundation. When the swollen river came crashing in, it collapsed like a house of cards. It was a total loss.”
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.