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Luke 6

The Question about the Sabbath

1 Jesus was walking through some wheat fields on a Sabbath. His disciples began to pick the heads of wheat, rub them in their hands, and eat the grain.

2 Some Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what our Law says you cannot do on the Sabbath?”
3 Jesus answered them, “Haven't you read what David did when he and his men were hungry?

4 He went into the house of God, took the bread offered to God, ate it, and gave it also to his men. Yet it is against our Law for anyone except the priests to eat that bread.”

5 And Jesus concluded, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

The Man with a Paralyzed Hand

6 On another Sabbath Jesus went into a synagogue and taught. A man was there whose right hand was paralyzed. 7 Some teachers of the Law and some Pharisees wanted a reason to accuse Jesus of doing wrong, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. 8 But Jesus knew their thoughts and said to the man, “Stand up and come here to the front.” The man got up and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you: What does our Law allow us to do on the Sabbath? To help or to harm? To save someone's life or destroy it?”

10 He looked around at them all; then he saidt to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand became well again.

11 They were filled with rage and began to discuss among themselves what they could do to Jesus.

Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles

12 At that time Jesus went up a hill to pray and spent the whole night there praying to God. 13 When day came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he named apostles: 14 Simon (whom he named Peter) and his brother Andrew; James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, 15 Matthew and Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon (who was called the Patriot),

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

Jesus Teaches and Heals

17 When Jesus had come down from the hill with the apostles, he stood on a level place with a large number of his disciples. A large crowd of people was there from all over Judea and from Jerusalem and from the coast cities of Tyre and Sidon; 18 they had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those who were troubled by evil spirits also came and were healed.

19 All the people tried to touch him, for power was going out from him and healing them all.

Happiness and Sorrow

20 Jesus looked at his disciples and said,
“Happy are you poor;
the Kingdom of God is yours!
21 “Happy are you who are hungry now;
you will be filled!
“Happy are you who weep now;
you will laugh!
22 “Happy are you when people hate you, reject you, insult you, and say that you are evil, all because of the Son of Man!

23 Be glad when that happens and dance for joy, because a great reward is kept for you in heaven. For their ancestors did the very same things to the prophets.

24 “But how terrible for you who are rich now;
you have had your easy life!
25 “How terrible for you who are full now;
you will go hungry!
“How terrible for you who laugh now;
you will mourn and weep!

26 “How terrible when all people speak well of you; their ancestors said the very same things about the false prophets.

Love for Enemies

27 “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If anyone hits you on one cheek, let him hit the other one too; if someone takes your coat, let him have your shirt as well. 30 Give to everyone who asks you for something, and when someone takes what is yours, do not ask for it back.

31 Do for others just what you want them to do for you.
32 “If you love only the people who love you, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners love those who love them! 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners do that! 34 And if you lend only to those from whom you hope to get it back, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount! 35 No! Love your enemies and do good to them; lend and expect nothing back. You will then have a great reward, and you will be children of the Most High God. For he is good to the ungrateful and the wicked.

36 Be merciful just as your Father is merciful.

Judging Others

37 “Do not judge others, and God will not judge you; do not condemn others, and God will not condemn you; forgive others, and God will forgive you.

38 Give to others, and God will give to you. Indeed, you will receive a full measure, a generous helping, poured into your hands—all that you can hold. The measure you use for others is the one that God will use for you.”
39 And Jesus told them this parable: “One blind man cannot lead another one; if he does, both will fall into a ditch.

40 No pupils are greater than their teacher; but all pupils, when they have completed their training, will be like their teacher.
41 “Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but pay no attention to the log in your own eye?

42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Please, brother, let me take that speck out of your eye,’ yet cannot even see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will be able to see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit

43 “A healthy tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a poor tree bear good fruit. 44 Every tree is known by the fruit it bears; you do not pick figs from thorn bushes or gather grapes from bramble bushes.

45 A good person brings good out of the treasure of good things in his heart; a bad person brings bad out of his treasure of bad things. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

The Two House Builders

46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and yet don't do what I tell you? 47 Anyone who comes to me and listens to my words and obeys them—I will show you what he is like. 48 He is like a man who, in building his house, dug deep and laid the foundation on rock. The river flooded over and hit that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.

49 But anyone who hears my words and does not obey them is like a man who built his house without laying a foundation; when the flood hit that house it fell at once—and what a terrible crash that was!”

Luke 6

1 Now it came to pass on a sabbath, that he was going through the grainfields; and his disciples plucked the ears, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.2 But certain of the Pharisees said, Why do ye that which it is not lawful to do on the sabbath day?3 And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read even this, what David did, when he was hungry, he, and they that were with him;4 how he entered into the house of God, and took and ate the showbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat save for the priests alone?5 And he said unto them, The Son of man is lord of the sabbath.6 And it came to pass on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man there, and his right hand was withered.7 And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath; that they might find how to accuse him.8 But he knew their thoughts; and he said to the man that had his hand withered, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.9 And Jesus said unto them, I ask you, Is it lawful on the sabbath to do good, or to do harm? to save a life, or to destroy it?10 And he looked round about on them all, and said unto him, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored.11 But they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.12 And it came to pass in these days, that he went out into the mountain to pray; and he continued all night in prayer to God.13 And when it was day, he called his disciples; and he chose from them twelve, whom also he named apostles:14 Simon, whom he also named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip and Bartholomew,15 and Matthew and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot,16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor;17 and he came down with them, and stood on a level place, and a great multitude of his disciples, and a great number of the people from all Judaea and Jerusalem, and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;18 and they that were troubled with unclean spirits were healed.19 And all the multitude sought to touch him; for power came forth from him, and healed them all.20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed are ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy: for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for in the same manner did their fathers unto the prophets.24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.25 Woe unto you, ye that are full now! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you, ye that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for in the same manner did their fathers to the false prophets.27 But I say unto you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you,28 bless them that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you.29 To him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and from him that taketh away thy cloak withhold not thy coat also.30 Give to every one that asketh thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.32 And if ye love them that love you, what thank have ye? for even sinners love those that love them.33 And if ye do good to them that do good to you, what thank have ye? for even sinners do the same.34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? even sinners lend to sinners, to receive again as much.35 But love your enemies, and do them good, and lend, never despairing; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be sons of the Most High: for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.36 Be ye merciful, even as your Father is merciful.37 And judge not, and ye shall not be judged: and condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: release, and ye shall be released:38 give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again.39 And he spake also a parable unto them, Can the blind guide the blind? shall they not both fall into a pit?40 The disciple is not above his teacher: but every one when he is perfected shall be as his teacher.41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?42 Or how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me cast out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.43 For there is no good tree that bringeth forth corrupt fruit; nor again a corrupt tree that bringeth forth good fruit.44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.45 The good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth that which is evil: for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?47 Every one that cometh unto me, and heareth my words, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like:48 he is like a man building a house, who digged and went deep, and laid a foundation upon the rock: and when a flood arose, the stream brake against that house, and could not shake it: because it had been well builded.49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that built a house upon the earth without a foundation; against which the stream brake, and straightway it fell in; and the ruin of that house was great.

About the Good News Translation (GNT)

Scripture taken from the Good News Translation (r) (Today's English Version, Second Edition) Copyright (c) 1992 American Bible Society. Used by Permission.