Bible / Luke

Luke 6

World English Bible, Catholic edition, in plain modern English. About the translations

1 Now on the second Sabbath after the first, he was going through the grain fields. His disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate, rubbing them in their hands.

2 But some of the Pharisees said to them, “Why do you do that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath day?”

3 Jesus, answering them, said, “Haven’t you read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him,

4 how he entered into God’s house, and took and ate the show bread, and gave also to those who were with him, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests alone?”

5 He said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

6 It also happened on another Sabbath that he entered into the synagogue and taught. There was a man there, and his right hand was withered.

7 The scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against him.

8 But he knew their thoughts; and he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Rise up and stand in the middle.” He arose and stood.

9 Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you something: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?”

10 He looked around at them all, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did, and his hand was restored as sound as the other.

11 But they were filled with rage, and talked with one another about what they might do to Jesus.

12 In these days, he went out to the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to God. CCC

13 When it was day, he called his disciples, and from them he chose twelve, whom he also named apostles: CCC

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

15 Matthew; Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus; Simon who was called the Zealot; CCC

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

17 He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a crowd of his disciples and a great number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases,

18 as well as those who were troubled by unclean spirits; and they were being healed.

19 All the multitude sought to touch him, for power came out of him and healed them all. CCC

20 He lifted up his eyes to his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for God’s Kingdom is yours. CCC · Fathers

21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. CCC

22 Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude and mock you, and throw out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake. CCC

23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven, for their fathers did the same thing to the prophets.

24 “But woe to you who are rich! For you have received your consolation. CCC · Fathers

25 Woe to you, you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.

26 Woe, when men speak well of you, for their fathers did the same thing to the false prophets.

27 “But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. CCC · Fathers

29 To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him who takes away your cloak, don’t withhold your coat also. Fathers

30 Give to everyone who asks you, and don’t ask him who takes away your goods to give them back again. Fathers

31 “As you would like people to do to you, do exactly so to them. CCC · Fathers

32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.

33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

34 If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much. Fathers

35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil. Fathers

36 “Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful. CCC · Fathers

37 Don’t judge, and you won’t be judged. Don’t condemn, and you won’t be condemned. Set free, and you will be set free. Fathers

38 “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be given to you. For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you.” Fathers

39 He spoke a parable to them. “Can the blind guide the blind? Won’t they both fall into a pit?

40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. Fathers

41 Why do you see the speck of chaff that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye?

42 Or how can you tell your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck of chaff that is in your eye,’ when you yourself don’t see the beam that is in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck of chaff that is in your brother’s eye.

43 “For there is no good tree that produces rotten fruit, nor again a rotten tree that produces good fruit.

44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. For people don’t gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.

45 The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings out that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings out that which is evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.

46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things which I say? Fathers

47 Everyone who comes to me, and hears my words and does them, I will show you who he is like.

48 He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep and laid a foundation on the rock. When a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it was founded on the rock.

49 But he who hears and doesn’t do, is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.”

This chapter in the Catechism and the early Church

Where the Catechism of the Catholic Church cites these verses (from its footnotes on vatican.va), and where the earliest Church Fathers quote them (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, public domain). Short quotes only; follow the links for the full text.

  1. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 1577 “Only a baptized man (vir) validly receives sacred ordination." The Lord Jesus chose men (viri) to form the college of the twelve…”
    • CCC 2600 “The Gospel according to St. Luke emphasizes the action of the Holy Spirit and the meaning of prayer in Christ's ministry. Jesus…”
  2. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 880 “When Christ instituted the Twelve, "he constituted [them] in the form of a college or permanent assembly, at the head of which…”
    • CCC 1577 “Only a baptized man (vir) validly receives sacred ordination." The Lord Jesus chose men (viri) to form the college of the twelve…”
  3. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 1577 “Only a baptized man (vir) validly receives sacred ordination." The Lord Jesus chose men (viri) to form the college of the twelve…”
  4. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 1577 “Only a baptized man (vir) validly receives sacred ordination." The Lord Jesus chose men (viri) to form the college of the twelve…”
  5. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 1577 “Only a baptized man (vir) validly receives sacred ordination." The Lord Jesus chose men (viri) to form the college of the twelve…”
  6. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 695 “Anointing. the symbolism of anointing with oil also signifies the Holy Spirit, to the point of becoming a synonym for the Holy…”
    • CCC 1116 “Sacraments are "powers that comes forth" from the Body of Christ, which is ever-living and life-giving. They are actions of the Holy…”
    • CCC 1504 “Often Jesus asks the sick to believe. He makes use of signs to heal: spittle and the laying on of hands, mud…”
  7. Read the Catechism and Fathers
    • CCC 2444 “The Church's love for the poor . . . is a part of her constant tradition." This love is inspired by the…”
    • CCC 2546 “Blessed are the poor in spirit." The Beatitudes reveal an order of happiness and grace, of beauty and peace. Jesus celebrates the…”
    • “… be forgiven unto you; be merciful, that ye may obtain mercy; with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again;" and once more, "Blessed are the poor, and those that are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God.”

      Quoted in Letter to the Philippians, St. Polycarp of Smyrna (early 2nd century), Chapter II. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  8. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 2444 “The Church's love for the poor . . . is a part of her constant tradition." This love is inspired by the…”
  9. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 2444 “The Church's love for the poor . . . is a part of her constant tradition." This love is inspired by the…”
  10. Read the Catechism and Fathers
    • CCC 2547 “The Lord grieves over the rich, because they find their consolation in the abundance of goods. "Let the proud seek and love…”
    • “And in His office of teacher this is what He has said to the rich: "Woe unto you that are rich, for ye have received your consolation;”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book III, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XIV. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  11. Read the Catechism and Fathers
    • CCC 1669 “Sacramentals derive from the baptismal priesthood: every baptized person is called to be a "blessing," and to bless. Hence lay people may…”
    • “But I say unto you, Pray for your enemies, and love them that hate you, and bless them that curse you, and pray for them that despitefully use you.”

      Quoted in First Apology, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 155), Chapter XV. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  12. Read the Fathers
    • “And let your good works shine before men, that they, seeing them, may glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

      Quoted in First Apology, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 155), Chapter XVI. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

    • “For "to him that taketh away thy coat," He says, "give to him thy cloak also; and from him that taketh away thy goods, ask them not again; and as ye would that men should do unto you, do ye unto them:”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XIII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  13. Read the Fathers
    • “Lay up treasure, therefore, in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt.”

      Quoted in First Apology, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 155), Chapter XV. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

    • “For "to him that taketh away thy coat," He says, "give to him thy cloak also; and from him that taketh away thy goods, ask them not again; and as ye would that men should do unto you, do ye unto them:”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XIII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  14. Read the Catechism and Fathers
    • CCC 1789 “Some rules apply in every case: - One may never do evil so that good may result from it; - the Golden…”
    • CCC 1970 “The Law of the Gospel requires us to make the decisive choice between "the two ways" and to put into practice the…”
    • “For "to him that taketh away thy coat," He says, "give to him thy cloak also; and from him that taketh away thy goods, ask them not again; and as ye would that men should do unto you, do ye unto them:”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XIII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  15. Read the Fathers
    • “Lay up treasure, therefore, in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt.”

      Quoted in First Apology, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 155), Chapter XV. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  16. Read the Fathers
    • “For He taught us to pray for our enemies also, saying, Love your enemies; be kind and merciful, as your heavenly Father is.”

      Quoted in Dialogue with Trypho, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 160), Chapter XCVI. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  17. Read the Catechism and Fathers
    • CCC 1458 “Without being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church. Indeed the regular confession of…”
    • CCC 2842 “This "as" is not unique in Jesus' teaching: "You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect"; "Be merciful, even…”
    • “… or railing for railing," or blow for blow, or cursing for cursing, but being mindful of what the Lord said in His teaching: "Judge not, that ye be not judged; forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you; be merciful, that ye may obtain mercy;”

      Quoted in Letter to the Philippians, St. Polycarp of Smyrna (early 2nd century), Chapter II. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  18. Read the Fathers
    • “… false witness; "not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing," or blow for blow, or cursing for cursing, but being mindful of what the Lord said in His teaching: "Judge not, that ye be not judged; forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you;”

      Quoted in Letter to the Philippians, St. Polycarp of Smyrna (early 2nd century), Chapter II. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  19. Read the Fathers
    • “… but being mindful of what the Lord said in His teaching: "Judge not, that ye be not judged; forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you; be merciful, that ye may obtain mercy; with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again;”

      Quoted in Letter to the Philippians, St. Polycarp of Smyrna (early 2nd century), Chapter II. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  20. Read the Fathers
    • “For no disciple is above the Master, but every one that is perfect shall be as his Master.”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book V, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XXXI. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  21. Read the Fathers
    • “… servant whom his Lord, when He cometh, shall find so doing." And again, "The servant who knows his Lord's will, and does it not, shall be beaten with many stripes." And, "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XXXVII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1