Luke 6:1-35 ▼

1 On the second-prime sabbath, as Jesus was passing through the corn-fields, his disciples happen'd to pluck the ears, and rubbing out the corn with their hands began to eat.

2 upon which some of the Pharisees said to them, why do you do what is not allowed to be done on the sabbath-day?

3 but Jesus replied, have you never read what David did, when he and his company were press'd with hunger?

4 how he went into the court of the tabernacle, took and eat the shew-bread, and distributed it likewise to the company, which the law allowed the priests only to eat?

5 the son of man, said he, may dispense even with the sabbath.

6 On another sabbath-day it happen'd, that he went into the synagogue to preach, where a man was present, who had the palsy in his right hand.

7 now the Scribes and Pharisees were upon the watch to see if he would work a cure upon the sabbath-day, and so have matter of accusation against him.

8 but as he knew their thoughts, he said to the man, whose hand was paralytic, rise up, and stand there in the middle, and he arose, and stood before him.

9 then said Jesus to them, I will ask you one question, which is the most allowable on the sabbath-day, to do good, or to neglect it? to save a man's life, or to let him perish?

10 then casting his eyes round the company, he said to the man, stretch out your hand, and he did so: and that hand was as sound as the other.

11 whereupon they fell into a rage, and consulted together, what measures to take against Jesus.

12 About that time, Jesus retired to a mountain to pray, and spent the whole night in an oratory.

13 when it was day, he called his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom he stiled missionarys: Simon,

14 (to whom he gave the name of Peter) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,

15 Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alpheus, and Simon surnamed the Zelot,

16 Jude the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, who prov'd the traitor.

17 At length he came down the hill with them, and stayed with the rest of his disciples in the plain, where a great multitude of people from all Judea, from Jerusalem, and the maritime country of Tyre and Sidon, came to hear him, and to have their diseases cured.

18 many that were tormented by evil spirits came likewise, and were cured.

19 so that all the people strove to touch him: for a divine virtue flowed from him, which healed them all.

20 Then directing himself to his disciples, he said, blessed are ye, that are poor: for the divine kingdom is yours.

21 blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be satisfied, blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall find matter of mirth.

22 blessed are you, when men shall hate you, discard you, reproach you, and treat you as infamous, for your attachment to the son of man.

23 then you may triumph with joy; secure of being greatly rewarded in heaven: for such was the treatment the prophets received from their forefathers.

24 But wo unto you that are rich: for you have received your consolation.

25 wo unto you that are full: for you shall be in want, wo unto you that indulge in present pleasure: for mourning and sorrow shall attend you.

26 wo unto you when the generality of men shall applaud you: for so did their forefathers behave to the false prophets.

27 But as for you, who hear me, love your enemies: do good to those, who hate you: bless those, who curse you:

28 and pray for those, who maliciously abuse you.

29 if any one strike you on one cheek, present to him the other likewise: or if any one seize your cloak, surrender your coat also.

30 give to all that ask: and if a man takes away your goods, don't demand them again.

31 behave to others in the same manner, as you desire they would behave to you.

32 for if you only love those, who love you, where's the obligation? the very heathen return love for love.

33 if you return one kind office by another, where's the obligation? the heathen themselves do as much.

34 if you lend with the expectation of gaining by it, where's the obligation? for the heathen lend to one another, for the prospect of an equivalent.

35 but as for you, love your enemies, do good, and lend without expecting any advantage from it: so shall your reward be great, in acting like the children of the most high: for he is kind to the most ungrateful wretches.