Luke 6

And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.

1One Sabbath day, Jesus walked through fields of grain. Sabbath was the special day each week for rest. His friends picked some grain, rubbed it in their hands, and ate it.

NoteThe KJV says "corn." In 1611 that meant grain of any kind, like wheat, not the yellow corn on a cob.

2And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?

2Some Pharisees asked them a question. Pharisees were teachers who cared a lot about the rules. They said, "Why are you doing what is not allowed on the Sabbath?"

3And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him;

3Jesus answered them. He said, "Have you not read what David did when he and his men were hungry?

4How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone?

4"He went into God's house. He took the special bread and ate it, and gave some to his men. Only the priests were allowed to eat that bread."

NoteThe "shewbread" was special bread kept in God's house. It was set out for God, and only the priests were allowed to eat it.

5And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

5Then Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath too."

6And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.

6On another Sabbath, Jesus went into the synagogue and taught. A synagogue is a place where people meet to learn about God. A man was there whose right hand was shriveled and did not work.

7And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.

7The scribes and Pharisees watched Jesus closely. Scribes were men who copied and studied God's law. They wanted to see if he would heal on the Sabbath, so they could blame him.

8But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.

8But Jesus knew what they were thinking. He said to the man with the bad hand, "Get up and stand here in front." So the man got up and stood there.

9Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?

9Then Jesus said to them, "Let me ask you one thing. On the Sabbath, is it right to help or to hurt? Is it right to save a life or to destroy it?"

10And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

10Jesus looked around at all of them. Then he told the man, "Reach out your hand." The man did, and his hand was made well, just like his other one.

11And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.

11This made them very angry. They talked with each other about what they could do to Jesus.

12And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

12Around that time, Jesus went up a mountain to pray. He prayed to God all night long.

13And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;

13When morning came, he called his followers to him. He chose twelve of them and called them apostles. Apostles were the special helpers he sent out.

14Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,

14They were Simon, whom he also named Peter, and Simon's brother Andrew. Also James and John, Philip and Bartholomew.

15Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes,

15Also Matthew and Thomas. Also James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon, who was called the Zealot.

16And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.

16Also Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot. Later, Judas Iscariot turned against Jesus.

17And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;

17Jesus came down the mountain with them and stood on flat ground. Many of his followers were there. A huge crowd came from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast towns of Tyre and Sidon.

18And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.

18They came to hear him and to be made well from their sicknesses. People troubled by evil spirits were healed too.

19And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.

19Everyone in the crowd tried to touch him. Power was coming out of him, and it healed them all.

NoteThe KJV says "virtue" went out of him. Here "virtue" means power, not goodness.

20And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

20Jesus looked at his followers and said, "You who are poor are blessed. God's kingdom belongs to you.

21Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

21"You who are hungry now are blessed. You will be filled. You who cry now are blessed. You will laugh.

22Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.

22"You are blessed when people hate you. You are blessed when they push you away, say mean things, and call your name bad. This happens because you belong to the Son of Man.

23Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

23"Be glad on that day. Jump for joy! God has a great gift waiting for you in heaven. Long ago, their fathers treated the prophets the very same way. Prophets were people who told others what God said.

24But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.

24"But it will be sad for you who are rich. You have already gotten your comfort.

Note"Woe unto you" is an old way of saying, "How sad for you." It is a warning, not a curse.

25Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

25"It will be sad for you who have plenty to eat now. You will be hungry. It will be sad for you who laugh now. You will be sad and cry.

26Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

26"It will be sad for you when everyone says nice things about you. Long ago, their fathers said nice things about the false prophets.

27But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

27"But I say this to you who are listening. Love the people who are against you. Be good to the people who hate you.

28Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

28"Say kind words to those who say bad words about you. Pray for the people who treat you badly.

29And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.

29"If someone hits you on one cheek, let him hit the other one too. If someone takes your coat, let him have your shirt too.

30Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

30"Give to everyone who asks you. If someone takes what is yours, do not demand it back.

31And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

31"Treat other people the way you want them to treat you.

32For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.

32"If you love only the people who love you, that is nothing special. Even bad people love those who love them.

33And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.

33"If you are good only to people who are good to you, that is nothing special. Even bad people do that.

34And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

34"If you lend only to people who will pay you back, that is nothing special. Even bad people lend to each other to get it all back.

35But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

35"Instead, love the people who are against you. Be good to them. Lend to them without hoping to get anything back. Then God will give you a great gift, and you will be children of the Most High God. He is kind even to people who are ungrateful and mean.

36Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

36"Be kind and forgiving, just like your Father is kind and forgiving.

37Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

37"Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not say others are guilty, and you will not be called guilty. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

38Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

38"Give, and you will be given to. People will pour into your lap a full basket, packed down, shaken together, and spilling over the top. The way you measure out to others is the way it will be measured back to you."

39And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?

39Jesus told them a story to teach them. He said, "Can a blind man lead another blind man? Won't they both fall into a hole?

40The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

40"A student is not greater than his teacher. But a student who learns it all will be like his teacher.

41And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

41"Why do you look at the tiny speck in your friend's eye? You do not even notice the big plank in your own eye.

42Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull 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 pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.

42"How can you say, 'Friend, let me take that speck out of your eye'? You cannot even see the big plank in your own eye. You are pretending to be good! First take the plank out of your own eye. Then you will see well enough to take the speck out of your friend's eye.

43For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

43"A good tree does not grow bad fruit. And a bad tree does not grow good fruit.

44For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.

44"You know each tree by the fruit it grows. People do not pick figs off thorn bushes. They do not pick grapes off prickly bushes.

45A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

45"A good person keeps good things in his heart, and good things come out. A bad person keeps bad things in his heart, and bad things come out. What fills a person's heart is what his mouth says.

46And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

46"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' but not do what I say?

47Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:

47"Some people come to me, hear my words, and do them. Let me show you what they are like.

48He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

48"That person is like a man building a house. He dug down deep and set the base on solid rock. When the flood came, the rushing water hit that house hard. But it could not shake it, because it was built well.

49But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

49"But some people hear my words and do not do them. That person is like a man who built a house on the ground with no base under it. The rushing water hit that house, and it fell down right away. That house was completely wrecked."