Luke 6
Introduction
Luke 6 brings together two of the major themes running through Luke's Gospel: Jesus' authority over religious tradition and his ethic of the kingdom. The chapter opens with two Sabbath controversies -- plucking grain and healing a withered hand -- in which Jesus demonstrates that he is not merely reinterpreting the Law but claiming lordship over the Sabbath itself. From there, Jesus selects twelve apostles from among a larger group of disciples, a deliberate act echoing the twelve tribes of Israel and signaling the reconstitution of God's people. The chapter then pivots to the Sermon on the Plain, Luke's parallel to Matthew's Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), where Jesus delivers his foundational teaching on what life in the kingdom looks like.
The Sermon on the Plain is shorter and more pointed than Matthew's version, with four blessings matched by four corresponding woes -- a characteristic Lukan emphasis on economic reversal and divine justice. Jesus then unfolds the implications of kingdom life: love for enemies, refusal to judge, generosity without calculation, and the insistence that genuine discipleship must bear fruit in action, not merely in words. The chapter closes with the parable of two builders, making clear that hearing Jesus' words without doing them is self-deception.
Lord of the Sabbath (vv. 1-5)
1 One Sabbath Jesus was passing through the grainfields, and His disciples began to pick the heads of grain, rub them in their hands, and eat them. 2 But some of the Pharisees asked, "Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?"
3 Jesus replied, "Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, took the consecrated bread and gave it to his companions, and ate what is lawful only for the priests to eat." 5 Then Jesus declared, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."
1 Now it happened on a Sabbath that he was passing through grainfields, and his disciples were plucking and eating the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. 2 But some of the Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is not permitted on the Sabbath?"
3 And Jesus answered them, "Have you not even read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him -- 4 how he entered the house of God, took the bread of the Presence, and ate it and gave it to those with him, which is not permitted for any but the priests to eat?" 5 And he said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."
Notes
There is a significant textual variant in verse 1. The Byzantine and Textus Receptus traditions read ἐν σαββάτῳ δευτεροπρώτῳ ("on the second-first Sabbath"), a puzzling phrase that has generated much scholarly debate. The critical text, following the earliest manuscripts, simply reads ἐν σαββάτῳ ("on a Sabbath"). The longer reading may refer to the first Sabbath after the second day of Passover, when the grain harvest began, but its meaning remains uncertain, which likely explains why later scribes omitted it.
The verb ἔτιλλον ("were plucking") and the participle ψώχοντες ("rubbing") describe the action of stripping grain heads and removing the chaff by hand. Deuteronomy 23:25 explicitly permitted plucking grain from a neighbor's field by hand; the Pharisees' objection was not about theft but about the act of harvesting on the Sabbath. Rabbinic tradition classified rubbing grain as a form of threshing, one of the thirty-nine categories of work prohibited on the Sabbath.
Jesus responds with the precedent of David eating the ἄρτους τῆς προθέσεως ("bread of the Presence" or "showbread") from 1 Samuel 21:1-6. The argument is from lesser to greater: if David, in a time of need, could override the ceremonial law governing the tabernacle bread, how much more can the Son of Man -- who is greater than David -- authorize his disciples' actions on the Sabbath? The climactic declaration in verse 5, Κύριός ἐστιν τοῦ σαββάτου ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ("The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath"), is a weighty claim. The Sabbath was instituted by God himself at creation (Genesis 2:2-3); to claim lordship over it is to claim divine authority. The parallel accounts are found at Matthew 12:1-8 and Mark 2:23-28.
Healing on the Sabbath (vv. 6-11)
6 On another Sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7 Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He would heal on the Sabbath.
8 But Jesus knew their thoughts and said to the man with the withered hand, "Get up and stand among us." So he got up and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?" 10 And after looking around at all of them, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and it was restored. 11 But the scribes and Pharisees were filled with rage and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.
6 And it happened on another Sabbath that he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7 The scribes and the Pharisees were watching him closely to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a charge against him.
8 But he knew their reasonings and said to the man who had the withered hand, "Rise and stand in the middle." And he rose and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it permitted on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save a life or to destroy it?" 10 And looking around at all of them, he said to him, "Stretch out your hand." And he did so, and his hand was restored. 11 But they were filled with senseless rage and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.
Notes
Luke alone specifies that it was the man's δεξιά ("right") hand, a detail characteristic of Luke's attention to specifics (compare his mention of the "right ear" in Luke 22:50). The word ξηρά ("withered" or "dried up") suggests a condition in which the hand had atrophied or was paralyzed -- not a congenital defect but a loss of former function.
The verb παρετηροῦντο ("were watching closely") is in the imperfect middle, suggesting sustained, hostile surveillance. The religious leaders were not seeking truth but ammunition. Jesus' response is to bring the confrontation into the open -- he commands the man to stand εἰς τὸ μέσον ("in the middle"), making the healing impossible to ignore.
Jesus' question in verse 9 uses the infinitives ἀγαθοποιῆσαι ("to do good") and κακοποιῆσαι ("to do evil"), framing the issue as a binary: there is no neutral ground on the Sabbath. To refrain from doing good when one can is itself a form of doing evil. The parallel is even sharper with ψυχὴν σῶσαι ἢ ἀπολέσαι ("to save a life or to destroy it"), which ironically describes what the Pharisees themselves are contemplating -- destroying Jesus.
Luke uses the rare word ἀνοίας ("senseless rage" or "folly") in verse 11, a word found only here and at 2 Timothy 3:9 in the New Testament. It suggests not merely anger but a kind of irrational madness -- they have witnessed a miracle and respond with fury rather than worship. The parallel accounts are at Matthew 12:9-14 and Mark 3:1-6.
Choosing the Twelve Apostles (vv. 12-16)
12 In those days Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and He spent the night in prayer to God. 13 When daylight came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated as 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 called the Zealot; 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
12 In those days he went out to the mountain to pray, and he spent the whole night in prayer to God. 13 And when day came, he summoned his disciples and chose twelve from among them, whom he also 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.
Notes
Luke emphasizes the prayer that precedes this decision more than the other Gospel writers. The verb διανυκτερεύων ("spending the night") appears only here in the entire New Testament. The phrase ἐν τῇ προσευχῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ ("in prayer to God") could also be translated "in the prayer of God," suggesting a quality or intensity of prayer directed uniquely toward God. This all-night prayer session underscores the gravity of selecting the Twelve -- it was not a casual decision but one saturated in communion with the Father.
The word ἀποστόλους ("apostles") means "ones sent out" -- commissioned agents with delegated authority. Luke is the only Synoptic writer who records that Jesus himself gave them this title at the time of their selection. The term carried weight in the ancient world: an ἀπόστολος was a legal representative who bore the full authority of the one who sent him.
The list of the Twelve varies slightly across the Gospels (Matthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:16-19, Acts 1:13), but all four lists agree on the first name (Simon Peter) and the last (Judas Iscariot). "Simon called the Ζηλωτήν ("Zealot")" is distinctive to Luke; Matthew and Mark call him "the Cananaean," which is the Aramaic equivalent. The Zealots were a political movement fiercely opposed to Roman occupation, so this Simon's inclusion alongside Matthew the former tax collector (a Roman collaborator) illustrates the diversity of Jesus' inner circle. "Judas son of James" is likely the same person called "Thaddaeus" in Matthew and Mark. The description of Judas Iscariot as one who ἐγένετο προδότης ("became a traitor") uses a word that emphasizes the becoming -- he was not always a traitor but turned into one.
Ministry to the Multitudes (vv. 17-19)
17 Then Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of His disciples was there, along with a great number of people from all over Judea, Jerusalem, and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They had come to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases, and those troubled by unclean spirits were healed. 19 The entire crowd was trying to touch Him, because power was coming from Him and healing them all.
17 And coming down with them, he stood on a level place, with a large crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those being troubled by unclean spirits were cured. 19 And the whole crowd was seeking to touch him, because power was going out from him and healing them all.
Notes
The phrase ἐπὶ τόπου πεδινοῦ ("on a level place") has given this discourse its traditional name, "the Sermon on the Plain," distinguishing it from Matthew's "Sermon on the Mount" (Matthew 5:1). Scholars debate whether these are two accounts of the same event or records of two distinct occasions. Luke says Jesus came down from the mountain where he had prayed and chose the apostles, and stood on a level place -- possibly a plateau or flat area on the mountainside. The geographic detail serves Luke's theological purpose: Jesus descends to meet the people where they are.
The crowd's geographical origins are significant. People came from Judea and Jerusalem in the south, and from the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon in the north -- Gentile territory. Luke, writing for a primarily Gentile audience, highlights the breadth of Jesus' appeal beyond the borders of Israel.
The word δύναμις ("power") going out from Jesus echoes the healing of the woman with the hemorrhage (Luke 8:46). Luke, the physician (Colossians 4:14), is particularly attentive to the mechanics of healing. The imperfect tense ἰᾶτο ("was healing") indicates continuous, ongoing healing activity -- not a single dramatic event but a sustained outpouring of restorative power.
Beatitudes and Woes (vv. 20-26)
20 Looking up at His disciples, Jesus said:
"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
22 Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil because of the Son of Man. 23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For their fathers treated the prophets in the same way.
24 But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. 25 Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. 26 Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers treated the false prophets in the same way.
20 And lifting up his eyes toward his disciples, he said:
"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
22 Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you and cast out your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. 23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For their fathers did the same things to the prophets.
24 But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your consolation. 25 Woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. 26 Woe to you when all people speak well of you, for their fathers did the same things to the false prophets.
Notes
Luke's Beatitudes differ from Matthew's in several ways. First, they are addressed in the second person ("Blessed are you") rather than the third person ("Blessed are those"), giving them a more direct, confrontational force. Second, Luke has four beatitudes rather than Matthew's eight. Third, and most significantly, Luke speaks of the "poor" (πτωχοί) without Matthew's qualifying phrase "in spirit" (Matthew 5:3). Similarly, Luke says "you who hunger now" rather than "those who hunger and thirst for righteousness."
The word μακάριοι ("blessed") does not mean "happy" in the modern sense but rather describes the state of being favored by God, of standing in right relationship with the coming kingdom regardless of present circumstances. The πτωχοί are not merely the financially modest but the destitute -- those with no resources at all. Luke's version emphasizes real, material poverty, consistent with his Gospel's sustained attention to wealth, poverty, and economic justice (see Luke 1:52-53, Luke 4:18, Luke 16:19-31).
The four woes, unique to Luke, mirror and invert the four beatitudes with devastating symmetry. The word οὐαί ("woe") is not a curse but a cry of lament -- "how terrible for you!" The rich have ἀπέχετε τὴν παράκλησιν ὑμῶν ("already received your consolation in full"). The verb ἀπέχω is a commercial term used on receipts to mean "paid in full" -- the rich have been paid out, and there is nothing left to receive. The word παράκλησιν ("consolation") is the same word used for the messianic hope in Luke 2:25, where Simeon was waiting for "the consolation of Israel."
The verb σκιρτήσατε ("leap for joy") in verse 23 is a physical, concrete word -- the same verb used of the baby John leaping in Elizabeth's womb at Luke 1:41. The contrast between the prophets and the ψευδοπροφήταις ("false prophets") in verses 23 and 26 is sharp: true prophets were persecuted, false prophets were popular. Universal approval is a danger sign, not a badge of honor.
Interpretations
The relationship between Luke's Beatitudes and Matthew's has been a source of significant discussion. Some scholars hold that Luke preserves the more original form of Jesus' teaching, with its focus on literal poverty and material deprivation, while Matthew "spiritualized" the sayings for his audience. Others argue that both Gospels faithfully preserve different aspects of Jesus' teaching -- Jesus may well have addressed both material and spiritual poverty, and each evangelist selected the emphasis most relevant to his audience. Still others suggest these are records of two separate occasions.
Within Protestant traditions, the woes have been interpreted differently. Reformed commentators tend to read them as warnings against complacent self-sufficiency that trusts in wealth rather than God -- not a blanket condemnation of possessing resources. Liberation theology traditions, which have had significant influence on some Protestant streams, read these woes as a more direct divine judgment on economic inequality and structural injustice. Both readings find support in the broader Lukan narrative, where wealth is consistently portrayed as spiritually dangerous (Luke 12:13-21, Luke 16:13, Luke 18:24-25) but not inherently sinful (see Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10).
Love Your Enemies (vv. 27-36)
27 But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone takes your cloak, do not withhold your tunic as well. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what is yours, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? 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? Even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
27 But I say to you who are listening: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 To the one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from the one who takes your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours, do not demand it back. 31 And as you want people to do to you, do the same to them.
32 And if you love those who love you, what grace is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what grace is that to you? Even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what grace is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. 35 Rather, love your enemies and do good and lend, expecting nothing in return. And your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.
Notes
The command Ἀγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑμῶν ("Love your enemies") stands at the heart of Jesus' ethical teaching. The verb ἀγαπᾶτε is a present imperative, commanding a sustained, habitual practice -- not a one-time act but a way of life. The love demanded is not sentimental affection but deliberate, costly goodwill expressed in concrete action: doing good, blessing, praying.
In verse 29, Luke reverses the order found in Matthew. Where Matthew mentions the "right cheek" (suggesting a backhanded slap of insult, Matthew 5:39), Luke simply says σιαγόνα ("cheek"). Luke also reverses the garments: in Matthew, the cloak is taken second (Matthew 5:40); in Luke, the ἱμάτιον ("outer cloak") is taken first and the χιτῶνα ("inner tunic") is not to be withheld. This may reflect a scenario of robbery rather than a legal proceeding -- someone seizes your outer garment, and you are not to fight for your undergarment either.
The threefold rhetorical question in verses 32-34 uses the word χάρις ("grace" or "credit"), a distinctly Lukan choice. Matthew's parallel uses μισθός ("reward," Matthew 5:46). The word χάρις is theologically loaded in Luke-Acts, and its use here is suggestive: ordinary reciprocal love earns no "grace" -- it is merely self-interest. Kingdom love must exceed the calculations of mutual benefit.
The phrase υἱοὶ Ὑψίστου ("sons of the Most High") in verse 35 does not mean that enemy-love earns sonship but that it reveals it. Those who love as God loves demonstrate their family resemblance. God himself is χρηστός ("kind" or "gracious") toward the ἀχαρίστους ("ungrateful") -- a pointed wordplay between χρηστός and ἀχαρίστους.
Verse 36 is Luke's equivalent of Matthew's "Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48). Luke uses οἰκτίρμονες ("compassionate" or "merciful"), a word rooted in the Old Testament concept of God's tender mercy, particularly as expressed in Exodus 34:6 and Psalm 103:8. Where Matthew emphasizes God's perfection as the standard, Luke emphasizes his compassion -- both are true, and both are humanly impossible apart from grace.
Judging Others (vv. 37-42)
37 Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you."
39 Jesus also told them a parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.
41 Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye but fail to notice the beam in your own eye? 42 How can you say, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' while you yourself fail to see the beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! First take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
37 And do not judge, and you will not be judged. And do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you -- a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you measure, it will be measured back to you."
39 He also told them a parable: "Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A disciple is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.
41 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take out the speck in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck in your brother's eye."
Notes
Luke expands the prohibition of judging beyond Matthew's version (Matthew 7:1-2) by adding two parallel clauses: μὴ καταδικάζετε ("do not condemn") and ἀπολύετε ("forgive" or "release"). The verb ἀπολύω literally means "to release" or "to set free" -- forgiveness is pictured as releasing someone from a debt or a prison. The three imperatives — do not judge, do not condemn, forgive — are matched by three passive-voice promises, the so-called "divine passive," where God is the implied agent: refuse to judge and you will not be judged; refuse to condemn and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven.
The imagery of verse 38 is drawn from the grain market. μέτρον καλόν ("a good measure") describes grain that has been πεπιεσμένον ("pressed down"), σεσαλευμένον ("shaken together"), and ὑπερεκχυννόμενον ("running over") -- the most generous possible portion. The grain is poured εἰς τὸν κόλπον ("into your lap"), referring to the fold of a robe used as a large pocket for carrying goods. The principle is that God's generosity will always exceed our own.
The word κατηρτισμένος ("fully trained" or "fully equipped") in verse 40 comes from καταρτίζω, a verb used for mending nets (Matthew 4:21) and for being made complete or restored. The point is that a student's goal is not to surpass the teacher but to become like the teacher. In context, this may warn against self-appointed teachers who try to correct others without first being shaped by Jesus' own teaching.
The contrast between κάρφος ("speck" or "splinter") and δοκός ("log" or "beam") is intentional hyperbole. A δοκός is a large construction timber -- the main beam of a building. The image of someone walking around with a roof beam protruding from their eye while offering delicate eye surgery to another person is meant to provoke laughter and self-recognition. The verb διαβλέψεις ("you will see clearly") in verse 42 is significant: the prefix δια- suggests seeing through or seeing thoroughly. Self-examination restores moral clarity.
A Tree and Its Fruit (vv. 43-45)
43 No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. Indeed, figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor grapes from brambles. 45 The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.
43 For there is no good tree that bears rotten fruit, nor again a rotten tree that bears good fruit. 44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes harvested from a bramble bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil produces evil. For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.
Notes
The adjective σαπρόν ("rotten" or "bad") used of both tree and fruit literally means "decayed" or "putrid" -- it is the same word used of rotten fish or spoiled food. The translation "bad" in many English versions softens the force; "rotten" better captures the visceral quality of the Greek. The parallel in Matthew 7:15-20 places this teaching in the context of false prophets; Luke's placement connects it more broadly to the quality of a person's inner life.
Verse 44 moves from the metaphor to everyday observation. ἄκανθα ("thorns") and βάτος ("bramble bush") are plants common in Palestine that might superficially resemble productive plants but bear no edible fruit. The verb τρυγῶσιν ("harvest" or "gather grapes") is a specialized agricultural term used specifically for the grape harvest.
The crucial verse is 45, which shifts from horticulture to anthropology. The θησαυρός ("treasure" or "storehouse") of the heart is the accumulated deposit of a person's character, convictions, and commitments. The verb προφέρει ("brings out" or "produces") suggests that speech and action are not random but are the inevitable outflow of what has been stored within. The final statement -- ἐκ γὰρ περισσεύματος καρδίας λαλεῖ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ("for out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks") -- makes the mouth a reliable indicator of the heart's contents. The word περίσσευμα ("overflow" or "abundance") pictures the heart as a vessel that, when full, inevitably spills over into speech.
Building on the Rock (vv. 46-49)
46 Why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' but do not do what I say? 47 I will show you what he is like who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid his foundation on the rock. When the flood came, the torrent crashed against that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears My words and does not act on them is like a man who built his house on ground without a foundation. The torrent crashed against that house, and immediately it fell -- and great was its destruction!"
46 "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I say? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them -- I will show you what he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock. And when a flood came, the river burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation, against which the river burst, and immediately it collapsed -- and the destruction of that house was great."
Notes
The doubled vocative Κύριε, κύριε ("Lord, Lord") indicates urgency or emphasis, but Jesus exposes it as empty when not accompanied by obedience. The word κύριος ("Lord") is the same word used throughout the Greek Old Testament to translate the divine name YHWH. To call Jesus "Lord" is to acknowledge his authority; to disobey is to contradict that acknowledgment. The parallel in Matthew 7:21-23 develops this further with the sobering scene of people being turned away at the final judgment despite having prophesied and performed miracles in Jesus' name.
Luke's version of the parable differs in key details from Matthew's (Matthew 7:24-27). Matthew contrasts building on rock versus building on sand, a Palestinian landscape image. Luke describes a man who ἔσκαψεν καὶ ἐβάθυνεν ("dug and went deep"), a detail suggesting an urban construction process of digging through surface soil to reach bedrock. This difference may reflect Luke's Gentile audience, more familiar with Hellenistic building practices. The image of digging deep is a fitting metaphor for the hard work of genuine obedience -- it is not the easy path.
Luke's description of the collapse is equally striking: he uses the vivid noun ῥῆγμα ("ruin" or "collapse") — a word connoting not merely falling but shattering — and calls the destruction μέγα ("great"), language that resonates with eschatological judgment. The contrast between the two builders is not between those who hear and those who do not, but between those who hear and do and those who hear and do not do. Both builders heard Jesus' words. The difference lies entirely in the response. This makes the parable a fitting conclusion to the entire sermon: everything Jesus has said -- about poverty and riches, love and enemies, judgment and mercy -- demands not admiration but action.
There is a textual variant in verse 48. The critical text reads διὰ τὸ καλῶς οἰκοδομῆσθαι αὐτήν ("because it had been well built"), while the Byzantine tradition reads "because its foundation was on the rock," harmonizing with Matthew 7:25. The critical reading is generally preferred as the more difficult and distinctly Lukan form.