Luke 6:24-26

6:24 “But woe ¹  to you who are rich, for you have received ²  your comfort ³  already.

6:25 “Woe to you who are well satisfied with food ⁴  now, for you will be hungry.

“Woe to you ⁵  who laugh ⁶  now, for you will mourn and weep.

6:26 “Woe to you ⁷  when all people ⁸  speak well of you, for their ancestors ⁹  did the same things to the false prophets.

[6:24]  ¹ sn Jesus promises condemnation (woe) to those who are callous of others, looking only to their own comforts. On Luke and the rich see 1:53; 12:16; 14:12; 16:1, 21-22; 18:23; 19:2; 21:1. These woes are unique to Luke.

[6:24]  ² sn Ironically the language of reward shows that what the rich have received is all they will get. This result looks at a current situation, just as the start of the beatitudes did. The rest of the conclusions to the woes look to the future at the time of judgment.

[6:24]  ³ tn Grk “your consolation.”

[6:25]  ⁴ tn Grk “who are filled.” See L&N 23.18 for the translation “well satisfied with food.”

[6:25]  ⁵ tc The wording “to you” (ὑμῖν, Jumin) is lacking in several witnesses (א B K L T W Θ Ξ 0147 Ë^1,13 579 700 892 1241 2542 al), though found in most (Ì⁷⁵ A D Q Ψ 33 Ï lat co). The longer reading looks to be a clarifying addition; nevertheless, “to you” is included in the translation because of English requirements.

[6:25]  ⁶ sn That is, laugh with happiness and joy.

[6:26]  ⁷ tc The wording “to you” (ὑμῖν, Jumin) is lacking throughout the ms tradition except for a few witnesses (D W* Δ 1424 pc co). The Western witnesses tend to add freely to the text. Supported by the vast majority of witnesses and the likelihood that “to you” is a clarifying addition, the shorter reading should be considered original; nevertheless, “to you” is included in the translation because of English requirements.

[6:26]  ⁸ tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), referring to both males and females.

[6:26]  ⁹ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”