Luke 6:17-26

The Sermon on the Plain

6:17 Then ¹  he came down with them and stood on a level place. ²  And a large number ³  of his disciples had gathered ⁴  along with ⁵  a vast multitude from all over Judea, from ⁶  Jerusalem, ⁷  and from the seacoast of Tyre ⁸  and Sidon. ⁹  They came to hear him and to be healed ¹⁰  of their diseases, 6:18 and those who suffered from ¹¹  unclean ¹²  spirits were cured. 6:19 The ¹³  whole crowd was trying to touch him, because power ¹⁴  was coming out from him and healing them all.

6:20 Then ¹⁵  he looked up ¹⁶  at his disciples and said:

“Blessed ¹⁷  are you who are poor, ¹⁸  for the kingdom of God belongs ¹⁹  to you.

6:21 “Blessed are you who hunger ²⁰  now, for you will be satisfied. ²¹ 

“Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. ²² 

6:22 “Blessed are you when people ²³  hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject you as evil ²⁴  on account of the Son of Man! 6:23 Rejoice in that day, and jump for joy, because ²⁵  your reward is great in heaven. For their ancestors ²⁶  did the same things to the prophets. ²⁷ 

6:24 “But woe ²⁸  to you who are rich, for you have received ²⁹  your comfort ³⁰  already.

6:25 “Woe to you who are well satisfied with food ³¹  now, for you will be hungry.

“Woe to you ³²  who laugh ³³  now, for you will mourn and weep.

6:26 “Woe to you ³⁴  when all people ³⁵  speak well of you, for their ancestors ³⁶  did the same things to the false prophets.

[6:17]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[6:17]  ² tn Or “on a plateau.” This could refer to a message given in a flat locale or in a flat locale in the midst of a more mountainous region (Jer 21:13; Isa 13:2). It is quite possible that this sermon is a summary version of the better known Sermon on the Mount from Matt 5-7.

[6:17]  ³ tn Grk “large crowd.”

[6:17]  ⁴ tn There is no verb in Greek at this point, but since “a large crowd” (see preceding tn) is in the nominative case, one needs to be supplied.

[6:17]  ⁵ tn Grk “and.”

[6:17]  ⁶ tn Grk “and from,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[6:17]  ⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[6:17]  ⁸ map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[6:17]  ⁹ sn These last two locations, Tyre and Sidon, represented an expansion outside of traditional Jewish territory. Jesus’ reputation continued to expand into new regions.

[6:17]  ¹⁰ sn To hear him and to be healed. Jesus had a two-level ministry: The word and then wondrous acts of service that showed his message of God’s care were real.

[6:18]  ¹¹ tn Or “were oppressed by,” “were troubled with.” See L&N 22.17.

[6:18]  ¹² sn Unclean spirits refers to evil spirits. See Luke 4:33.

[6:19]  ²¹ tn Grk “And the.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[6:19]  ²² sn There was a recognition that there was great power at work through Jesus, the subject of a great debate in 11:14-23. Luke highlights Jesus’ healing ministry (5:17; 6:18; 7:7; 8:47; 9:11, 42; 14:4; 17:15; 18:42-43; 22:51; Acts 10:38).

[6:20]  ³¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[6:20]  ³² tn Grk “lifting up his eyes” (an idiom). The participle ἐπάρας (epara") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[6:20]  ³³ sn The term Blessed introduces the first of several beatitudes promising blessing to those whom God cares for. They serve as an invitation to come into the grace God offers.

[6:20]  ³⁴ sn You who are poor is a reference to the “pious poor” for whom God especially cares. See Ps 14:6; 22:24; 25:16; 34:6; 40:17; 69:29.

[6:20]  ³⁵ sn The present tense (belongs) here is significant. Jesus makes the kingdom and its blessings currently available. This phrase is unlike the others in the list with the possessive pronoun being emphasized. Jesus was saying, in effect, “the kingdom belongs even now to people like you.”

[6:21]  ⁴¹ sn You who hunger are people like the poor Jesus has already mentioned. The term has OT roots both in conjunction with the poor (Isa 32:6-7; 58:6-7, 9-10; Ezek 18:7, 16) or by itself (Ps 37:16-19; 107:9).

[6:21]  ⁴² sn The promise you will be satisfied is the first of several “reversals” noted in these promises. The beatitudes and the reversals that accompany them serve in the sermon as an invitation to enter into God’s care, because one can know God cares for those who turn to him.

[6:21]  ⁴³ sn You will laugh alludes to the joy that comes to God’s people in the salvation to come.

[6:22]  ⁵¹ tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), referring to both males and females.

[6:22]  ⁵² tn Or “disdain you”; Grk “cast out your name as evil.” The word “name” is used here as a figure of speech to refer to the person as a whole.

[6:23]  ⁶¹ tn Grk “because behold.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this clause has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

[6:23]  ⁶² tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[6:23]  ⁶³ sn Mistreatment of the prophets is something Luke often notes (Luke 11:47-51; Acts 7:51-52).

[6:24]  ⁷¹ 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]  ⁷² 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]  ⁷³ tn Grk “your consolation.”

[6:25]  ⁸¹ tn Grk “who are filled.” See L&N 23.18 for the translation “well satisfied with food.”

[6:25]  ⁸² 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]  ⁸³ sn That is, laugh with happiness and joy.

[6:26]  ⁹¹ 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]  ⁹² tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), referring to both males and females.

[6:26]  ⁹³ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”