Luke 6:20

Easy-to-Read Version

Jesus looked at his followers and said, "Great blessings belong to you who are poor. God's kingdom belongs to you.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then looking up at his disciples, he said:

King James Version (1611)
And hee lifted vp his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be yee poore: for yours is the kingdome of God.

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

English Standard Version
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

New American Standard Bible
And He raised His eyes toward His disciples and began saying, "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

New Century Version
Jesus looked at his followers and said, "You people who are poor are blessed, because the kingdom of God belongs to you.

Amplified Bible
And looking toward His disciples, He began speaking: "Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired] are you who are poor [in spirit, those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant], for the kingdom of God is yours [both now and forever].

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And turning His gaze toward His disciples, He began to say, "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

Legacy Standard Bible
And turning His gaze toward His disciples, He began to say,"Blessed are the poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

Berean Standard Bible
Looking up at His disciples, Jesus said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

Contemporary English Version
Jesus looked at his disciples and said: God will bless you people who are poor. His kingdom belongs to you!

Complete Jewish Bible
He looked at his talmidim and said: "How blessed are you poor! for the Kingdom of God is yours.

Darby Translation
And *he*, lifting up his eyes upon his disciples, said, Blessed [are] ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And hee lifted vp his eyes vpon his disciples, and sayd, Blessed be ye poore: for yours is the kingdome of God.

George Lamsa Translation
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples and said, Blessed are you poor, for the kingdom of God is yours.

Good News Translation
Jesus looked at his disciples and said, "Happy are you poor; the Kingdom of God is yours!

Lexham English Bible
And he lifted up his eyes to his disciples and said, "Blessed are the poor, because yours is the kingdom of God.

Literal Translation
And lifting up His eyes to His disciples, He said: Blessed are the poor, for the kingdom of God is yours.

American Standard Version
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed are ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

Bible in Basic English
And turning his eyes to his disciples he said, Happy are you who are poor: for the kingdom of God is yours.

Hebrew Names Version
He lifted up his eyes to his talmidim, and said, "Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God.

International Standard Version
Then Jesushe">[fn] looked at his disciples and said,Matthew 5:3; 11:5; James 2:5;">[xr] "How blessed are you who are destitute, for the kingdom of God is yours!

Etheridge Translation
AND he lifted up his eyes upon his disciples, and said, Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of Aloha.

Murdock Translation
And he lifted his eyes upon his disciples, and said: Blessed are ye poor; for the kingdom of God is yours.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he lyft vp his eyes vpon his disciples, and sayde: Blessed be ye poore, for yours is the kyngdome of God.

English Revised Version
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed are ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

World English Bible
He lifted up his eyes to his disciples, and said, "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And lifting up his eyes on his disciples, he said, Happy are ye poor: for your's is the kingdom of God.

Weymouth's New Testament
Then fixing His eyes upon His disciples, Jesus said to them, "Blessed are you poor, because the Kingdom of God is yours.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne hise iyen weren cast vp in to hise disciplis, he seide, Blessid be ye, `pore men, for the kyngdom of God is youre.

Update Bible Version
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed [are] you poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed [are ye] poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

New English Translation
Then he looked up at his disciples and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God belongs to you.

New King James Version
Matthew 5:1-12">[xr] Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: "Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God.

New Living Translation
Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said, "God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours.

New Life Bible
He looked at His followers and said, "Those of you who are poor are happy, because the holy nation of God is yours.

New Revised Standard
Then he looked up at his disciples and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, he, lifting up his eyes towards his disciples, was saying: - Happy, ye destitute, for, yours, is the kingdom of God.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he, lifting up his eyes on his disciples, said: Blessed are ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

Revised Standard Version
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And he lifted vp his eyes apon the disciples and sayde: Blessed be ye poore: for yours is the kyngdome of God.

Young's Literal Translation
And he, having lifted up his eyes to his disciples, said: `Happy the poor -- because yours is the reign of God.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And he lift vp his eyes vpo his disciples, and sayde: Blessed are ye poore, for yours is the kyngdome of God.

Mace New Testament (1729)
Then directing himself to his disciples, he said, blessed are ye, that are poor: for the divine kingdom is yours.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Jesus looked out over the crowd and said, "Everyone who is poor is blessed, because God has given his outfit to you.

Contextual Overview

²⁰ Jesus looked at his followers and said, "Great blessings belong to you who are poor. God's kingdom belongs to you. ²¹ Great blessings belong to you who are hungry now. You will be filled. Great blessings belong to you who are crying now. You will be happy and laughing. ²² "People will hate you because you belong to the Son of Man. They will make you leave their group. They will insult you. They will think it is wrong even to say your name. When these things happen, know that great blessings belong to you. ²³ You can be happy then and jump for joy, because you have a great reward in heaven. The ancestors of those people did the same things to the prophets. ²⁴ "But how bad it will be for you rich people, because you had your easy life. ²⁵ How bad it will be for you people who are full now, because you will be hungry. How bad it will be for you people who are laughing now, because you will be sad and cry. ²⁶ "How bad it is when everyone says nothing but good about you. Just look at the false prophets. Their ancestors always said good things about them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

he lifted: Matthew 5:2-12, Matthew 12:49, Matthew 12:50, Mark 3:34, Mark 3:35

Blessed: Luke 6:24, Luke 4:18, Luke 16:25, 1 Samuel 2:8, Psalms 37:16, Psalms 113:7, Psalms 113:8, Proverbs 16:19, Proverbs 19:1, Isaiah 29:19, Isaiah 57:15, Isaiah 57:16, Isaiah 66:2, Zephaniah 3:12, Zechariah 11:11, Matthew 11:5, John 7:48, John 7:49, 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, 2 Corinthians 6:10, 2 Corinthians 8:2, 2 Corinthians 8:9, 1 Thessalonians 1:6, James 1:9, James 1:10, James 2:5, Revelation 2:9

for: Luke 12:32, Luke 13:28, Luke 14:15, Matthew 5:3, Matthew 5:10, Acts 14:22, 1 Corinthians 3:21-23, 2 Thessalonians 1:5, James 1:12

Reciprocal: Leviticus 14:21 - poor Psalms 9:18 - For the Psalms 119:141 - small Matthew 3:2 - for Romans 12:16 - condescend to men of low estate Romans 15:26 - the poor

Cross-References

Genesis 1:28
God blessed them and said to them, "Have many children. Fill the earth and take control of it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the air. Rule over every living thing that moves on the earth."

Genesis 2:19
The Lord God used dust from the ground and made every animal in the fields and every bird in the air. He brought all these animals to the man, and the man gave them all a name.

Genesis 6:8
But Noah pleased the Lord .

Genesis 6:11
When God looked at the earth, he saw that people had ruined it. Violence was everywhere, and it had ruined their life on earth.

Genesis 6:16
Make a window for the boat about 1 cubit below the roof. Put a door in the side of the boat. Make three floors in the boat: a top deck, a middle deck, and a lower deck.

Genesis 6:20
Two of every kind of bird, animal, and creeping thing will come to you so that you might keep them alive.

John 5:40
But you refuse to come to me to have that life.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples,.... Either the whole company of them, or rather the twelve apostles, whom he saw coming to him, and fixing his eyes on them, he sat,

and said; what follows, with many other things recorded by Matthew:

blessed be ye poor; not only in the things of this world, having left all for Christ, but poor in Spirit, as in Matthew 5:3,

Matthew 5:3- ::

for yours is the kingdom of God; or heaven, so in Matthew 5:3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See this passage fully illustrated in the sermon on the mount, in Matt. 5–7.

Luke 6:21

That hunger now - Matthew has it, “that hunger and thirst after righteousness.” Matthew has expressed more fully what Luke has briefly, but there is no contradiction.

Luke 6:24-26

These verses have been omitted by Matthew. They seem to have been spoken to the Pharisees.

Who are rich - In this world’s goods. They loved them; they had sought for them; they found their consolation in them. It implies, farther, that they would not seek or receive consolation from the gospel. They were proud, and would not seek it; satisfied, and did not desire it; filled with cares, and had no time or disposition to attend to it. All the consolation which they had reason to expect they had received. Alas! how poor and worthless is such consolation, compared with that which the gospel would give!

Woe unto you that are full! - Not hungry. Satisfied with their wealth, and not feeling their need of anything better than earthly wealth can give. Many, alas! are thus “full.” They profess to be satisfied. They desire nothing but wealth, and a sufficiency to satisfy the wants of the body. They have no anxiety for the riches that shall endure forever.

Ye shall hunger - Your property shall be taken away, or you shall see that it is of little value; and then you shall see the need of something better. You shall feel your want and wretchedness, and shall “hunger” for something to satisfy the desires of a dying, sinful soul.

That laugh now - Are happy, or thoughtless, or joyful, or filled with levity.

Shall mourn and weep - The time is coming when you shall sorrow deeply. In sickness, in calamity, in the prospect of death, in the fear of eternity, your laughter shall be turned into sorrow. “There is” a place where you cannot laugh, and there you will see the folly of having passed the “proper time” of preparing for such scenes in levity and folly. Alas! how many thus spend their youth! and how many weep when it is too late! God gives them over, and “laughs” at their “calamity,” and mocks when their fear comes, Proverbs 1:26. To be happy in “such scenes,” it is necessary to be sober, humble, pious in early life. “Then” we need not weep in the day of calamity; then there will be no terror in death; then there will be nothing to fear in the grave.

Luke 6:26

When all men shall speak well of you - When they shall praise or applaud you. The people of the world will not praise or applaud “my” doctrine; they are “opposed” to it, and therefore, if they speak well of “you” and of “your teachings,” it is proof that you do not teach the true doctrine. If you do “not” do this, then there will be woe upon you. If men teach false doctrines for true; if they declare that God has spoken that which he has not spoken, and if they oppose what he “has” delivered, then heavy punishments will await them.

For so did their fathers - The fathers or ancestors of this people; the ancient Jews.

To the false prophets - Men who pretended to be of God - who delivered their “own” doctrines as the truth of God, and who accommodated themselves to the desires of the people. Of this number were the prophets of Baal, the false prophets who appeared in the time of Jeremiah, etc.

Luke 6:27, Luke 6:28

See Matthew 5:44-45.

Luke 6:29

See Matthew 5:39-40.

Luke 6:30

See Matthew 5:42.

Luke 6:31

See Matthew 7:12.

Luke 6:32-36

See Matthew 5:46-48.

Luke 6:37-42

See Matthew 7:1-9.

Luke 6:38

Good measure - They shall give you good measure, or “full” measure.

Pressed down - As figs or grapes might be, and thus many more might be put into the measure.

Shaken together - To make it more compact, and thus to give more.

Running over - So full that the measure would overflow.

Shall men give - This is said to be the reward of “giving” to the poor and needy; and the meaning is that the man who is liberal will find others liberal to him in dealing with them, and when he is also in circumstances of want. A man who is himself kind to the poor - who has that “character” established - will find many who are ready to help “him” abundantly when he is in want. He that is parsimonious, close, niggardly, will find few or none who will aid him.

Into your bosom - That is, to you. The word “bosom” here has reference to a custom among Oriental nations of making the bosom or front part of their garments large, so that articles could be carried in them, answering the purpose of our pockets. Compare Exodus 4:6-7; Proverbs 6:27; Ruth 3:15.

Luke 6:39

A parable - A proverb or similitude.

Can the blind lead the blind? - See the notes at Matthew 15:14.

Luke 6:40

The disciple is not ... - The learner is not above his teacher, does not know more, and must expect to fare no better. This seems to have been spoken to show them that they were not to expect that their disciples would go “beyond them” in attainments; that if they were blind, their followers would be also; and that therefore it was important for them to understand fully the doctrines of the gospel, and not to be blind leaders of the blind.

Every one that is perfect - The word rendered “is perfect” means sometimes to repair or mend, and is thus applied to mending nets, Matthew 4:21; Mark 1:19. Hence, it means to repair or amend in a moral sense, or to make whole or complete. Here it means, evidently, “thoroughly instructed” or “informed.” The Christian should be like his Master - holy, harmless, and undefiled, and separate from sinners. He should copy his example, and grow into the likeness of his Redeemer. Nor can any other be a Christian.

Luke 6:41, Luke 6:42

See the notes at Matthew 7:3-5.

Luke 6:43, Luke 6:44

See the notes at Matthew 7:16-18.

Luke 6:45

This verse is not found in the sermon on the mount as recorded by Matthew, but is recorded by him in Matthew 12:35. See the notes at that passage.

Luke 6:46-49

See the notes at Matthew 7:21-27.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 6:20. Blessed be ye poor — See the sermon on the mount paraphrased and explained, Matthew 5:11, Matthew 5:7. Matthew 5:1,ffLuke 11:1ff, Matthew 7:1ff.