Choosing the Twelve and Sermon on the Plain
9:9; Lk 6:17-49
Mt (9:9) 10:2-4; Mk (2:14) 3:13-19; Lk 6:12-16; Jn (1:42; 6:71) 21:2, 15 (Acts 1:13)
(9:9)
Sermon on the Level Place
(Lk 6:17-49)
17He came down with them and stood on a level place. There was a big crowd of disciples and a throng of people from Jerusalem, all over Judaea, and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon. 18They came to listen to him, and be healed from their diseases and the unclean spirits that were harassing them. 19The people in the crowd were trying to touch him, because power went out from him and healed everybody.
20He looked up at his disciples and said,
“You that are poor are blessed;
God’s kingdom belongs to you.
21You that are hungry now are blessed;
you’ll be filled.
You that mourn now are blessed;
you’ll laugh.
22You’re blessed when people hate you, shun you, insult you, reject you as bad because of the Son of Man. 23Rejoice in times like that. Jump up and down for joy, because you have a great reward in heaven. Their ancestors used to do the same thing to the prophets.
24But woe to you rich people;
you have your comfort.
25Woe to you that eat well now;
you’ll be hungry.
Woe to you that laugh now;
you’ll grieve and cry.
26Woe to you when everybody speaks well of you. Your ancestors used to do the same thing to the false prophets.
27“I’m telling you, love your enemies. Treat them well that hate you. 28Bless them that curse you. Pray for them that mistreat you. 29To the one that slaps you on the cheek offer the other one too; from the one that takes your coat, don’t withhold your shirt. 30Give to anybody that asks you; whoever steals what’s yours, don’t demand it back. 31Treat people the way you want them to treat you. 32If you love the ones that love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love the ones that love them. 33If you do good to the ones that do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34If you lend to the ones you expect to repay it, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners they expect to repay in full. 35On the contrary, love your enemies. Do good to them and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. You’ll be greatly rewarded, and you’ll be like the Most High, because he’s gracious to ungracious and bad people. 36Be merciful like your Father.
37“Don’t criticize, and you won’t be criticized. Don’t condemn, and you won’t be condemned. Pardon and you’ll be pardoned. 38Give and people will give to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over they’ll give into your lap. The measure you measure with you’ll be measured by.”
39He gave them an illustration.
“A blind man doesn’t lead a blind man, does he? Wouldn’t they both fall in the ditch? 40A student is not better off than his teacher, but everybody fully taught will be like his teacher. 41Why look at a speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye, and not notice the log in your own? 42How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me get the speck of sawdust out of your eye,’ when you don’t see the log in yours? Hypocrite, get the log out of your eye first; then you can see clearly to get the speck out of your brother’s eye.
43“A good tree doesn’t bear bad fruit, and a bad tree doesn’t bear good fruit. 44That’s what being a good or bad tree means—its fruit is good or bad. People don’t gather figs from thorns or grapes from briars. 45A good man brings good things out of the good treasure in his heart; a bad man brings bad things out of his bad treasure. A man’s mouth speaks from what overflows from his heart.
46“Why call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? 47I’ll tell you what everybody’s like that comes to me, and listens to what I say, and does it. 48He’s like a man that was building a house: he dug down and set the foundation on bedrock. When a flood came, the river swept against that house and couldn’t budge it, because he’d built it right. 49The one that listens and doesn’t do is like a man that built his house on dirt with no foundation. The river swept against it and it fell; it was a total loss.”