Luke 6:25 - Printer Friendly

ESV: “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. “Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.

NIV: Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.

NASB: Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.

CSB: Woe to you who are now full, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who are now laughing, for you will mourn and weep.

NLT: What sorrow awaits you who are fat and prosperous now, for a time of awful hunger awaits you. What sorrow awaits you who laugh now, for your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow.

KJV: Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

NKJV: Woe to you who are full, For you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, For you shall mourn and weep.

Jesus continues explaining how people who seek comfort and approval in their earthly lives are short-sighted. Christ-followers who are persecuted for their faith may be poor, hungry, and mournful on earth, but they will inherit God's kingdom with satisfaction and laughter in eternity (Luke 6:20–23). People who covet earthly pleasures have received all they are going to get.

The woes that correspond to the blessings Jesus promises in Luke 6:21 are straightforward. No distinction should be made of the "satisfied" in verse 21 and the "full" here; they mean the same thing. Those who use worldly methods to fill their needs do not rely on God who could bless them for eternity in paradise (Luke 6:24).

Similarly, those who are rich can satisfy their own needs, and so they laugh. This "laugh" implied here is not joyful or celebratory. It is the kind of sneering, arrogant, mocking laugh that puts others down. Their mourning will be like the merchants when Babylon falls (Revelation 18:15).

These people are self-satisfied because others speak well of them (Luke 6:26). They take their example from the false prophets in the Old Testament who said what the kings wanted to hear and denied God's promise of coming judgment (Jeremiah 14:13–16). Because they rely on public approval and the riches that come along with it, they will not have the humility to accept God's gifts. Instead, they will face God's judgment.

Luke 6:20–26 begins Jesus' ''Sermon on the Level Place'' or ''Sermon on the Plain.'' Luke segues from the practical distinction between Jesus' followers and detractors. He moves along to prophetic promises to each group, with four blessings and four woes. The descriptors poor versus rich, hungry versus full, and mournful versus happy might seem purely circumstantial. However, they represent the consequences of identifying with Jesus and thus facing persecution, versus identifying with the world and thus enjoying worldly privilege. Jesus uses the blessings promised to His persecuted followers to inspire them to love their enemies just as their Father does (Luke 6:27–42).

Luke 6 contains two main sections of teaching and calls to discipleship. Luke 6:1–16 continues the pattern of Luke 5. The two ways in which Jesus sets aside tradition—this time by taking authority over the Sabbath—are paired with His call for the Twelve disciples. Luke 6:17–49 records Jesus' teaching on the ''level place,'' or His ''Sermon on the Plain,'' and a call to a crowd for general discipleship. Much of this material has parallels in Matthew 5 through 7, but it's not clear if the two accounts are of the same event. As a travelling teacher, Christ likely gave the same general message multiple times.

Luke 6 completes Jesus' call for disciples and followers that started in Luke 5. Luke 5:1—6:16 consists of three calls for disciples, each paired with two revolutionary teachings about Jesus' authority that increasingly infuriate the religious leaders. Luke 6:17–49 continues the theme with a general call for followers and a description of their responsibilities. In Luke 7:1—8:3, Jesus interacts with the other: Gentiles, women, and even the dead. This is followed by another general call (Luke 8:4–21), a series of miracles (Luke 8:22—9:17), and a final call for the Twelve to follow Him even more deeply (Luke 9:18–50).

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.