1
Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν ⸀σαββάτῳ διαπορεύεσθαι αὐτὸν ⸀διὰ σπορίμων, καὶ ἔτιλλον οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ⸂καὶ ἤσθιον τοὺς στάχυας⸃ ψώχοντες ταῖς χερσίν.
And it came to pass on a sabbath that he was going through grainfields, and his disciples were plucking and eating the heads of grain, rubbing them with their hands.
Rubbing them with their hands — only this book adds it, and the rubbing is what makes it work.
pronoun he = Jesus
pronoun his = Jesus
pronoun them = the heads of grain
pronoun their = the disciples
2
τινὲς δὲ τῶν Φαρισαίων ⸀εἶπαν· Τί ποιεῖτε ὃ οὐκ ⸀ἔξεστιν τοῖς σάββασιν;
And some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?”
Why are you doing — the charge is put to the disciples themselves here.
first here Pharisee Φαρισαῖος Pharisaios
pronoun you = the disciples
3
καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς πρὸς αὐτοὺς εἶπεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Οὐδὲ τοῦτο ἀνέγνωτε ὃ ἐποίησεν Δαυὶδ ⸀ὁπότε ἐπείνασεν αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ μετ’ αὐτοῦ ⸀ὄντες;
And answering them Jesus said, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those with him —
Have you not read — the answer is put as a question about their own reading.
first here Jesus Ἰησοῦς Iēsous
first here daughter Δαυίδ Dauid
pronoun them = the Pharisees
pronoun you = the Pharisees
pronoun he = David
pronoun him = David
4
⸀ὡς εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἄρτους τῆς προθέσεως ⸀λαβὼν ἔφαγεν καὶ ⸀ἔδωκεν τοῖς μετ’ αὐτοῦ, οὓς οὐκ ἔξεστιν φαγεῖν εἰ μὴ μόνους τοὺς ἱερεῖς;
how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and gave it also to those with him?”
This book names no high priest; Mark 2:26 names Abiathar.
pronoun he = David
pronoun which = the bread of the Presence
pronoun it = the bread
pronoun him = David
5
καὶ ἔλεγεν ⸀αὐτοῖς· Κύριός ἐστιν ⸂τοῦ σαββάτου ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου⸃.
And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.”
This book has no line about the sabbath being made for man — Mark 2:27 does, and this edition keeps the difference.
pronoun he = Jesus
pronoun them = the Pharisees
6
Ἐγένετο ⸀δὲ ἐν ἑτέρῳ σαββάτῳ εἰσελθεῖν αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν καὶ διδάσκειν· καὶ ἦν ⸂ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖ⸃ καὶ ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ ἡ δεξιὰ ἦν ξηρά·
And it came to pass on another sabbath that he entered the synagogue and was teaching; and a man was there whose right hand was withered.
His right hand — only this book says which hand, as it says which ear at 22:50.
pronoun he = Jesus
pronoun whose = a man
7
⸀παρετηροῦντο ⸀δὲ οἱ γραμματεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι εἰ ἐν τῷ σαββάτῳ ⸀θεραπεύει, ἵνα εὕρωσιν ⸀κατηγορεῖν αὐτοῦ.
And the scribes and the Pharisees were watching him closely, to see whether he would heal on the sabbath, so that they might find a charge against him.
Watching him closely (παρατηρέω, paratēreō) is watching from the side, to catch someone out.
pronoun him = Jesus — both times
pronoun he = Jesus
pronoun they = the scribes and Pharisees
8
αὐτὸς δὲ ᾔδει τοὺς διαλογισμοὺς αὐτῶν, ⸂εἶπεν δὲ⸃ τῷ ⸀ἀνδρὶ τῷ ξηρὰν ἔχοντι τὴν χεῖρα· ⸀Ἔγειρε καὶ στῆθι εἰς τὸ μέσον· ⸀καὶ ἀναστὰς ἔστη.
But he knew their reasonings, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Rise and stand in the midst.” And rising he stood.
Reasonings is the word of 5:22. In the midst — the healing is not done quietly.
pronoun he = Jesus — the second “he” is the man
pronoun their = the scribes and Pharisees
9
εἶπεν ⸀δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς πρὸς αὐτούς· ⸀Ἐπερωτῶ ὑμᾶς, ⸀εἰ ἔξεστιν ⸂τῷ σαββάτῳ⸃ ἀγαθοποιῆσαι ἢ κακοποιῆσαι, ψυχὴν σῶσαι ἢ ⸀ἀπολέσαι;
And Jesus said to them, “I ask you: is it lawful on the sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save a life or to destroy it?”
To save a life or to destroy it — this book says destroy where Mark 3:4 says kill.
pronoun them = the scribes and Pharisees
pronoun I = Jesus
pronoun you = the scribes and Pharisees
pronoun it = a life
10
καὶ περιβλεψάμενος πάντας αὐτοὺς εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἔκτεινον τὴν χεῖρά σου· ὁ δὲ ἐποίησεν, καὶ ἀπεκατεστάθη ἡ χεὶρ ⸀αὐτοῦ.
And looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored.
Looking around — the gesture of Mark 3:5, kept here without the anger.
pronoun them = those present
pronoun he = Jesus — the second “he” is the man
pronoun him = the man
pronoun your = the man
pronoun his = the man
11
αὐτοὶ δὲ ἐπλήσθησαν ἀνοίας, καὶ διελάλουν πρὸς ἀλλήλους τί ἂν ποιήσαιεν τῷ Ἰησοῦ.
But they were filled with senseless rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.
Senseless rage renders ἄνοια (anoia), mindlessness — the word is used once in the four Gospels.
pronoun they = the scribes and Pharisees
12
Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ταύταις ⸂ἐξελθεῖν αὐτὸν⸃ εἰς τὸ ὄρος προσεύξασθαι, καὶ ἦν διανυκτερεύων ἐν τῇ προσευχῇ τοῦ θεοῦ.
And it came to pass in those days that he went out to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God.
He spent the night in prayer — only this book has the night of prayer before the choosing.
pronoun he = Jesus — both times
13
καὶ ὅτε ἐγένετο ἡμέρα, προσεφώνησεν τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκλεξάμενος ἀπ’ αὐτῶν δώδεκα, οὓς καὶ ἀποστόλους ὠνόμασεν,
And when day came he called his disciples, and choosing twelve from them he named them apostles:
Named them apostles — the naming is given here as his own act.
pronoun he = Jesus — both times
pronoun his = Jesus
pronoun them = the disciples — the second “them” is the twelve
14
Σίμωνα ὃν καὶ ὠνόμασεν Πέτρον καὶ Ἀνδρέαν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ⸀καὶ Ἰάκωβον καὶ Ἰωάννην ⸁καὶ Φίλιππον καὶ Βαρθολομαῖον
Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew;
Simon, whom he named Peter — the renaming is put in a relative clause, not in a scene.
first here Simon Σίμων Simōn
first here Peter Πέτρος Petros
first here Andrew Ἀνδρέας Andreas
first here James Ἰάκωβος Iakōbos
first here John Ἰωάννης Iōannēs
first here Philippi Φίλιππος Philippos
first here Bartholomew Βαρθολομαῖος Bartholomaios
pronoun whom = Simon
pronoun he = Jesus
pronoun his = Andrew
15
⸀καὶ Μαθθαῖον καὶ Θωμᾶν ⸁καὶ ⸀Ἰάκωβον Ἁλφαίου καὶ Σίμωνα τὸν καλούμενον Ζηλωτὴν
Matthew and Thomas; James son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot;
The Zealot — this book gives the Greek word; Mark 3:18 keeps the Aramaic Kananaios.
first here Matthew Μαθθαῖος Maththaios
first here Thomas Θωμᾶς Thōmas
first here Alphaeus Ἁλφαῖος Halphaios
first here Zealot Ζηλωτής Zēlōtēs
16
⸀καὶ Ἰούδαν Ἰακώβου καὶ Ἰούδαν ⸀Ἰσκαριὼθ ⸀ὃς ἐγένετο προδότης.
Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a betrayer.
Judas son of James — this book has him where Mark 3:18 has Thaddaeus. Betrayer (προδότης, prodotēs) — this book alone uses the noun, and this edition keeps it apart from the hand-over verb.
first here Judas Ἰούδας Ioudas
first here Iscariot Ἰσκαριώθ Iskariōth
pronoun who = Judas Iscariot
17
Καὶ καταβὰς μετ’ αὐτῶν ἔστη ἐπὶ τόπου πεδινοῦ, καὶ ὄχλος ⸀πολὺς μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ πλῆθος πολὺ τοῦ λαοῦ ἀπὸ πάσης τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ Ἰερουσαλὴμ καὶ τῆς παραλίου Τύρου καὶ Σιδῶνος,
And coming down with them he stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coast of Tyre and Sidon,
A level place — this book puts the sermon on level ground; Matthew 5:1 puts it on a mountain. The two are left as they stand.
first here Judea Ἰουδαία Ioudaia
first here Jerusalem Ἰερουσαλήμ Ierousalēm
first here Tyre Τύρος Tyros
pronoun them = the twelve
pronoun he = Jesus
pronoun his = Jesus
Why this rendering
Luke.6.17 Observation
Syntactic observation
The place of teaching and the posture are the reverse of Matthew's. Matthew 5:1: ἀνέβη εἰς τὸ ὄρος καὶ καθίσαντος αὐτοῦ, he went up the mountain and sat down. Luke 6:17: καταβὰς … ἔστη ἐπὶ τόπου πεδινοῦ, he came down and stood on a level place. Up against down, sitting against standing. πεδινός, level, is unique in the four Gospels. Verse 12 is Luke's alone as well: he went up the mountain to pray and spent the night, διανυκτερεύων ἐν τῇ προσευχῇ τοῦ θεοῦ — and διανυκτερεύω is unique in the four Gospels. So in Luke the mountain is where he prays and the level place is where he teaches. At v.13 he chooses twelve and ἀποστόλους ὠνόμασεν, named them apostles; ἀπόστολος occurs six times in Luke against one each in Matthew (10:2), Mark (6:30) and John (13:16). And among the places the crowd comes from Luke names Tyre and Sidon — outside Israel.
Rendering options · 2
Adopted “coming down he stood on a level place” — kept apart from Matthew
Basis Both the verbs and the place differ from Matthew; rendering it as on the mountain would erase that the two books wrote the reverse of each other.
Keep the mountain — “he came down from the mountain and stopped”
Basis Links it to the mountain of v.12.
Rejected There is no ὄρος at v.17; and the division between mountain and level place is the datum here, which importing the mountain blurs.
18
οἳ ἦλθον ἀκοῦσαι αὐτοῦ καὶ ἰαθῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν νόσων αὐτῶν· καὶ οἱ ⸂ἐνοχλούμενοι ἀπὸ⸃ πνευμάτων ⸀ἀκαθάρτων ἐθεραπεύοντο·
who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those troubled by unclean spirits were cured.
Cured (ἰάομαι, iaomai) is a different verb from healed, and this edition keeps them apart.
pronoun who = the people
pronoun him = Jesus
pronoun their = the people
19
καὶ πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος ⸀ἐζήτουν ἅπτεσθαι αὐτοῦ, ὅτι δύναμις παρ’ αὐτοῦ ἐξήρχετο καὶ ἰᾶτο πάντας.
And the whole crowd was seeking to touch him, because power was going out from him and healing them all.
Power was going out from him — the same wording as at 8:46.
pronoun him = Jesus — both times
pronoun them = the crowd
20
Καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπάρας τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ εἰς τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ ἔλεγεν· Μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοί, ὅτι ὑμετέρα ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ.
And lifting up his eyes to his disciples he was saying: “Blessed are the poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are the poor — this book says only “the poor”; Matthew 5:3 says “poor in spirit”. And it says yours, not “theirs”.
pronoun he = Jesus
pronoun his = Jesus
pronoun yours = the disciples
Why this rendering
Luke.6.20 Observation
Syntactic observation
The first beatitude differs from Matthew 5:3 at four points. First, there is no qualifier — Matthew has οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι, the poor in spirit; Luke has οἱ πτωχοί, the poor. Second, the person differs — Matthew αὐτῶν ἐστιν, theirs is, third person; Luke ὑμετέρα ἐστίν, yours is, second. Third, the kingdom is named differently — Matthew βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν, of the heavens; Luke βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ, of God. Fourth, in the beatitudes that follow Luke attaches νῦν, now — οἱ πεινῶντες νῦν, those hungering now; οἱ κλαίοντες νῦν, those weeping now. Matthew 5:6 has those hungering and thirsting for τὴν δικαιοσύνην, righteousness. So Luke's beatitudes come without a qualifier, in the second person, and hang on now. πτωχός occurs ten times in Luke against five in Matthew, five in Mark, four in John.
Rendering options · 2
Adopted “Blessed are the poor, for yours is the kingdom of God” — no qualifier supplied
Basis The base text has no in spirit; the person and the name of the kingdom are kept as they stand, so the four divergences show when the books are set side by side.
Supply in spirit from Matthew
Basis One beatitude, so the reading is evened out.
Rejected It is not in the base text; and supplying it erases both that Luke wrote without a qualifier and the line running through the nows to the four woes.
21
μακάριοι οἱ πεινῶντες νῦν, ὅτι χορτασθήσεσθε. μακάριοι οἱ κλαίοντες νῦν, ὅτι γελάσετε.
Blessed are those hungering now, for you will be filled. Blessed are those weeping now, for you will laugh.
Now stands in both halves — this book sets the present against the promise.
pronoun you = those hungering and weeping — both times
22
Μακάριοί ἐστε ὅταν μισήσωσιν ὑμᾶς οἱ ἄνθρωποι, καὶ ὅταν ἀφορίσωσιν ὑμᾶς καὶ ὀνειδίσωσιν καὶ ἐκβάλωσιν τὸ ὄνομα ὑμῶν ὡς πονηρὸν ἕνεκα τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου·
Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they separate you off and reproach you and cast out your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.
Separate you off (ἀφορίζω, aphorizō) is to mark off — the word behind “Pharisee” has the same sense.
pronoun you = the disciples — every “you” here is the disciples
pronoun they = people
pronoun your = the disciples
23
χάρητε ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ καὶ σκιρτήσατε, ἰδοὺ γὰρ ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν πολὺς ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ· κατὰ ⸂τὰ αὐτὰ⸃ γὰρ ἐποίουν τοῖς προφήταις οἱ πατέρες αὐτῶν.
Rejoice in that day and leap, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.
Leap (σκιρτάω, skirtaō) is the verb of 1:41 and 1:44 — only this book has it here.
pronoun your = the disciples
pronoun their = the people who hate you
24
πλὴν οὐαὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς πλουσίοις, ὅτι ἀπέχετε τὴν παράκλησιν ὑμῶν.
But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation in full.
Woe — the four woes stand only in this book, matching the four blessings. Received in full renders ἀπέχω (apechō), a word from receipts.
pronoun you = the rich
pronoun your = the rich
Why this rendering
Luke.6.24 Observation
Syntactic observation
Four woes follow the four beatitudes (vv.24, 25 twice, 26). Matthew 5 has no woes — nine beatitudes run on, and the woes stand apart in ch. 23. And Luke's four answer the four one by one: the poor against the rich; those hungering now against those filled now; those weeping now against those laughing now; the hated against those all speak well of. γελάω, to laugh, occurs twice in the four Gospels and both are here (6:21, you will laugh; 6:25, those laughing now). It is striking too that vv.23 and 26 close with the same phrase — κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ γὰρ ἐποίουν, for so their fathers did — once to the prophets and once to the false prophets. The ἀπέχετε, you have received in full, of v.24 is the word used at Matthew 6:2, 5, 16 of hypocrites having received their reward in full; and παράκλησις, consolation, occurs twice in Luke, the other at 2:25 — the consolation of Israel that Simeon was waiting for.
Rendering options · 2
Adopted “But woe to you who are rich” — one word with the woes of Matthew 23
Basis οὐαί occurs thirty times in the four Gospels — thirteen in Matthew, two in Mark, fifteen in Luke; one rendering lets Luke's placing of woes beside beatitudes be compared with Matthew's.
Soften — “how terrible for you who are rich”
Basis Woe reads heavily.
Rejected The weight is in the Greek, and the word is a formula repeated thirty times in the four Gospels; softening it here alone makes it uncountable.
25
οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, οἱ ἐμπεπλησμένοι ⸀νῦν, ὅτι πεινάσετε. ⸀οὐαί, οἱ γελῶντες νῦν, ὅτι πενθήσετε καὶ κλαύσετε.
Woe to you who are filled now, for you will hunger. Woe to those laughing now, for you will mourn and weep.
Now again — the woes answer the blessings word for word.
pronoun you = the filled and the laughing — every “you” here is the same
26
Οὐαὶ ὅταν ⸂καλῶς ὑμᾶς⸃ εἴπωσιν ⸀πάντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι, κατὰ ⸂τὰ αὐτὰ⸃ γὰρ ἐποίουν τοῖς ψευδοπροφήταις οἱ πατέρες αὐτῶν.
Woe when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.
When all people speak well of you — the last woe is about praise.
pronoun you = those spoken well of
pronoun their = the people who speak well
27
Ἀλλὰ ὑμῖν λέγω τοῖς ἀκούουσιν, ἀγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑμῶν, καλῶς ποιεῖτε τοῖς μισοῦσιν ὑμᾶς,
But I say to you who are listening: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
To you who are listening — the address narrows before the hardest words.
pronoun I = Jesus
pronoun you = the hearers — every “you” here is the hearers
28
εὐλογεῖτε τοὺς καταρωμένους ⸀ὑμᾶς, προσεύχεσθε ⸀περὶ τῶν ἐπηρεαζόντων ὑμᾶς.
bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you spitefully.
Bless those who curse you — only this book has this pair.
pronoun you = the hearers — both times
29
τῷ τύπτοντί σε ἐπὶ τὴν σιαγόνα πάρεχε καὶ τὴν ἄλλην, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ αἴροντός σου τὸ ἱμάτιον καὶ τὸν χιτῶνα μὴ κωλύσῃς.
To the one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from the one who takes your garment, do not withhold your tunic either.
Garment … tunic — this book reverses Matthew 5:40: there the tunic goes first, here the outer garment.
pronoun you = the hearer — both times
pronoun your = the hearer — both times
30
⸀παντὶ αἰτοῦντί σε δίδου, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ αἴροντος τὰ σὰ μὴ ἀπαίτει.
Give to everyone who asks you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back.
Do not demand it back — the Greek verb is one for calling in a debt.
pronoun you = the hearer
pronoun yours = the hearer
pronoun it = what is taken
31
καὶ καθὼς θέλετε ἵνα ποιῶσιν ὑμῖν οἱ ⸀ἄνθρωποι, ποιεῖτε αὐτοῖς ὁμοίως.
And as you want people to do for you, do the same for them.
As you want people to do for you — the rule stands in the middle of this speech, not at its end as at Matthew 7:12.
pronoun you = the hearers — both times
pronoun them = people
32
Καὶ εἰ ἀγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας ὑμᾶς, ποία ὑμῖν χάρις ἐστίν; καὶ γὰρ οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας αὐτοὺς ἀγαπῶσιν.
And if you love those who love you, what grace is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
What grace is that to you — this book asks about grace (χάρις, charis) where Matthew 5:46 asks about reward.
pronoun you = the hearers — both times
pronoun them = those who love them
33
⸀καὶ ἐὰν ἀγαθοποιῆτε τοὺς ἀγαθοποιοῦντας ὑμᾶς, ποία ὑμῖν χάρις ἐστίν; ⸁καὶ οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ποιοῦσιν.
And if you do good to those who do good to you, what grace is that to you? Even sinners do the same.
The question is put a second time, with doing good in place of loving.
pronoun you = the hearers — both times
34
καὶ ἐὰν ⸀δανίσητε παρ’ ὧν ἐλπίζετε ⸀λαβεῖν, ποία ὑμῖν χάρις ἐστίν; ⸀καὶ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἁμαρτωλοῖς δανίζουσιν ἵνα ἀπολάβωσιν τὰ ἴσα.
And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what grace is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much.
Lend — the third question, and only this book has it.
pronoun you = the hearers — both times
pronoun whom = those you lend to
35
πλὴν ἀγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑμῶν καὶ ἀγαθοποιεῖτε καὶ δανίζετε μηδὲν ἀπελπίζοντες· καὶ ἔσται ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν πολύς, καὶ ἔσεσθε υἱοὶ Ὑψίστου, ὅτι αὐτὸς χρηστός ἐστιν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀχαρίστους καὶ πονηρούς.
But love your enemies and do good and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is good to the ungrateful and the evil.
Expecting nothing back — the manuscripts differ, and the word may also mean “despairing of no one”.
pronoun your = the hearers
pronoun you = the hearers
pronoun he = the Most High
36
⸀γίνεσθε οἰκτίρμονες ⸀καθὼς ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν οἰκτίρμων ἐστίν·
Be merciful, as your Father is merciful.
Merciful — this book says merciful where Matthew 5:48 says complete. The two are left as they stand.
pronoun your = the hearers
Why this rendering
Luke.6.36 Observation
Syntactic observation
Matthew 5:48 and Luke 6:36 stand at the same point with the same shape and different words. Matthew: ἔσεσθε οὖν ὑμεῖς τέλειοι ὡς ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος τέλειός ἐστιν — be complete, as your heavenly Father is complete. Luke: γίνεσθε οἰκτίρμονες καθὼς ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν οἰκτίρμων ἐστίν — be merciful, as your Father is merciful. οἰκτίρμων occurs twice in the four Gospels and both are in this one verse; τέλειος occurs three times in Matthew, twice within 5:48 itself and once at 19:21, and not at all in Luke. So at one point the two authors chose words the other's book does not contain. Verse 35 gives Luke's ground: God is χρηστός, good, to the ἀχάριστοι, the ungrateful, and the πονηροί, the evil. ἀχάριστος is unique in the four Gospels, and χρηστός is the word of 5:39, the old is good — within one chapter the word attached to wine attaches to God. Matthew 5:45 puts sun and rain at that place instead.
Rendering options · 2
Adopted “Be merciful” — kept apart from be complete at Matthew 5:48
Basis Each word is absent from the other's book; one rendering for both would erase that the authors chose differently at one point.
Render as merciful in the sense of ἐλεήμων at Matthew 5:7
Basis The sense is near.
Rejected ἐλεήμων is a different word and stands once only, at Matthew 5:7, unique in the four Gospels. So the two words for mercy each belong to one book — ἐλεήμων once in Matthew, οἰκτίρμων twice in Luke, and neither in the other's book. One rendering for both would fuse three words into one.
37
Καὶ μὴ κρίνετε, καὶ οὐ μὴ κριθῆτε· ⸀καὶ μὴ καταδικάζετε, καὶ οὐ μὴ καταδικασθῆτε. ἀπολύετε, καὶ ἀπολυθήσεσθε·
And do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not sentence, and you will not be sentenced; release, and you will be released.
Release (ἀπολύω, apolyō) is the verb used of letting a prisoner go — this edition does not soften it to “forgive”.
pronoun you = the hearers — every “you” here is the hearers
38
δίδοτε, καὶ δοθήσεται ὑμῖν· μέτρον καλὸν πεπιεσμένον ⸀σεσαλευμένον ὑπερεκχυννόμενον δώσουσιν εἰς τὸν κόλπον ὑμῶν· ⸂ᾧ γὰρ μέτρῳ⸃ μετρεῖτε ἀντιμετρηθήσεται ὑμῖν.
Give, and it will be given to you: a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will put into your bosom. For with the measure you measure it will be measured back to you.”
Into your bosom (κόλπος, kolpos) — this edition keeps one word for all five places in the four Gospels, including John 1:18. They will put — the Greek plural has no named subject.
pronoun it = what is given — the second “it” is what you measure
pronoun you = the hearers — every “you” here is the hearers
pronoun they = unnamed
pronoun your = the hearers
39
Εἶπεν δὲ ⸀καὶ παραβολὴν αὐτοῖς· Μήτι δύναται τυφλὸς τυφλὸν ὁδηγεῖν; οὐχὶ ἀμφότεροι εἰς βόθυνον ⸀ἐμπεσοῦνται;
And he told them a parable as well: “Can a blind man guide a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?
A blind man guide a blind man — the saying of Matthew 15:14, put here as a parable.
pronoun he = Jesus
pronoun them = the hearers
pronoun they = the two blind men
40
οὐκ ἔστιν μαθητὴς ὑπὲρ τὸν ⸀διδάσκαλον, κατηρτισμένος δὲ πᾶς ἔσται ὡς ὁ διδάσκαλος αὐτοῦ.
A disciple is not above his teacher; but everyone fully trained will be like his teacher.
Fully trained (καταρτίζω, katartizō) is the mending-verb of Mark 1:19.
pronoun his = a disciple — the second “his” is everyone fully trained
41
τί δὲ βλέπεις τὸ κάρφος τὸ ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου, τὴν δὲ δοκὸν τὴν ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ ὀφθαλμῷ οὐ κατανοεῖς;
And why do you see the speck in your brother's eye, but do not notice the beam in your own eye?
Speck (κάρφος, karphos) is a dry stalk; beam (δοκός, dokos) is a roof timber. The pair is a joke on scale.
pronoun you = the hearer — both times
pronoun your = the hearer — both times
42
⸀πῶς δύνασαι λέγειν τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου· Ἀδελφέ, ἄφες ἐκβάλω τὸ κάρφος τὸ ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σου, αὐτὸς τὴν ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ δοκὸν οὐ βλέπων; ὑποκριτά, ἔκβαλε πρῶτον τὴν δοκὸν ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σοῦ, καὶ τότε διαβλέψεις ⸂τὸ κάρφος τὸ ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου ἐκβαλεῖν⸃.
How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck in your eye,' while you yourself do not see the beam in your own eye? Hypocrite, first take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck in your brother's eye.
Brother — only this book has him say the word aloud.
pronoun you = the hearer — every “you” here is the hearer
pronoun your = the hearer — every “your” here is the hearer
pronoun me = the hearer
pronoun yourself = the hearer
43
Οὐ γάρ ἐστιν δένδρον καλὸν ποιοῦν καρπὸν σαπρόν, οὐδὲ ⸀πάλιν δένδρον σαπρὸν ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλόν.
For there is no good tree bearing rotten fruit, nor again a rotten tree bearing good fruit.
Rotten (σαπρός, sapros) is spoiled fruit, not simply bad.
44
ἕκαστον γὰρ δένδρον ἐκ τοῦ ἰδίου καρποῦ γινώσκεται· οὐ γὰρ ἐξ ἀκανθῶν συλλέγουσιν σῦκα, οὐδὲ ἐκ βάτου ⸂σταφυλὴν τρυγῶσιν⸃.
For each tree is known by its own fruit; for figs are not collected from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble.
Bramble (βάτος, batos) — only this book names it here; Matthew 7:16 says thistles.
pronoun its own = each tree
45
ὁ ἀγαθὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ θησαυροῦ τῆς καρδίας ⸀αὐτοῦ προφέρει τὸ ἀγαθόν, καὶ ὁ ⸀πονηρὸς ἐκ τοῦ ⸀πονηροῦ προφέρει τὸ πονηρόν· ἐκ γὰρ ⸀περισσεύματος καρδίας λαλεῖ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ.
The good person out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good, and the evil out of the evil brings forth evil; for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Out of the abundance of the heart — the same line as Matthew 12:34.
pronoun his = the good person
46
Τί δέ με καλεῖτε· Κύριε κύριε, καὶ οὐ ποιεῖτε ἃ λέγω;
And why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,' and not do what I say?
Lord, Lord — the doubling of Matthew 7:21, put as a question here.
pronoun you = the hearers — both times
pronoun me = Jesus
pronoun I = Jesus
47
πᾶς ὁ ἐρχόμενος πρός με καὶ ἀκούων μου τῶν λόγων καὶ ποιῶν αὐτούς, ὑποδείξω ὑμῖν τίνι ἐστὶν ὅμοιος·
Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them — I will show you whom he is like.
I will show you whom he is like — only this book announces the comparison.
pronoun me = Jesus
pronoun my = Jesus
pronoun them = my words
pronoun I = Jesus
pronoun you = the hearers
pronoun he = everyone who comes
48
ὅμοιός ἐστιν ἀνθρώπῳ οἰκοδομοῦντι οἰκίαν ὃς ἔσκαψεν καὶ ἐβάθυνεν καὶ ἔθηκεν θεμέλιον ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν· πλημμύρης δὲ γενομένης προσέρηξεν ὁ ποταμὸς τῇ οἰκίᾳ ἐκείνῃ, καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσεν σαλεῦσαι αὐτὴν ⸂διὰ τὸ καλῶς οἰκοδομῆσθαι αὐτήν⸃.
He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood came, the river broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.
Dug and went deep — this book has the digging; Matthew 7:24 says only that the house was on the rock. A flood came — a river, not rain.
pronoun He = everyone who comes
pronoun who = a man building a house
pronoun it = that house
Why this rendering
Luke.6.48 Observation
Syntactic observation
The parable of building is built differently from Matthew 7:24-27. Matthew has ᾠκοδόμησεν … ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν, he built on the rock; Luke strings three verbs — ἔσκαψεν καὶ ἐβάθυνεν καὶ ἔθηκεν θεμέλιον, he dug and went deep and laid a foundation. βαθύνω, to go deep, is unique in the four Gospels, and θεμέλιος, foundation, occurs three times in Luke and not at all in Matthew or Mark. What comes against the house differs too: Matthew has three — rain, rivers, winds; Luke has two — πλήμμυρα, a flood, and ποταμός, a river — and no wind. προσρήγνυμι, to break against, stands at two places, both Luke's, and the ῥῆγμα, ruin, of v.49 is unique in the four Gospels. And Matthew's second man builds ἐπὶ τὴν ἄμμον, on the sand, while Luke's builds ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν χωρὶς θεμελίου, on the ground without a foundation — Matthew names the sand, Luke the missing foundation. The question at v.46 differs as well: Matthew 7:21 has not everyone who says Lord, Lord will enter; Luke 6:46 has why do you call me Lord, Lord and not do what I say.
Rendering options · 2
Adopted “dug and went deep and laid a foundation” — all three verbs rendered
Basis Luke strings three verbs; compressing them makes him match Matthew and erases that the two tell one parable differently.
Compress and match Matthew
Basis Three verbs together read heavily.
Rejected Two of Luke's three words are unique to the four Gospels or to Luke; matching removes them from the translation altogether.
49
ὁ δὲ ἀκούσας καὶ μὴ ποιήσας ὅμοιός ἐστιν ἀνθρώπῳ οἰκοδομήσαντι οἰκίαν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν χωρὶς θεμελίου, ᾗ προσέρηξεν ὁ ποταμός, καὶ ⸂εὐθὺς συνέπεσεν⸃, καὶ ἐγένετο τὸ ῥῆγμα τῆς οἰκίας ἐκείνης μέγα.
But the one who hears and does not do is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation; the river broke against it, and at once it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”
Collapsed (συμπίπτω, sympiptō) is used once in the four Gospels. Ruin renders ῥῆγμα (rhēgma), a rent or break.
pronoun who = a man
pronoun it = the house