Luke 6:2-32

²“Why are you doing what it is not allowable to do on the Sabbath?” asked some of the Pharisees.

³Jesus' answer was, “Haven't you read even of what David did, when he was hungry, he and his companions —

⁴That he went into the house of God, and took the consecrated bread and ate it, and gave some to his companions, though only the priests are allowed to eat it?”

⁵Then Jesus added, “The Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

⁶On another Sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught; and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.

⁷The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely, to see if he would work cures on the Sabbath, so that they might find a charge to bring against him.

⁸Jesus, however, knew what was in the their minds, and said to the man whose hand was withered, “Stand up and come out into the middle.” The man stood up;

⁹and Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it allowable to do good on the Sabbath — or harm? To save a life, or let it perish?”

¹⁰Then, looking around at them all, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” The man did so; and his hand had become sound.

¹¹But the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees were mad with rage, and consulted together what they could do to Jesus.

¹²Now about that time, Jesus went out, up the hill, to pray, and spent the whole night in prayer to God.

¹³When day came, he summoned his disciples, and chose twelve of them, whom he also named ‘apostles.’

¹⁴They were Simon (whom Jesus also named Peter), and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,

¹⁵Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon known as the Zealot,

¹⁶Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who proved a traitor.

¹⁷Afterward Jesus came down the hill with them and took his stand on a level place. With him were a large crowd of his disciples, and great numbers of people from the whole of Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast district of Tyre and Sidon,

¹⁸who had come to hear him and to be restored to health. Those, too, who were troubled with foul spirits were cured;

¹⁹and everyone in the crowd was trying to touch him, because a power went out from him which restored them all.

²⁰Then, raising his eyes and looking at his disciples, Jesus said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

²¹Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.

²²Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they expel you from among them, and insult you, and reject your name as an evil thing — because of the Son of Man.

²³Then indeed you may be glad and dance for joy, for be sure that your reward in heaven will be great; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.

²⁴But alas for you who are rich, for you have had your comforts in full.

²⁵Alas for you who are sated now, for you will hunger. Alas for you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.

²⁶Alas for you when everyone speaks well of you; for this is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.

²⁷But to you who hear I say — love your enemies, show kindness to those who hate you,

²⁸bless those who curse you, pray for those who insult you.

²⁹When someone gives one of you a blow on the cheek, offer the other cheek as well; and, when anyone takes away your cloak, do not keep back your coat either.

³⁰Give to everyone who asks of you; and, when anyone takes away what is yours, do not demand its return.

³¹Do to others as you wish them to do to you.

³²If you love only those who love you, what thanks will be due to you? Why, even the outcast love those who love them!