Luke 6:38
in Luke 6Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again.
KJV
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
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This verse in Luke 6
Commentary
30 notes on this verse(Orat. 3. cont. Arian.) That is to say, that we beholding His mercies, what good things we do should do them not with regard to men, but to Him, that we may obtain our rewards from God, not from men.
This site's exposition
Do not judge, and you
on Luke 6:37-38
Do not judge, and you will not be judged, Jesus says, forbidding the condemning judgment of others while leaving the discernment His disciples will need elsewhere in this Gospel. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be poured into your lap, the picture of a grain seller filling a fold of the garment. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you, in judging, forgiving and giving alike.
This site's exposition
running over will be poured into your lap
The measure given returns heaped over. John Gill reads the return as coming in temporal or spiritual things, or in both. Bede says Christ Himself repays what is given to the poor.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
He has given us full assurance that God, who gives all things abundantly to those who love him, shall reward us with bountiful hand. He said, "Good measure, and squeezed down, and running over shall they give into your bosom." He added this too, "For with what measure you give, it shall be measured to you." There is, however, an apparent incompatibility between the two declarations. If we are to receive good measure, and squeezed down, and running over, how shall we be paid back the same measure we give?
The practice of mercy is twofold: when vengeance is sacrificed and when compassion is shown. The Lord included both of these in his brief sentence: "Forgive, and you shall be forgiven; give, and it shall be given to you." This work has the effect of purifying the heart, so that, even under the limitations of this life, we are enabled with pure mind to see the immutable reality of God. There is something holding us back, which has to be loosed so that our sight may break through to the light. In connection with this the Lord said, "Give alms, and behold, all things are clean to you." Therefore the next and sixth step is that cleansing of the heart.
The Christian soul understands how far removed he should be from theft of another's goods when he realizes that failure to share his surplus with the needy is like to theft. The Lord says, "Give, and it shall be given to you. Forgive, and you shall be forgiven." Let us graciously and fervently perform these two types of almsgiving, that is, giving and forgiving, for we in turn pray the Lord to give us good things and not to repay our evil deeds.
"Forgive, and you will be forgiven." "Give, and it will be given you." These are the two wings of prayer, on which it flies to God. Pardon the offender what has been committed, and give to the person in need.
So there is hope in God's mercy, if our misery is not so barren as to yield no work of mercy. What do you want from the Lord? Mercy. Give, and it shall be given to you. What do you want from the Lord? Pardon. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
22 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers11 voices
You give alms. You receive alms. You pardon. You are pardoned. You are generous. You are treated generously. Listen to God saying, "Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and things will be given to you."Keep the poor in mind. I say this to all of you. Give alms, my brothers and sisters, and you won't lose what you give. Trust God. I'm not only telling you you won't lose what you do for the poor, but I'm telling you plainly, this is all that you won't lose.… Come now, let's see if you can cheer the poor up today. You be their granaries, so that God may give to you what you can give to them, and so that he may forgive whatever sins you have committed.
(de Qu. Ev. l. ii. q. 8.) But he says, shall they give, (Mat. 10:42.) because through the merits of those to whom they have given even a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, shall they be thought worthy to receive a heavenly reward. It follows, For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Be not then rash to judge harshly of your servants, lest ye suffer the like. For passing judgment calls down a heavier condemnation; as it follows, Condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned. For he does not forbid judgment with pardon.
A commentator
Ephrem the SyrianCOMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 6.18B · Written before 373.
proposed
Do not judge, that is, unjustly, so that you may not be judged, with regard to injustice. With the judgment that you judge shall you be judged. This is like the phrase "Forgive, and it will be forgiven you." For once someone has judged in …
"Wherefore, girding up your loins," "serve the Lord in fear" and truth, as those who have forsaken the vain, empty talk and error of the multitude, and "believed in Him who raised up our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, and gave Him glory," and a throne at His right hand. To Him all things in heaven and on earth are subject. Him every spirit serves. He comes as the Judge of the living and the dead. His blood will God require of those who do not believe in Him. But He who raised Him up from the dead will raise up us also, if we do His will, and walk in His commandments, and love what He loved, keeping ourselves from all unrighteousness, covetousness, love of money, evil speaking, false witness; "not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing," or blow for blow, or cursing for cursing, but being mindful of what the Lord said in His teaching: "Judge not, that ye be not judged; forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you; be merciful, that ye may obtain mercy; with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again;" and once more, "Blessed are the poor, and those that are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God."
But the Apostle explains this when he says, He who sows sparingly, (that is, scantily, and with a niggardly hand,) shall also reap sparingly, (2 Cor. 6:9.) (that is, not abundantly,) and he who sows blessings, shall reap also blessings, that is, bountifully. But if a man has not, and performs not, he is not guilty. For a man is accepted in that which he has, not in that which he has not.
And do not say He acted impiously towards the wise in hiding these things from them. Far be such a supposition from us. For He did not act impiously; but since they hid the knowledge of the kingdom, and neither themselves entered nor allowed those …
He here expresses that worst inclination of our thoughts or hearts, which is the first beginning and origin of a proud disdain. For although it becomes men to look into themselves and walk after God, this they do not, but look into the things of others, and while they forget their own passions, behold the infirmities of some, and make them a subject of reproach. But that we shall receive more abundant recompense from God, who gives bountifully to those who love him, he explains as follows, Good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall they give into your bosom. But the Apostle explains this when he says, He who sows sparingly, (that is, scantily, and with a niggardly hand,) shall also reap sparingly, (2 Cor. 6:9.) (that is, not abundantly,) and he who sows blessings, shall reap also blessings, that is, bountifully. But if a man has not, and performs not, he is not guilty. For a man is accepted in that which he has, not in that which he has not.
Judge not thy superior, that is, thou a disciple must not judge thy master, nor a sinner the innocent. Thou must not blame them, but advise and correct with love; neither must we pass judgment in doubtful and indifferent matters, which bear no resemblance to sin, or which are not serious or forbidden. You will not easily find any one, whether a father of a family or an inhabitant of the cloister, free from this error. But these are the wiles of the tempter. For he who severely sifts the fault of others, will never obtain acquittal for his own. Hence it follows, And ye shall not be judged. For as the merciful and meek man dispels the rage of sinners, so the harsh and cruel adds to his own crimes.
(Hom. in Ps. 61.) For according to the same measure with which each one of you metes, that is, in doing good works or sinning, will he receive reward or punishment.
The Lord added, that we must not readily judge others, lest when conscious of guilt thyself, thou shouldest be compelled to pass sentence upon another.
The Medieval Church5 voices
As if he says, As when you wish to measure meal without sparing, you press it down, shake it together, and let it pour over abundantly; so the Lord will give a large and overflowing measure into your bosom. But some one will put the subtle question, "If the return is made overabundantly, how is it the same measure?" to which we answer, that He said not, "In just as great a measure shall it be measured to you again, but in the same measure." For he who has shown mercy, shall have mercy shown unto him, and this is measuring again with the same measure; but our Lord spoke of the measure running over, because to such a one He will show mercy a thousand times. So also in judging; for he that judges and afterwards is judged receives the same measure. But as far as he was judged the more severely that he judged one like unto himself, was the measure running over.
A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. This is similar to what he says elsewhere: That they may receive you into eternal dwellings (Luke 16). For it is not the poor themselves, but Christ who will …
For the same measure you use will be measured to you. And the Apostle, urging the Corinthians to give alms, says among other things: "But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. And he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully" …
Now in a short sentence he concisely sums up all that he had enjoined with respect to our conduct towards our enemies, saying, Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven, wherein he bids us forgive injuries, and show kindness, and our sins shall be forgiven us, and we shall receive eternal life.
As to the bestowal of goods, it is added: Give, and it shall be given to you, namely in the judgment, in which that passage of the last chapter of Proverbs shall be spoken: "Give her of the fruit of her hands," etc., because, Matthew …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Those that deal hardly with others must acknowledge, as Adoni-bezek did ( Judg. i. 7 ), that God is righteous, if others deal hardly with them, and they may expect to be paid in their own coin; but they that deal kindly with others have reason to hope that, when they have occasion, God will raise them up friends who will deal kindly with them.
Christ justifies his disciples in a work of necessity for themselves on that day, and that was plucking the ears of corn, when they were hungry on that day. This story here has a date, which we had not in the other evangelists; it was on the second sabbath after the first (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Give, and it shall be given unto you,.... Give liberally of your worldly substance to indigent persons, as you have an opportunity, according to your ability, and as cases require: and it shall be returned again to great advantage; with great recompense, either in temporals or spirituals, or both: good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Give, and it shall be given - “Christian charity will make no difficulty in giving that which eternal truth promises to restore. Let us give, neither out of mere human generosity, nor out of vanity, nor from interest, but for the sake of God, if we would have him place it to account. There is no such thing as true unmixed generosity but in God only; because there is none but him who receives no advantage from his gifts, and because he engages himself to pay these debts of his creatures with an excessive interest.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
The teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ, in these verses — is confined to one great subject. That subject is Christian charity, or love. Charity, which is the grand characteristic of the Gospel — charity, which is the bond of perfectness — charity, without which a man is nothing in God's sight — charity is here fully expounded and strongly enforced. Well would it have been for the Church of Christ, if its Master's precept in this passage had been more carefully studied, and more diligently observed!
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
The teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ, in these verses — is confined to one great subject. That subject is Christian charity, or love. Charity, which is the grand characteristic of the Gospel — charity, which is the bond of perfectness — charity, without which a man is nothing in God's sight — charity is here fully expounded and strongly enforced. Well would it have been for the Church of Christ, if its Master's precept in this passage had been more carefully studied, and more diligently observed! In the first place — our Lord explains the nature and extent of Christian charity. The disciples might ask: WHOM are we to love? He bids them to "love their enemies — do good to those who hate them — bless those who curse them — and pray for those who despitefully use them." Their love was to be like His own love towards sinners — unselfish, and uninfluenced by any hope of return. The disciples might ask: What was to be the MANNER of this love? It was to be self-sacrificing and self-denying. "If someone smites you on the one cheek — turn the other cheek to him as well." "If someone takes your cloak — do not stop him from taking your shirt as well." They were to give up much, and endure much — for the sake of showing kindness and avoiding strife. They were to forego even their rights, and submit to wrong — rather than awaken angry passions and create quarrels. In this they were to be like their Master — patient, meek, and lowly of heart. In the second place — our Lord lays down a golden principle for the settlement of doubtful cases. He knew well that there will always be occasions when the line of duty towards our neighbor is not clearly defined. He knew how much self-interest and private feelings, will sometimes dim our perceptions of right and wrong.
The words behind it
20 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| δίδοτε, | didote | do give, | G1325 → | 412 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| δοθήσεται | dothesetai | it will be given | G1325 → | 412 times |
| ὑμῖν. | humin | to you. | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| μέτρον | metron | Measure | G3358 → | |
| καλὸν | kalon | good | G2570 → | 101 times |
| πεπιεσμένον | pepiesmenon | pressed down | G4085 → | |
| σεσαλευμένον | sesaleumenon | shaken together | G4531 → | 15 times |
| ὑπερεκχυννόμενον | huperekchunnomenon | running over | G5240 → | |
| δώσουσιν | dosousin | will they put | G1325 → | 412 times |
| εἰς | eis | into | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κόλπον | kolpon | lap | G2859 → | 6 times |
| ὑμῶν· | humon | of you; | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ᾧ | ho | with which | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| μέτρῳ | metro | measure | G3358 → | |
| μετρεῖτε, | metreite | you measure, | G3354 → | |
| ἀντιμετρηθήσεται | antimetrethesetai | it will be re-measured | G488 → | |
| ὑμῖν. | humin | to you. | G4771 → | 2973 times |
δίδοτε,do give,
didoteG1325 →412 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
δοθήσεταιit will be given
dothesetaiG1325 →412 times
ὑμῖν.to you.
huminG4771 →2973 times
μέτρονMeasure
metronG3358 →
καλὸνgood
kalonG2570 →101 times
πεπιεσμένονpressed down
pepiesmenonG4085 →
σεσαλευμένονshaken together
sesaleumenonG4531 →15 times
ὑπερεκχυννόμενονrunning over
huperekchunnomenonG5240 →
δώσουσινwill they put
dosousinG1325 →412 times
εἰςinto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
κόλπονlap
kolponG2859 →6 times
ὑμῶν·of you;
humonG4771 →2973 times
ᾧwith which
hoG3739 →1405 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
μέτρῳmeasure
metroG3358 →
μετρεῖτε,you measure,
metreiteG3354 →
ἀντιμετρηθήσεταιit will be re-measured
antimetrethesetaiG488 →
ὑμῖν.to you.
huminG4771 →2973 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Mark 4:24He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and even more will be added to you.
it leads to
- Hebrews 2:1
We must pay closer attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
- Luke 8:18
Pay attention, therefore, to how you listen. Whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.”
- Matthew 7:2
For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
- 2 Corinthians 9:6
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
- Acts 17:11
Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true.
- Hebrews 2:1
Through
Matthew 7:2For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
it leads to
- James 2:13
For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
- Mark 4:24
He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and even more will be added to you.
- Obadiah 1:15
For the Day of the LORD is near for all the nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your recompense will return upon your own head.
- James 2:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
About Luke

This page draws on 25 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Gospels; Ambrose of Milan, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Athanasius of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Augustine of Hippo, LETTER 171A; Augustine of Hippo, SERMON 206.2; Augustine of Hippo, SERMON 205.3; Augustine of Hippo, SERMON 179A.1; Augustine of Hippo, SERMON 376A.3; Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Basil of Caesarea, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 6; Cyril of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 29; Cyril of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 6.18B; Gregory of Nyssa, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Chrysostom, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Polycarp of Smyrna, Epistle to the Philippians 2; Pseudo-Clement, Clementine Homilies, Homily 18 and Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas.
