Luke 6:8
in Luke 6But Jesus knew their thoughts and said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and stand among us.” So he got up and stood there.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But he knew their thoughts; and he said to the man that had his hand withered, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.
KJV
But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.
⋯
This verse in Luke 6
Commentary
12 notes on this verseOnce more he spoke to this; "he reveals deep and mysterious things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him." And why did he do this? Perhaps it might be to move the cruel and unpitying Pharisee to compassion. The man's malady [his withered hand] perhaps might shame them and persuade them to dispel the flames of their envy.
This site's exposition
On another Sabbath Jesus entered
on Luke 6:6-8
A man was there whose right hand was withered, and Luke the physician alone names which hand. The scribes and Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He would heal on the Sabbath, turning the man's need into a trap.
This site's exposition
Jesus knew their thoughts
Jesus knows their plan and brings the man into full view. John Gill takes the knowledge as that of God, as they had said nothing aloud. Matthew Henry notes that Jesus appealed to their own conscience on doing good on the Sabbath.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
For this is the way of the envious man, he feeds in himself his pang of grief with the praises of others. But the Lord knew all things, and searches the hearts; as it follows, But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand. And he arose, and stood forth, that perchance he might stir up the cruel Pharisees to pity, and allay the flames of their passion.
(de Con. Ev. l. ii. c. 35.) But it may be questioned how Matthew came to say, that they asked the Lord, whether it was lawful to heal on the sabbath, when Luke in this place states that they rather were asked of the Lord. We must therefore believe that they first asked the Lord, and that then He understanding by their thoughts that they sought an opportunity to accuse Him, placed the man in the midst whom He was going to heal, and asked the question which Mark and Luke relate Him to have asked. It follows, And looking round about upon them all.
The Medieval Church2 voices
He himself knew their thoughts, etc. This is what we read: The Lord knows the thoughts of men, that they are vain (Psalm XCIII). And what follows: Blessed is the man whom you instruct, Lord, and teach him out of your law (Ibid.). This is …
But he himself knew their thoughts. After the opportunity of the miraculous work, there is added here the sublimity of the wondrous worker with respect to three things, namely with respect to the wisdom of discerning in the heart, the prudence of questioning in speech, …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
He appealed to his adversaries themselves, and to the convictions of natural conscience, whether it was the design of the fourth commandment to restrain men from doing good on the sabbath day, that good which their hand finds to do, which they have an opportunity for, and which cannot so well be put off to another time (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
But he knew their thoughts,.... Being the omniscient God; though they had said nothing of their intentions, he knew what they designed, should he heal the man with his withered hand, as they expected he would: and said to the man which had the withered hand, rise up, and stand forth in the midst.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
But he knew there thoughts - He knew their thoughts - their dark, malicious designs - by the question, which they proposed to him, whether it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath-days (Matthew). In “reply” to their question, Jesus asked them whether they would not release a “sheep” on the Sabbath-day if it was fallen into a pit, and also asked “them” whether it was better to do good than to do evil on that day, implying that to “omit” to do “good” was, in fact, doing “evil.”
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
These verses contain another example of our Lord Jesus Christ's mode of dealing with the Sabbath question. Once more we find Him coming into collision with the vain traditions of the Pharisees, about the observance of the fourth commandment. Once more we find Him clearing the day of God from the rubbish of human traditions — and placing its requirements on the right foundation. We are taught in these verses — the lawfulness of doing works of mercy on the Sabbath day.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
These verses contain another example of our Lord Jesus Christ's mode of dealing with the Sabbath question. Once more we find Him coming into collision with the vain traditions of the Pharisees, about the observance of the fourth commandment. Once more we find Him clearing the day of God from the rubbish of human traditions — and placing its requirements on the right foundation. We are taught in these verses — the lawfulness of doing works of mercy on the Sabbath day. We read that before all the Scribes and Pharisees, our Lord healed a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath. He knew that these enemies of all righteousness were watching to see whether He would do it, in order that they might "find an accusation against Him." He boldly asserts the right of doing such works of mercy, even on the day when it is said, "you shall do no manner of work." He openly challenges them to show that such a work was contrary to the law. "I will ask you one thing," He says, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good — or to do evil? to save life — or to destroy?" To this question, His enemies were unable to find an answer. The principle here laid down, is one of wide application . The fourth commandment was never meant to be so interpreted, as to inflict injury on man's body. It was intended to admit of adaptation to that state of things which sin has brought into the world. It was not meant to forbid showing kindness on the Sabbath to the afflicted — or attending to the needs of the sick. We may drive in a carriage to minister comfort to the dying. We may stay away from public worship — in order to fetch a doctor, or be useful in a sick room. We may visit the fatherless and widow in trouble. We may preach, and teach, and instruct the ignorant. These are works of mercy . We may do them, and yet keep the Sabbath holy. They are not breaches of God's law.
How the passage was read
On Luke 6:1-11On Luke 6:1-11
Luke's Sabbath pair, with the act named
Luke sets the two Sabbath collisions side by side and preserves the concrete detail: the disciples plucked ears of grain, “rubbing them in their hands” (6:1). The rubbing is the point of the objection: in the tradition's categories of forbidden Sabbath labor (thirty-nine of them, listed in Mishnah Shabbat 7:2), plucking counted as reaping and rubbing out the kernels as threshing. Deuteronomy 23:25 expressly permits eating from a neighbor's standing grain, so theft was never the charge; the developing oral law's categories were. The full exposition is in this site's Matthew 12 note.
In the withered-hand scene that follows, the watchers stand on a real distinction of their own law: mortal danger overrides the Sabbath (Mishnah Yoma 8:6), but a chronic condition can wait a day. Jesus heals by a word, an act no category of labor can name, and puts the question that reframes the day itself: “Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?”
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Sources: Mishnah Shabbat 7:2 (the thirty-nine categories) · Mishnah Yoma 8:6 (danger to life overrides the Sabbath)
The words behind it
24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| αὐτὸς | autos | He himself | G846 → | 5565 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ᾔδει | edei | knew | G1492 → | 374 times |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| διαλογισμοὺς | dialogismous | thoughts | G1261 → | 14 times |
| αὐτῶν. | auton | of them. | G846 → | 5565 times |
| εἶπεν | eipen | He said | G2036 → | 925 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τῷ | to | to the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀνδρὶ | andri | man | G435 → | 216 times |
| τῷ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ξηρὰν | xeran | withered | G3584 → | 8 times |
| ἔχοντι | echonti | having | G2192 → | 707 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| χεῖρα· | cheira | hand; | G5495 → | 175 times |
| ἔγειρε | egeire | do arise | G1453 → | 142 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| στῆθι | stethi | do stand | G2476 → | 153 times |
| εἰς | eis | in | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μέσον. | meson | midst. | G3319 → | 56 times |
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἀναστὰς | anastas | having risen up | G450 → | 107 times |
| ἔστη. | este | he stood. | G2476 → | 153 times |
αὐτὸςHe himself
autosG846 →5565 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
ᾔδειknew
edeiG1492 →374 times
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
διαλογισμοὺςthoughts
dialogismousG1261 →14 times
αὐτῶν.of them.
autonG846 →5565 times
εἶπενHe said
eipenG2036 →925 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
τῷto the
toG3588 →19766 times
ἀνδρὶman
andriG435 →216 times
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
ξηρὰνwithered
xeranG3584 →8 times
ἔχοντιhaving
echontiG2192 →707 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
χεῖρα·hand;
cheiraG5495 →175 times
ἔγειρεdo arise
egeireG1453 →142 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
στῆθιdo stand
stethiG2476 →153 times
εἰςin
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
μέσον.midst.
mesonG3319 →56 times
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἀναστὰςhaving risen up
anastasG450 →107 times
ἔστη.he stood.
esteG2476 →153 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
Matthew 9:4But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, “Why do you harbor evil in your hearts?
it leads to
- Psalms 139:2
You know when I sit and when I rise; You understand my thoughts from afar.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 12:25
Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.
- Revelation 2:23
Then I will strike her children dead, and all the churches will know that I am the One who searches minds and hearts, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
- Psalms 139:2
Through
Revelation 2:23Then I will strike her children dead, and all the churches will know that I am the One who searches minds and hearts, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
it leads to
- Matthew 16:27
For the Son of Man will come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done.
- Romans 8:27
And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
- Psalms 7:9
Put an end to the evil of the wicked, but establish the righteous, O righteous God who searches hearts and minds.
- Acts 1:24
And they prayed, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen
- 1 Peter 1:17
Since you call on a Father who judges each one’s work impartially, conduct yourselves in reverent fear during your stay as foreigners.
- Matthew 16:27
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies16
On this verse
On this chapter
About Luke
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 6; Cyril of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 23; Cyril of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Luke; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.