Luke 6 · Verse 20

Luke 6:20

And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.
Luke 6:20, King James Version

Luke 6:20 in other translations

BSBLooking up at His disciples, Jesus said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
WEBHe lifted up his eyes to his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for God’s Kingdom is yours.
ASVAnd he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed are ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.
YLTAnd he, having lifted up his eyes to his disciples, said: ‘Happy the poor--because yours is the reign of God.
DARBYAnd he, lifting up his eyes upon his disciples, said, Blessed are ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
BBEAnd turning his eyes to his disciples he said, Happy are you who are poor: for the kingdom of God is yours.
WebsterAnd he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed are ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

What does Luke 6:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 6:20-21
20-21. In the Sermon on the Mount the benediction is pronounced upon the "poor in spirit" and those who "hunger and thirst after righteousness" (Mt 5:3, 6). Here it is simply on the "poor" and the "hungry now." In this form of the discourse, then, our Lord seems to have had in view "the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which God hath promised to them that love Him," as these very beatitudes are paraphrased by James (Jas 2:5).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verses 20-49. See this passage fully illustrated in the sermon on the mount, in the 5th, 6th, and 7th chapters of Matthew.

(u) "he lifted up his eyes", Mt 5:2 (v) "ye that weep", Jas 2:5

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 Blessed be ye poor - See the sermon on the mount paraphrased and explained, Matthew 5 (note), Matthew 6 (note), Matthew 7 (note),

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 6:20-26
Here begins a discourse of Christ, most of which is also found in Mt 5; 7. But some think that this was preached at another time and place. All believers that take the precepts of the gospel to themselves, and live by them, may take the promises of the gospel to themselves, and live upon them. Woes are denounced against prosperous sinners as miserable people, though the world envies them. Those are blessed indeed whom Christ blesses, but those must be dreadfully miserable who fall under his woe and curse! What a vast advantage will the saint have over the sinner in the other world! and what a wide difference will there be in their rewards, how much soever the sinner may prosper, and the saint be afflicted here!

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Luke 6:20 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΚαὶKaiAndG2532
αὐτὸςautosHe himselfG846
ἐπάραςeparashaving lifted upG1869
τοὺςtoustheG3588
ὀφθαλμοὺςophthalmousgazeG3788
αὐτοῦautouof HimG846
εἰςeisuponG1519
τοὺςtoustheG3588
μαθητὰςmathētasdisciplesG3101
αὐτοῦautouof HimG846
ἔλεγεν·elegenwas saying:G3004
μακάριοιmakarioiBlessed [are]G3107
οἱhoitheG3588
πτωχοί,ptōchoipoor,G4434
ὅτιhotiforG3754
ὑμετέραhumeterayoursG4771
ἐστὶνestinisG1510
ἡhētheG3588
βασιλείαbasileiakingdomG932
τοῦtou<the>G3588
θεοῦ.¶theouof God.G2316

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 6:20

  • James 2:5

    Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

  • Luke 6:20-24

    And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. …

  • 2 Corinthians 8:9

    For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

  • Luke 12:32

    Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

  • Matthew 25:34

    Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

  • Matthew 5:2-12

    And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. …

  • James 1:9-10

    Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.

  • Revelation 2:9

    I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

  • 2 Corinthians 6:10

    As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

  • Isaiah 29:19

    The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

  • Zephaniah 3:12

    I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.

  • Luke 4:18

    The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
he lifted.
Mt 5:2-12; 12:49,50; Mr 3:34,35
Blessed.
24; 4:18; 16:25; 1Sa 2:8; Ps 37:16; 113:7,8; Pr 16:19; 19:1; Isa 29:19
Isa 57:15,16; 66:2; Zep 3:12; Zec 11:11; Mt 11:5; Joh 7:48,49
1Co 1:26-29; 2Co 6:10; 8:2,9; 1Th 1:6; Jas 1:9,10; 2:5; Re 2:9
for.
12:32; 13:28; 14:15; Mt 5:3,10; Ac 14:22; 1Co 3:21-23; 2Th 1:5
Jas 1:12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Luke 6:19

    And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.

  • Luke 6:20

    And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

  • Luke 6:21

    Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

Read all of Luke 6

Luke 6:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y alzando él los ojos á sus discípulos, decía: Bienaventurados vosotros los pobres; porque vuestro es el reino de Dios.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et lui, élevant les yeux vers ses disciples, dit: Bienheureux, vous pauvres, car à vous est le royaume de Dieu;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und er hob seine Augen auf zu seinen Jüngern und sprach: Glückselig ihr Armen, denn euer ist das Reich Gottes.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et ipse elevatis oculis in discipulis suis, dicebat: Beati pauperes, quia vestrum est regnum Dei.