Luke 6 · Verse 39

Luke 6:39

And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?
Luke 6:39, King James Version

Luke 6:39 in other translations

BSBJesus also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?
WEBHe spoke a parable to them. “Can the blind guide the blind? Won’t they both fall into a pit?
ASVAnd he spake also a parable unto them, Can the blind guide the blind? shall they not both fall into a pit?
YLTAnd he spake a simile to them, ‘Is blind able to lead blind? shall they not both fall into a pit?
DARBYAnd he spoke also a parable to them: Can a blind man lead a blind man? shall not both fall into the ditch?
BBEAnd he gave them teaching in the form of a story, saying, Is it possible for one blind man to be guide to another? will they not go falling together into a hole?
WebsterAnd he spoke a parable to them; Can the blind lead the blind? will they not both fall into the ditch?

What does Luke 6:39 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
39. Can the blind, &c.--not in the Sermon on the Mount, but recorded by Matthew in another and very striking connection (Mt 15:14).

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 39. A parable. A proverb or similitude.

Can the blind lead the blind? Mt 15:14.

(w) "Can the blind" Mt 15:14.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 39 Can the blind lead the blind? - This appears to have been a general proverb, and to signify that a man cannot teach what he does not understand. This is strictly true in spiritual matters. A man who is not illuminated from above is utterly incapable of judging concerning spiritual things, and wholly unfit to be a guide to others. Is it possible that a person who is enveloped with the thickest darkness should dare either to judge of the state of others, or attempt to lead them in that path of which he is totally ignorant! If he do, must not his judgment be rashness, and his teaching folly? - and does he not endanger his own soul, and run the risk of falling into the ditch of perdition himself, together with the unhappy objects of his religious instruction?

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 6:37-49

All these sayings Christ often used; it was easy to apply them. We ought to be very careful when we blame others; for we need allowance ourselves. If we are of a giving and a forgiving spirit, we shall ourselves reap the benefit. Though full and exact returns are made in another world, not in this world, yet Providence does what should encourage us in doing good. Those who follow the multitude to do evil, follow in…

Read the full comment on Luke 6:37-49 →

Luke 6:39 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.

εἶπενeipenHe spokeG2036
δὲdethenG1161
παραβολὴνparabolēna parableG3850
αὐτοῖς·autoisto them;G846
μήτιmētisurely not everG3385
δύναταιdunataiis ableG1410
τυφλὸςtuphlosa blind [man]G5185
τυφλὸνtuphlona blind [man]G5185
ὁδηγεῖν;hodēgeinto lead?G3594
οὐχὶouchiSurelyG3780
ἀμφότεροιamphoteroibothG297
εἰςeisintoG1519
βόθυνονbothunona pitG999
ἐμπεσοῦνται;¶empesountaiwill fall in?G1706

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

Cross references for Luke 6:39

  • Matthew 15:14

    Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

  • 2 Timothy 3:13

    But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

  • Isaiah 9:16

    For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.

  • Matthew 23:16-26

    Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? …

  • 1 Timothy 6:3-5

    If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

  • Jeremiah 14:15-16

    Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed. And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them, them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them.

  • Zechariah 11:15-17

    And the Lord said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd. For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces. Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.

  • Isaiah 56:10

    His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.

  • Jeremiah 6:15

    Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.

  • Jeremiah 8:12

    Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.

  • Romans 2:19

    And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,

  • Matthew 23:33

    Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Can.
Isa 9:16; 56:10; Mt 15:14; 23:16-26; Ro 2:19; 1Ti 6:3-5; 2Ti 3:13
shall.
Jer 6:15; 8:12; 14:15,16; Mic 3:6,7; Zec 11:15-17; Mt 23:33

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

Context

  • Luke 6:38

    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.

  • Luke 6:39

    And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?

  • Luke 6:40

    The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

Read all of Luke 6

Luke 6:39 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y les decía una parábola: ¿Puede el ciego guiar al ciego? ¿No caerán ambos en el hoyo?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il leur disait aussi une parabole: Un aveugle peut-il conduire un aveugle? ne tomberont-ils pas tous deux dans la fosse?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Er sagte aber auch ein Gleichnis zu ihnen: Kann etwa ein Blinder einen Blinden leiten? werden nicht beide in eine Grube fallen?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dicebat autem illis et similitudinem: Numquid potest cæcus cæcum ducere? nonne ambo in foveam cadunt?