Luke 6 · Verse 40

Luke 6:40

The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.
Luke 6:40, King James Version

Luke 6:40 in other translations

BSBA disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.
WEBA disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.
ASVThe disciple is not above his teacher: but every one when he is perfected shall be as his teacher.
YLTA disciple is not above his teacher, but every one perfected shall be as his teacher.
DARBYThe disciple is not above his teacher, but every one that is perfected shall be as his teacher.
BBEThe disciple is not greater than his master, but everyone whose learning is complete will be like his master.
WebsterThe disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect, shall be as his master.

What does Luke 6:40 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
40. The disciple, &c.--that is, "The disciple aims to come up to his master, and he thinks himself complete when he does so: if you then be blind leaders of the blind, the perfection of one's training under you will only land him the more certainly in one common ruin with yourselves."

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 40. The disciple is not, &c. The learner is not above his teacher, does not know more, and must expect to fare no better. This seems to have been spoken to show them that they were not to expect that their disciples would go beyond them in attainments; that if they were blind, their followers would be also; and that therefore it was important for them to understand fully the doctrines of the gospel, and not to be blind leaders of the blind.

Every one that is perfect. The word rendered is perfect means sometimes to repair or mend, and is thus applied to mending nets, Mt 4:21, Mk 1:19. Hence it means to repair or amend in a moral sense, or to make whole or complete. Here it means, evidently, thoroughly instructed or informed. The Christian should be like his master --holy, harmless, and undefiled, and separate from sinners. He should copy his example, and grow into the likeness of his Redeemer. Nor can any other be a Christian.

(x) "The disciple" Mt 10:24, Jn 13:16, 15:20 (1) "that is perfect" or shall be perfected as his master.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 40 Every one that is perfect - Or, thoroughly instructed, κατηρτισμενος: - from καταρτιζω, to adjust, adapt, knit together, restore, or put in joint. The noun is used by the Greek medical writers to signify the reducing a luxated or disjointed limb. It sometimes signifies to repair or mend, and in this sense it is applied to broken nets, Mat 4:21; Mar 1:19; but in this place, and in Heb 13:21; 2Tim 3:17, it means complete instruction and information. Every one who is thoroughly instructed in Divine things, who has his heart united to God, whose disordered tempers and passions are purified and restored to harmony and order; every one who has in him the mind that was in Christ, though he cannot be above, yet will be as, his teacher - holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. "The disciple who perfectly understands the rules and sees the example of his master, will think it his business to tread exactly in his steps, to do and suffer upon like occasions, as his master did: and so he will be like his master." Whitby.

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 6:40 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.

ΟὐκOukNotG3756
ἔστινestinisG1510
μαθητὴςmathētēsa discipleG3101
ὑπὲρhuperaboveG5228
τὸνtontheG3588
διδάσκαλονdidaskalonteacherG1320
κατηρτισμένοςkatērtismenosfully trainedG2675
δὲdehoweverG1161
πᾶςpaseveryoneG3956
ἔσταιestaiwill beG1510
ὡςhōslikeG5613
ὁhotheG3588
διδάσκαλοςdidaskalosteacherG1320
αὐτοῦ.¶autouof him.G846

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

Cross references for Luke 6:40

  • John 13:16

    Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

  • Matthew 10:24-25

    The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

  • John 15:20

    Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

  • Matthew 23:15

    Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
disciple.
Mt 10:24,25; Joh 13:16; 15:20
that is perfect shall be as his master. or, shall beperfected as his master.
Mt 23:15

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Luke 6:41

    And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Read all of Luke 6

Luke 6:40 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		El discípulo no es sobre su maestro; mas cualquiera que fuere como el maestro, será perfecto.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Le disciple n’est pas au-dessus de son maître, mais tout homme accompli sera comme son maître.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ein Jünger ist nicht über den Lehrer; jeder aber, der vollendet ist, wird sein wie sein Lehrer.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Non est discipulus super magistrum: perfectus autem omnis erit, si sit sicut magister ejus.