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InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
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Luke 6 V1 V3 V5 V7 V9 V11 V13 V15 V17 V19 V21 V23 V25 V27 V29 V31 V33 V35 V37 V39 V41 V43 V45 V47 V49
OET (OET-LV) How are_you_being_able to_be_saying to_the brother of_you:
Brother, allow I_may_throw_out the speck which in the eye of_you, not seeing yourself the beam in the eye of_you?
Hypocrite, first throw_out the beam from the eye of_you, and then you_will_be_seeing_clearly to_throw_out the speck which in the eye of_the brother of_you.
OET (OET-RV) How can you tell that person, ‘Hey, let me get that speck out of your eye,’ when you can’t even see the log in your eye? You hypocrite, get the log out of your eye and then you’ll be able to see clearly so you can remove the speck in the other person’s eye.
In this section, Jesus spoke about how his true disciples should think and act. He spoke about this immediately after he had chosen twelve of his disciples to be his apostles. Jesus said many things about this topic in his speech, so that people have often called this particular speech of Jesus a “sermon.”
In this sermon, Jesus asked those who heard him to be different from other people in the world and to think differently. He encouraged his disciples to obey his authority and live as people of God. They should be generous and merciful even to their enemies, as God is generous to everyone. Jesus assured his disciples that they would be blessed and rewarded for their obedience and for suffering for him. He concluded his speech by telling parables to motivate his disciples to obey his teaching.
Another possible heading for this section is:
The Sermon on the Plain (NET)
Some English versions divide 6:17–49 into several sections. Here is one way that might be done:
6:17–26 Blessings and woes
6:27–36 Love your enemies
6:37–42 Do not judge
6:43–45 A tree and its fruit
6:46–49 Two foundations
The sermon in 6:17–49 is similar to the sermon commonly referred to as “The Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew chapters 5–7.
In this paragraph, Jesus continued to challenge his disciples to be good leaders. He stated that a good leader examines his life to makes sure that he obeys all of Jesus’ teachings. The disciple must change any of his attitudes and actions that do not conform to Jesus’ teaching. Only then can the disciple lead others to examine and change their lives.
Jesus used rhetorical questions to emphasize his teaching. He also used a metaphor and exaggeration. The very small piece of wood and the very large beam represent a person’s faults or sins that he should abandon. The exaggerated contrast between something very small and something very large emphasizes what Jesus was saying. It is wrong to condemn a friend for his faults if you have not critically examined and changed your own behavior.
In 6:41–42 Jesus used the singular form of “you.” However, in these verses he gave a general teaching that applies to any disciple. Use appropriate forms in your language for this. You may want to refer to the note on 6:27b–28, which gives suggestions for forms to use for general commands.
How can you say, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while you yourself fail to see the beam in your own eye?: Here Jesus restated the first rhetorical question. He restated it to rebuke and emphasize that your own sins blind you so that you cannot help others. His emphasis is on the importance of examining your own life and changing behavior that needs to be changed.
Some ways to translate this rebuke are:
As a rhetorical question. For example:
How can you think of saying, “Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,” when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? (NLT)
Why do you say to your brother, “Brother, let me remove the speck from your eye,” when you yourself do not see the beam in your eye?
As a statement or exclamation. For example:
It is wrong to say to your brother, “Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,” when you yourself fail to see the plank of wood in your own eye!
Translate this rebuke in a way that is natural in your language.
How can you say,
Why do you say to your brother,
It is wrong to say to your friend,
How can you say: The phrase How can you say introduces the rebuke. In some languages, it may be more natural to begin the rebuke with the word “why.” For example:
Why do you say
The Greek says literally, “How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother.’” In some languages, it may be natural to let the first mention of “brother” remain implicit. That is what the BSB does. Another way to translate this phrase is:
How can you think of saying (NLT)
‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’
‘Brother, let me remove the little piece of sawdust from your eye,’
‘Friend, allow me to take that tiny piece of wood out of your eye,’
Brother: See the note on “brother’s” at 6:41a.
let me take the speck out of your eye: The Greek word that the BSB translates as speck is the same Greek word that it translates as “speck” in 6:41a.
while you yourself fail to see the beam in your own eye?
when you(sing) yourself do not even see the log in your eye?
when you(sing) yourself do not see the big/huge piece of wood in your own eye!
while you yourself: The phrase you yourself is emphatic. It draws attention to the person who fails to see his own wrong actions/behavior. If you have a way to make this emphatic in your language, use it here.
fail to see: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as fail to see is literally “do not see.” For example:
do not see (RSV)
the beam in your own eye: The Greek word that the BSB translates as beam is the same word as in 6:41b. It refers to a very large, heavy piece of wood, usually used as a beam in building a house. Translate this word the same way in both places.
In some languages, it may be natural to change the order of the clauses in 6:42a–c. For example:
42cIf you do not see the beam in your own eye, 42ahow can you offer 42bto help your brother take the small piece of wood out of his eye?
You hypocrite! First take the beam out of your own eye,
You(sing) pretender! First, remove(sing) the log/beam from your own eye.
You(sing) fraud! Remove(sing) the large piece of wood from your own eye first.
You hypocrite!: The Greek word that the BSB translates as hypocrite means “pretender” or “actor.” An actor is someone who pretends to be another person. A hypocrite often:
acted in a way that did not fit what he said he believed;
believed that he honored God, but he did not truly love and honor him.
Some other ways to translate this are:
You show-offs! (CEV)
You fraud… (JBP)
In some languages, people use an idiom for this idea.
Jesus made the exclamation You hypocrite! to emphasize his warning. A person who does not examine his own life but criticizes others is not sincere.
The Greek text says literally just “hypocrite.” The BSB and other English versions add the word “you” to show that this is direct address. Here are some other ways to translate this:
Hypocrite! (NLT)
You are a hypocrite.
First take the beam out of your own eye: The Greek word that the BSB translates as beam is the same word as in 6:41b and 6:41c. Another way to translate this clause is:
First remove the beam from your own eye (NET)
and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Then you(sing) will see clearly, and you can remove the little piece of sawdust from your brother’s eye.
After you(sing) do that, then you will be able to see better to remove the tiny piece of wood from your friend’s eye.
and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye: The phrase and then means “after that.” In this case it is also a result. When a person takes the beam out of his own eye first, the result is that he will see clearly to remove the speck from his brother’s eye.
In some languages, it may be helpful to explain the metaphor of the speck and plank in a footnote. For example:
The speck represents small sins and faults. The plank represents large sins and faults.
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / youcrowd
πῶς δύνασαι λέγειν τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Πῶς δύνασαι λέγειν τῷ ἀδελφῷ σοῦ Ἀδελφέ ἄφες ἐκβάλω τό κάρφος τό ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ αὐτός τήν ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ δοκόν οὒ βλέπων Ὑποκριτά ἔκβαλε πρῶτον τήν δοκόν ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σοῦ καί τότε διαβλέψεις τό κάρφος τό ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σοῦ ἐκβαλεῖν)
Jesus is speaking to his disciples and the crowd, but he is addressing an individual situation, so you and your are singular here. (The terms you, your, and yourself are also singular throughout the rest of this verse, because either Jesus is addressing an individual situation, or one person is addressing another in fictional dialogue.) If the singular forms of these pronouns would not be natural in your language, you could use the plural forms in your translation.
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion
πῶς δύνασαι λέγειν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Πῶς δύνασαι λέγειν τῷ ἀδελφῷ σοῦ Ἀδελφέ ἄφες ἐκβάλω τό κάρφος τό ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ αὐτός τήν ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ δοκόν οὒ βλέπων Ὑποκριτά ἔκβαλε πρῶτον τήν δοκόν ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σοῦ καί τότε διαβλέψεις τό κάρφος τό ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σοῦ ἐκβαλεῖν)
Jesus is using this question as a teaching tool, not to ask for information. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate his words as a statement. Alternate translation: [You should not say]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου, ἀδελφέ, ἄφες
˱to˲_the brother the the the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Πῶς δύνασαι λέγειν τῷ ἀδελφῷ σοῦ Ἀδελφέ ἄφες ἐκβάλω τό κάρφος τό ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ αὐτός τήν ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ δοκόν οὒ βλέπων Ὑποκριτά ἔκβαλε πρῶτον τήν δοκόν ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σοῦ καί τότε διαβλέψεις τό κάρφος τό ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σοῦ ἐκβαλεῖν)
The term Brother means a fellow believer in Jesus. So in its first instance here, you could translate the term the way you did in [6:41](../06/41.md). But since it is realistic that in dialogue one believer might address another believer as Brother or “Sister,” you could retain the figurative term in its second instance. Alternate translation: [to a fellow believer, ‘Brother,’ or ‘Sister, let]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
ἄφες ἐκβάλω τὸ κάρφος τὸ ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σου
allow ˱I˲_˓may˒_cast_out (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Πῶς δύνασαι λέγειν τῷ ἀδελφῷ σοῦ Ἀδελφέ ἄφες ἐκβάλω τό κάρφος τό ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ αὐτός τήν ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ δοκόν οὒ βλέπων Ὑποκριτά ἔκβαλε πρῶτον τήν δοκόν ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σοῦ καί τότε διαβλέψεις τό κάρφος τό ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σοῦ ἐκβαλεῖν)
This is a metaphor. Alternate translation: [let me help you correct some of your faults]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
αὐτὸς τὴν ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ δοκὸν οὐ βλέπων
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Πῶς δύνασαι λέγειν τῷ ἀδελφῷ σοῦ Ἀδελφέ ἄφες ἐκβάλω τό κάρφος τό ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ αὐτός τήν ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ δοκόν οὒ βλέπων Ὑποκριτά ἔκβαλε πρῶτον τήν δοκόν ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σοῦ καί τότε διαβλέψεις τό κάρφος τό ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σοῦ ἐκβαλεῖν)
This phrase is a metaphor. Alternate translation: [you yourself are not correcting your own serious faults]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole
τὴν ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ δοκὸν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Πῶς δύνασαι λέγειν τῷ ἀδελφῷ σοῦ Ἀδελφέ ἄφες ἐκβάλω τό κάρφος τό ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ αὐτός τήν ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ δοκόν οὒ βλέπων Ὑποκριτά ἔκβαλε πρῶτον τήν δοκόν ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σοῦ καί τότε διαβλέψεις τό κάρφος τό ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σοῦ ἐκβαλεῖν)
A log could not literally go into a person’s eye. Jesus is continuing to exaggerate to emphasize his point and make it memorable. Alternate translation: [your own serious faults]
Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
ἔκβαλε πρῶτον τὴν δοκὸν ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σοῦ
cast_out first (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Πῶς δύνασαι λέγειν τῷ ἀδελφῷ σοῦ Ἀδελφέ ἄφες ἐκβάλω τό κάρφος τό ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ αὐτός τήν ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ δοκόν οὒ βλέπων Ὑποκριτά ἔκβαλε πρῶτον τήν δοκόν ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σοῦ καί τότε διαβλέψεις τό κάρφος τό ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σοῦ ἐκβαλεῖν)
This phrase is a metaphor. Alternate translation: [First recognize and correct your own serious faults]
Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
τὸ κάρφος τὸ ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου ἐκβαλεῖν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Πῶς δύνασαι λέγειν τῷ ἀδελφῷ σοῦ Ἀδελφέ ἄφες ἐκβάλω τό κάρφος τό ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ αὐτός τήν ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ δοκόν οὒ βλέπων Ὑποκριτά ἔκβαλε πρῶτον τήν δοκόν ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σοῦ καί τότε διαβλέψεις τό κάρφος τό ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σοῦ ἐκβαλεῖν)
This phrase is a metaphor. Alternate translation: [to help a fellow believer correct his or her faults]
OET (OET-LV) How are_you_being_able to_be_saying to_the brother of_you:
Brother, allow I_may_throw_out the speck which in the eye of_you, not seeing yourself the beam in the eye of_you?
Hypocrite, first throw_out the beam from the eye of_you, and then you_will_be_seeing_clearly to_throw_out the speck which in the eye of_the brother of_you.
OET (OET-RV) How can you tell that person, ‘Hey, let me get that speck out of your eye,’ when you can’t even see the log in your eye? You hypocrite, get the log out of your eye and then you’ll be able to see clearly so you can remove the speck in the other person’s eye.
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.
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