Discovery BoxLuke 6:21-25 
Context6:21 “Blessed are you who hunger 1 now, for you will be satisfied. 2
“Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. 3
6:22 “Blessed are you when people 4 hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject you as evil 5 on account of the Son of Man! 6:23 Rejoice in that day, and jump for joy, because 6 your reward is great in heaven. For their ancestors 7 did the same things to the prophets. 8
6:24 “But woe 9 to you who are rich, for you have received 10 your comfort 11 already.
6:25 “Woe to you who are well satisfied with food 12 now, for you will be hungry.
“Woe to you 13 who laugh 14 now, for you will mourn and weep.
1 sn You who hunger are people like the poor Jesus has already mentioned. The term has OT roots both in conjunction with the poor (Isa 32:6-7; 58:6-7, 9-10; Ezek 18:7, 16) or by itself (Ps 37:16-19; 107:9).
2 sn The promise you will be satisfied is the first of several “reversals” noted in these promises. The beatitudes and the reversals that accompany them serve in the sermon as an invitation to enter into God’s care, because one can know God cares for those who turn to him.
3 sn You will laugh alludes to the joy that comes to God’s people in the salvation to come.
4 tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), referring to both males and females.
5 tn Or “disdain you”; Grk “cast out your name as evil.” The word “name” is used here as a figure of speech to refer to the person as a whole.
sn The phrase when they exclude you and insult you and reject you as evil alludes to a person being ostracized and socially isolated because of association with the Son of Man, Jesus.
6 tn Grk “because behold.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this clause has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
7 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
8 sn Mistreatment of the prophets is something Luke often notes (Luke 11:47-51; Acts 7:51-52).
9 sn Jesus promises condemnation (woe) to those who are callous of others, looking only to their own comforts. On Luke and the rich see 1:53; 12:16; 14:12; 16:1, 21-22; 18:23; 19:2; 21:1. These woes are unique to Luke.
10 sn Ironically the language of reward shows that what the rich have received is all they will get. This result looks at a current situation, just as the start of the beatitudes did. The rest of the conclusions to the woes look to the future at the time of judgment.
11 tn Grk “your consolation.”
12 tn Grk “who are filled.” See L&N 23.18 for the translation “well satisfied with food.”
13 tc The wording “to you” (ὑμῖν, Jumin) is lacking in several witnesses (א B K L T W Θ Ξ 0147 Ë1,13 579 700 892 1241 2542 al), though found in most (Ì75 A D Q Ψ 33 Ï lat co). The longer reading looks to be a clarifying addition; nevertheless, “to you” is included in the translation because of English requirements.
14 sn That is, laugh with happiness and joy.
