Luke 6:23
What does Luke 6:23 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 6:23 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 6:23 means
Jesus exhorted His persecuted disciples to "rejoice in that day, and leap for joy," because their reward in heaven is great. He underscored this by reminding them that in the same manner, their ancestors persecuted the prophets. This teaching connects their present suffering to a long line of faithful witnesses, affirming their place in God's redemptive history. It encourages a joyful endurance of tribulation, knowing that heavenly compensation far outweighs earthly pain and that their suffering aligns them with God's chosen messengers.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy: for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for in the same manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Rejoice 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy: for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for in the same manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Be glad in that day, and be lifted up for joy, for your reward in heaven will be great: for their fathers did these same things to the prophets.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862rejoice in that day, and leap, for lo, your reward <FI>is<Fi> great in the heaven, for according to these things were their fathers doing to the prophets.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Be glad in that day and rejoice: for behold, your reward is great in heaven, For according to these things did their fathers to the prophets.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in the heaven, for after this manner did their fathers act toward the prophets.
Context
This verse provides a direct instruction to rejoice in the face of the persecution mentioned in the previous verse, offering a powerful antidote to despair. It reinforces the expectation of heavenly reward and links disciple's experiences to those of past prophets. This call to joyful endurance concludes the Beatitudes and provides an essential perspective on suffering before Jesus introduces woes and more specific ethical commands.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Acts 3:8
And leaping up, he stood, and began to walk; and he entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
- Isaiah 35:6
Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing; for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
- Hebrews 11:6
and without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him.
- 1 Kings 22:8
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Jehovah, Micaiah the son of Imlah: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
- Hebrews 11:32
And what shall I more say? for the time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah; of David and Samuel and the prophets:
- 2 Timothy 2:12
if we endure, we shall also reign with him: if we shall deny him, he also will deny us:
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