The Meaning of Luke 6:25 Explained

Luke 6:25

KJV: Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

YLT: Woe to you who have been filled -- because ye shall hunger. 'Woe to you who are laughing now -- because ye shall mourn and weep.

Darby: Woe to you that are filled, for ye shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for ye shall mourn and weep.

ASV: Woe unto you, ye that are full now! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you , ye that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Woe  unto you  that are full!  for  ye shall hunger.  Woe  unto you  that laugh  now!  for  ye shall mourn  and  weep. 

What does Luke 6:25 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Similarly eating well and laughing are not wrong in themselves. However if a person decides not to follow Jesus because he prefers a fuller stomach and greater happiness than he believes he would have if he followed Jesus, he makes a bad choice. He is a fool for giving up what he cannot lose to get what he cannot keep (cf. Isaiah 65:13-14; James 4:9).

Context Summary

Luke 6:12-26 - New Leaders And New Principles
There are three circles here: First, Christ and His Apostles-the men who were to be sent into all the world to preach the gospel and to lay the foundations of the Church. How little did these single men imagine that one day their names would become inscribed on the foundation stones of the New Jerusalem!
The next circle is that of the disciples, Luke 6:17. You must be a disciple before you can be an apostle. You must learn, if you are to teach. You must sit at the feet of Jesus, till some day He calls you out from the class and commissions you to the world. The sheep becomes a shepherd.
The third great outer rim is the poor, needy world. What a gathering of sick folk! But if only people knew the distempers of their soul-life they would gather with equal eagerness to Jesus. How wonderful that secret touch! Luke 6:19. But many still touch Him in the press! [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 6

1  Jesus reproves the Pharisees;
12  chooses apostles;
17  heals the diseased;
20  preaches to his disciples before the people: the beattitudes;
27  Love your Enemy
37  Do not Judge
43  A Tree and Its Fruit
46  The House on the Rock

Greek Commentary for Luke 6:25

Now [νυν]
Here twice as in Luke 6:21 in contrast with future punishment. The joys and sorrows in these two verses are turned round, measure for measure reversed. The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) illustrate these contrasts in the present and the future. [source]
Mourn and weep [πενθήσετε καὶ κλαύσετε]
See on Matthew 5:4. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 6:25

Romans 15:24 Into Spain [εις την Σπανιαν]
It was a Roman province with many Jews in it. The Greek name was Ιβερια — Iberia the Latin Hispania. The Textus Receptus adds here ελευσομαι προς υμας — eleusomai pros humas (I shall come to you), but it is not in Aleph A B C D and is not genuine. Without it we have a parenthesis (or anacoluthon) through the rest of Romans 15:24. In my journey (διαπορευομενος — diaporeuomenos). Present middle participle, “passing through.” Paul planned only a brief stay in Rome since a strong church already existed there. To be brought on my way thitherward “To be sent forward there.” First aorist passive infinitive of προπεμπω — propempō common word for escorting one on a journey (1 Corinthians 16:6, 1 Corinthians 16:11; 2 Corinthians 1:16; Titus 3:13; 2 John 1:6). If first in some measure I shall have been satisfied with your company (εαν υμων προτων απο μερους εμπληστω — ean humōn protōn apo merous emplēsthō). Condition of third class with εαν — ean and first aorist passive subjunctive of εμπιμπλημι — empimplēmi old verb, to fill up, to satisfy, to take one‘s fill. See Luke 6:25. Literally, “if I first in part be filled with you” (get my fill of you). delicate compliment for the Roman church. [source]
Romans 15:24 To be brought on my way thitherward [προπεμπτηναι εκει]
“To be sent forward there.” First aorist passive infinitive of προπεμπω — propempō common word for escorting one on a journey (1 Corinthians 16:6, 1 Corinthians 16:11; 2 Corinthians 1:16; Titus 3:13; 2 John 1:6). If first in some measure I shall have been satisfied with your company (εαν υμων προτων απο μερους εμπληστω — ean humōn protōn apo merous emplēsthō). Condition of third class with εαν — ean and first aorist passive subjunctive of εμπιμπλημι — empimplēmi old verb, to fill up, to satisfy, to take one‘s fill. See Luke 6:25. Literally, “if I first in part be filled with you” (get my fill of you). delicate compliment for the Roman church. [source]
Romans 15:24 If first in some measure I shall have been satisfied with your company [εαν υμων προτων απο μερους εμπληστω]
Condition of third class with εαν — ean and first aorist passive subjunctive of εμπιμπλημι — empimplēmi old verb, to fill up, to satisfy, to take one‘s fill. See Luke 6:25. Literally, “if I first in part be filled with you” (get my fill of you). delicate compliment for the Roman church. [source]
James 4:9 Mourn [πενθήσατε]
Used of grief that is manifested. So mostly in New Testament, and very commonly joined, as here, with weep. So Mark 16:10; Luke 6:25, etc. In the next sentence occurs the kindred noun πένθος , mourning, into which laughter, also something manifest, is to be changed. [source]
James 4:9 Mourn [πεντησατε]
First aorist active imperative of πεντεω — pentheō old verb from πεντος — penthos (mourning, James 4:9), as in Matthew 5:4. Often in N.T. joined as here with κλαιω — klaiō to weep (Mark 16:10; Luke 6:25). A call to the godly sorrow spoken of in 2 Corinthians 7:10 (Mayor), like an O.T. prophet.Weep (κλαυσατε — klausate). First aorist active imperative of κλαιω — klaiō (γελως — gelōs). Old word from Homer down, only here in N.T. as γελαω — gelaō to laugh (opposite of κλαιω — klaiō), in N.T. only in Luke 6:21, Luke 6:25, but καταγελαω — katagelaō in Luke 8:53 (Mark 5:40; Matthew 9:24).Be turned Second aorist passive imperative of μετατρεπω — metatrepō old word, to turn about, to transmute, in Homer (not in Attic), here only in N.T.Heaviness (κατηπειαν — katēpheian). Old word from κατηπης — katēphēs (of a downcast look, from κατα — kata παη — phaē eyes), hanging down of the eyes like the publican in Luke 18:13, here only in N.T. [source]
James 4:9 Weep [κλαυσατε]
First aorist active imperative of κλαιω — klaiō Old word from Homer down, only here in N.T. as γελαω — gelaō to laugh (opposite of κλαιω — klaiō), in N.T. only in Luke 6:21, Luke 6:25, but καταγελαω — katagelaō in Luke 8:53 (Mark 5:40; Matthew 9:24). [source]
Revelation 18:10 Woe, woe, the great city [ουαι ουαι η πολις η μεγαλη]
Only example in the Apocalypse of the nominative with μιαι ωραι — ouai except Revelation 18:16, Revelation 18:19, though in Luke 6:25 and common in lxx (Isa 5:7, 11, etc.). For the dative see Revelation 8:13, once so “strong” Repeated in Revelation 18:16, Revelation 18:19, and like ποιαν ωραν — miāi hēmerāi (in one day) in Revelation 18:8. Some MSS. have here ο κρινας — mian hōran like η κρισις σου — poian hōran (accusative of extent of time) in Revelation 3:3. See Revelation 18:8 (ho krinas) for hē krisis sou (thy judgment). This is the dirge of the kings. [source]
Revelation 7:16 They shall hunger no more [ου πεινασουσιν ετι]
Future tense of πειναω — peinaō old verb with late form instead of πεινησουσιν — peinēsousin like Luke 6:25. It is a free translation of Isaiah 49:10 (not quotation from the lxx). [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 6:25 mean?

Woe to you who having been filled now for you will hunger Woe to those laughing you will mourn and will weep
Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν οἱ ἐμπεπλησμένοι νῦν Ὅτι πεινάσετε Οὐαί οἱ γελῶντες πενθήσετε καὶ κλαύσετε

Οὐαὶ  Woe 
Parse: Interjection
Root: οὐαί  
Sense: alas, woe.
ὑμῖν  to  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 2nd Person Plural
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
ἐμπεπλησμένοι  having  been  filled 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Middle or Passive, Vocative Masculine Plural
Root: ἐμπιμπλάω 
Sense: to fill up, fill full.
νῦν  now 
Parse: Adverb
Root: νῦν  
Sense: at this time, the present, now.
πεινάσετε  you  will  hunger 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: πεινάω  
Sense: to hunger, be hungry.
Οὐαί  Woe  to 
Parse: Interjection
Root: οὐαί  
Sense: alas, woe.
οἱ  those 
Parse: Article, Vocative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
γελῶντες  laughing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Vocative Masculine Plural
Root: γελάω  
Sense: to laugh.
πενθήσετε  you  will  mourn 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: πενθέω  
Sense: to mourn.
κλαύσετε  will  weep 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: κλαίω  
Sense: to mourn, weep, lament.