Luke 6 6

Luke 6:6 kjv

And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.

Luke 6:6 nkjv

Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered.

Luke 6:6 niv

On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled.

Luke 6:6 esv

On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered.

Luke 6:6 nlt

On another Sabbath day, a man with a deformed right hand was in the synagogue while Jesus was teaching.

Luke 6 verses

Luke 6 6 Meaning

Luke 6:6 describes Jesus's purposeful act of entering a synagogue on a Sabbath day to teach, setting the stage for a critical confrontation with religious authorities. In this sacred space and on this holy day, a man with a severe physical impairment—a withered right hand—was present. This scene meticulously details the time, location, and key characters involved, serving as an immediate preamble to Jesus's next major act of challenging rigid legalistic interpretations of the Sabbath law through an act of divine compassion and healing.

Luke 6 6 Context

Luke 6:6 is situated immediately following the account of Jesus and His disciples plucking grain on the Sabbath, which had already drawn criticism from the Pharisees (Lk 6:1-5). In response to that earlier incident, Jesus had asserted His authority as "Lord of the Sabbath." This verse continues the narrative of escalating tension. By entering the synagogue—the central place for Jewish religious instruction and communal worship—Jesus deliberately placed Himself in a public setting where His actions would be observed by the very religious leaders who sought to condemn Him. The presence of the man with the withered hand provided the opportune, or divinely orchestrated, occasion for Jesus to further demonstrate His compassionate authority, challenging the prevailing legalistic interpretations that valued rigid adherence to tradition over human need and divine mercy. This context reveals Jesus intentionally confronting the narrow, restrictive view of God's law.

Luke 6 6 Word analysis

• On another Sabbath (ἐν ἑτέρῳ σαββάτῳ, en hetero sabbatō): The use of "another" is significant. It immediately links this event to the previous Sabbath controversy (Luke 6:1-5) concerning the plucking of grain, signaling a continuation and escalation of Jesus's conflict with the religious authorities regarding the Sabbath. It implies Jesus's deliberate pattern of action.
• He entered (εἰσῆλθεν, eiselthen): A simple, indicative past tense, highlighting Jesus's intentional act. He wasn't merely passing by but purposefully entering the sacred space.
• the synagogue (τὴν συναγωγὴν, tēn synagōgēn): The Jewish local house of assembly, serving as a center for prayer, study of the Law and Prophets, and community life. Its mention underscores that this was a public, religiously significant setting for the upcoming encounter. Jesus, as was His custom (Lk 4:16), taught in these places.
• and was teaching (καὶ ἐδίδασκεν, kai edidasken): The imperfect tense here indicates a continuous or customary action. Jesus regularly engaged in public instruction, fulfilling His role as a prophet and authoritative teacher (Lk 4:15).
• And a man was there (καὶ ἦν ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖ, kai ēn anthrōpos ekei): This introduces the specific individual whose condition will become central to the narrative. His presence is observed and noted as a key element.
• whose right hand (ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ ἡ δεξιὰ, hē cheir autou hē dexia): The specific mention of the "right hand" (dexia) is highly important. In ancient society, the right hand was predominantly used for work, handling tools, holding a weapon, signing oaths, eating, and basic daily functions. Its withering implies severe and incapacitating disuse or atrophy, rendering the individual extremely vulnerable and dependent, and likely making it impossible to earn a living. This detail heightens the tragedy of his condition and underscores the immediate practical impact of Jesus's subsequent healing.
• was withered (ἦν ξηρὰ, ēn xēra): From xeros, meaning "dry," "shriveled," or "parched." This describes a severe physical decay, indicating a non-functional limb that had lost its vitality and strength. It points to a long-standing, seemingly irreversible condition that could not be treated by ordinary medical means, emphasizing the miraculous nature of the cure.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "On another Sabbath, He entered the synagogue and was teaching": This opening phrase deliberately sets the scene. "On another Sabbath" alerts the reader to a pattern of Sabbath confrontations following the previous one. Jesus's actions of "entering the synagogue" and "teaching" are habitual and intentional, signaling that He is not passively encountering challenges but proactively engaging with religious practices and doctrines in a public, authoritative manner.
• "And a man was there whose right hand was withered": This phrase introduces the object of Jesus's compassion and the catalyst for the direct conflict. The detailed description of the "withered right hand" not only conveys the man's severe physical affliction but also subtly highlights the profound practical and social challenges he faced, particularly in an agrarian society where the ability to use one's right hand was crucial for labor and livelihood. This physical detail is chosen to underscore the impact of divine healing.

Luke 6 6 Bonus section

• The absence of the man explicitly requesting healing in this initial verse (he is merely "there") underscores that Jesus's act was one of divine initiative and compassion, not a response to a direct plea. This highlights Jesus's innate drive to do good and bring healing wherever suffering was found.
• The Pharisees' focus was often on outward ritual purity and adherence to written (and unwritten) laws, rather than the spirit of the law, which encompassed compassion and mercy, particularly emphasized in the Old Testament (e.g., Hos 6:6).
• The scene prefigures the later intense opposition Jesus faced from religious leaders, demonstrating how His divine authority and compassionate acts continually challenged their established power structures and theological understanding.

Luke 6 6 Commentary

Luke 6:6 is far more than a simple descriptive sentence; it meticulously lays the groundwork for a profound theological clash concerning the Sabbath. Jesus, deliberately continuing His pattern of Sabbath encounters after the grain-plucking incident (Lk 6:1-5), enters the synagogue—the very heart of Jewish religious observance—and begins teaching. His presence, combined with His instruction, serves as an active challenge to the Pharisees' rigid interpretation of God's Law. The focal point is then introduced: a man whose "right hand was withered." This seemingly casual observation is charged with dramatic tension. A withered limb represents more than just a physical ailment; for the affected individual, it meant a life of hardship and dependency. For the religious leaders, it represented a potential "case" by which they could trap Jesus, as healing a non-life-threatening condition on the Sabbath was forbidden by their traditions. Jesus, through His compassion for the suffering and His divine authority, was about to directly confront their unmerciful legalism, demonstrating that the true purpose of the Sabbath was for "doing good" and bringing life, rather than restricting it. This verse underlines Jesus's proactive pursuit of encounters that expose human tradition's inadequacies when it overshadows God's heart for mercy and humanity.