But He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
Parallel translations
- WEB But he said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God, and keep it.”
- KJV But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
- NKJV But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
- NASB But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and follow it.”
- NLT Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus says the truly blessed are those who hear and keep God's word. Spiritual obedience matters more than physical kinship.
Overview
Without dishonoring his mother, Jesus broadens blessedness to all who receive and obey God's word. The greatest privilege is not bearing Christ but believing and following him. This makes the blessing accessible to every disciple who heeds the gospel.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Luke 6:47–48I will show you what he is like who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them:
- Luke 8:21But He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear the word of God and carry it out.”
- Ps 112:1Hallelujah! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments.
- Jas 1:21–25Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls.
- John 13:17If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
- Isa 48:17–18Thus says the LORD your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you for your benefit, who directs you in the way you should go.
- Ps 1:1–3Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers.
- 1 Jn 3:21–24Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God,
- Ps 119:1–6Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the Law of the LORD.
- Matt 12:48–50But Jesus replied, “Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?”
- Ps 128:1A song of ascents. Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in His ways!
- Matt 7:21–25Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
- Rev 22:14Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by its gates.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 11:28 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.