But he said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God, and keep it.”
Parallel translations
- KJV But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
- BSB But He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
- ESV But he said, “Blessed rather are those who 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 quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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 6:47–48Everyone who comes to me, and hears my words, and does them, I will show you who he is like.
- Luke 8:21But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are these who hear the word of God, and do it.”
- Ps 112:1Praise Yah! Blessed is the man who fears Yahweh, who delights greatly in his commandments.
- Jas 1:21–25Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
- John 13:17If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
- Isa 48:17–18Yahweh, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says: “I am Yahweh your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way that you should go.
- Ps 1:1–3Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand on the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers;
- 1 Jn 3:21–24Beloved, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have boldness toward God;
- Ps 119:1–6ALEPH Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to Yahweh’s law.
- Matt 12:48–50But he answered him who spoke to him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”
- Ps 128:1A Song of Ascents. Blessed is everyone who fears Yahweh, who walks in his ways.
- Matt 7:21–25Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
- Rev 22:14Blessed are those who do his commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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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.