Luke 6:38"Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be given to you. For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you."
The setting
Northern Israel, ~28 AD. Jesus uses a marketplace metaphor His audience would recognize — grain merchants pressing down wheat to fit more in the measure.
The emotion here: excited to reveal how God's economy works completely opposite to human thinking
The original word
metron (μέτρον) — a measuring container, like a bushel basket; the same word for 'portion' or 'standard'
Why it matters
In ancient markets, honest merchants would shake and press grain to give customers the fullest possible measure
Read with care
What most readers miss in Luke 6:38
This isn't just about money — it's the climax of teachings about mercy, forgiveness, and judgment
Common misconceptionThis gets twisted into a 'prosperity gospel' promise about getting rich. But it follows verses about mercy and judgment — God gives back the same type of measure you give to others.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Luke 6:38
Bible Genome reading
Luke 6:38 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Luke 6:38 comes from the book of Luke, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Jesus. The dominant emotion in this verse is grateful, with a comfort power of 70% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the wisdom genre of biblical literature. Key themes include generosity, reciprocity. Notable phrases: give and it will be given; good measure pressed down. This verse contains a promise of God. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grateful
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
— John 3:16
“I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith.”
— 2 Timothy 4:7
“It will be, that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.'”
— Acts 2:21
“for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,”
— Ephesians 2:8
“So now it wasn't you who sent me here, but God, and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land o…”
— Genesis 45:8
Your reflection
What does Luke 6:38 mean to you, today?
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