New Testament · Gospel

Luke 6:45

Blessings and Woes

The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. Luke 6:45 · Berean Standard Bible

What It Means

Luke 6:45, in plain English

Jesus said, 'A good person produces good from the good stored in their heart. An evil person produces evil from the evil stored inside. Your mouth speaks what your heart is full of.'

Why it's here

Your words reveal your heart. What comes out of your mouth — especially unguarded — tells the truth about what's inside.

Who's speaking

Jesus connects the heart to actions, with speech as the key indicator.

Where it sits in the story

Pay attention to your words. They're the overflow of your heart. If you don't like what you hear yourself saying, the issue isn't your mouth — it's what's filling your heart.

A Closer Look

The scholarly reading

The heart (kardia) is identified as the thēsauros ("treasury/storehouse") from which good or evil proceeds. The climactic statement: ek gar perissseumatos kardias lalei to stoma autou ("out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks") establishes speech as the primary indicator of heart condition.

Language and setting

This verse bridges the fruit metaphor and the sermon's conclusion. The heart, in Hebrew thought (leb/lebab), encompasses the entire inner life — intellect, will, and emotions.

Voice

Jesus teaches about the heart as the source of all behavior, especially speech.

Significance

Jesus locates the origin of all moral behavior in the heart. Speech, as the most spontaneous and unguarded expression of inner life, serves as the most reliable diagnostic of spiritual health.

In context

Luke 6:43–47

43No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.

44For each tree is known by its own fruit. Indeed, figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor grapes from brambles.

45The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

46Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ but do not do what I say?

47I will show you what he is like who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them:

Read all of Luke 6 — Blessed are the poor; woe to the rich. Jesus delivers his version of the great sermon and demands a love so radical it includes your enemies.

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