Luke 6:25

Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

Luke 6:25 (KJV)

Context

Luke 6:25 is part of the Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:17-49), where Jesus teaches His disciples and a large crowd about life in God’s kingdom. This verse belongs to a series of woes that mirror the blessings He has just pronounced, showing that the values of God’s kingdom reverse human expectations.

Meaning

Jesus pronounces a “woe“—a solemn warning of coming judgment—upon two groups. The word “full” describes those who are self-satisfied, content with worldly possessions, accomplishments, or their own righteousness. Such people have no appetite for spiritual things, so Jesus warns they “shall hunger“: not a blessed longing for God, but a future state of lack and want. Similarly, “laugh now” refers to those who find their joy only in worldly pleasures and temporal merriment. Jesus warns that this laughter will turn to mourning and weeping, because joy built on fleeting things cannot last.

This is not a condemnation of enjoying God’s good gifts. It is a warning against a heart so satisfied with the world that it has no room for God. True and lasting fulfillment comes from seeking His kingdom and righteousness, not from pursuing empty pleasures.

Biblical connections

This woe contrasts with the beatitude in Luke 6:21, where Jesus blesses those who hunger now and weep now, promising they shall be filled and shall laugh. The pairing of blessings and woes emphasizes the reversal of fortunes in God’s kingdom.

Application

This verse calls for self-examination. Are we relying on our own fullness and present joys, or are we hungering for God and His righteousness? It invites us to reorient our values, prioritizing the kingdom of God over earthly comfort and pleasure.

Reflection

Jesus’ warning is both sobering and hopeful. It soberly reminds us that temporal satisfaction cannot ultimately satisfy the soul, and it hopefully points us to the God who alone can fill our deepest hunger and turn our mourning into lasting joy.