“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.””
In plain words: Jesus says to give generously and be kind to others. God is more generous than we can imagine, and the way we treat people tends to come back to us.
What Luke 6:38 means.
Give, and it will be given to you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over. Generosity comes back.
Common questions about Luke 6:38
Does this mean I will get rich if I give money?
No. Jesus is not offering a deal where you give a little and get a lot. Just before this, in Luke 6:35, He tells people to do good and lend without expecting anything back. So giving is meant to come from love, not from a plan to be paid. The verse shows that God is generous and that a generous heart is a good way to live. What comes back, and how, is up to Him. The Bible does not promise riches as a reward for giving.
Apply it today: Do one kind thing today for someone who cannot pay you back.
What is the picture of 'pressed down, shaken together, and running over'?
Picture a seller at a market filling a container with grain. A fair seller packs it down, shakes it so it settles, and keeps pouring until it spills over the top. Jesus uses this picture to show what real generosity looks like: not a stingy scoop, but a full and overflowing portion. The 'lap' in this verse is the fold of a robe, where people could catch what was poured in. The picture shows how large God's kindness is, and how freely He wants His people to give.
Apply it today: Pick something you have, like time, food, or a listening ear, and offer a full portion instead of a leftover.
What does 'with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you' mean?
Look at what Jesus says right before it. In Luke 6:36-37 He tells us to be merciful like our Father, to stop judging, to stop condemning, and to forgive. So the 'measure' is how we treat other people. If we are harsh, we should expect harshness. If we are merciful, we will often find mercy. This is not a promise that everyone will treat us well, since people treated Jesus badly too. It is an invitation to live like our Father, who is kind and merciful.
Apply it today: Think of one person you have been hard on and say something kind or forgiving to them today.
Ask anything about it.
Every question gets a clear answer in seconds, and a way to live it today.
Live it today.
Give something today in faith, and give it gladly.
Pray it back.
Father, I give with an open hand. Fill it back up so I can give again.
Carry it all day.
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