Luke 6:21 (KJV)

What does Luke 6:21 mean?

In Luke 6:21, Jesus calls people who are hungry and weeping blessed because their present hardship will give way to fullness and laughter. Jesus speaks of their circumstances as they are now and promises a different future.

Jesus is speaking to his disciples within hearing of a larger crowd. The images are physical and emotional: an empty stomach becomes satisfied, and tears give way to laughter. Jesus addresses people in need directly, rather than speaking about them from a distance.

The Greek behind Luke 6:21

• “Blessed” — μακάριοι (makarioi): The Greek word describes people as fortunate or favored. Here Jesus uses the word for people whose present circumstances might not make them appear fortunate.

• “filled” — χορτασθήσεσθε (chortasthēsesthe): The Greek word carries the sense of being satisfied with food. Paired with “hunger,” it pictures having enough to eat, not merely receiving a small portion.

• “weep” — κλαίοντες (klaiontes): The Greek word refers to crying or grieving, often with visible tears. The contrast with laughter moves from an outward expression of sorrow to an outward expression of joy.

Why Luke 6:21 matters

• The word “now” gives the promise its timing. Jesus recognizes hunger and weeping as present experiences while placing fullness and laughter in the future.

• Luke’s surrounding passage sharpens the contrast between present comfort and future need. In verse 25, Jesus speaks a warning to those who are full and laughing now, using images that reverse those in verse 21.

• Jesus addresses the hungry and the weeping alongside the poor in verse 20. Together, the descriptions give a picture of people facing need and sorrow, not simply people experiencing one passing emotion.