Luke 8:18

18 Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”

Luke 8:18 in Other Translations

18 Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.

18 Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away."

18 “So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.”

18 So be careful that you don't become misers of what you hear. Generosity begets generosity. Stinginess impoverishes."

18 Therefore, take care how you listen. For whoever has, more will be given to him; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him."

Luke 8:18 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 8:18

Take heed therefore how ye hear
That ye hear not in a careless and negligent manner, since what truths and doctrines ye now hear with the ear, are to be preached by you unto others:

for whosoever hath;
that is, hath knowledge of the doctrines of the Gospel, and hath gifts and abilities to preach them to others:

to him shall be given;
more knowledge, and by using his gifts they shall be increased:

but he that hath not;
true, solid, spiritual knowledge of divine things, though he has had considerable advantages and opportunities of learning it, as the apostles especially had:

from him shall be taken, even that which he seemeth to have;
or "that which he thinks he has", as the Syriac version renders it; that which he seemed to others to have, or thought himself he had: the knowledge he had of truth, and which was rather a show of knowledge than real, shall be taken from him; his seeming gifts and parts shall die, and vanish away, and he shall be left to fall into ignorance, error, and heresy. Observe that this is to be understood not of internal grace, and experimental knowledge, but of speculative notions of the Gospel, and of external gifts; and so furnishes out no argument against the final perseverance of real saints; (See Gill on Matthew 13:12). (See Gill on Matthew 25:29).

Luke 8:18 In-Context

16 “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.

17 For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.

18 Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”

19 Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd.

20 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.”

Cross References

• 1. S Matthew 13:12; Matthew 25:29; Luke 19:26