What Does Luke 6:6 Mean in the King James?

And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.

Luke 6:6 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

A withered hand stands in the same room as Jesus’ teaching, so bodily limitation is part of the scene where the word is heard.

THE MEANING

Jesus teaches in the synagogue while a man with a withered right hand is there. The scene holds instruction and bodily limitation together in the same room; the man’s condition does not remove him from that shared space.

THE ROOT

ξηρά

xēra

GROWS FROM

ξηρ

⁨ξηρ⁩ (xēr): dry, parched.

The Greek word describes the hand through the language of drying: its capacity has withered. The same root reaches beyond a hand to things that dry up, letting the image carry bodily and organic weight without saying how the condition began.

ALSO GROWS

xēros: dry, parched

ξηρός

This adjective shares the ⁨ξηρ⁩ root and shows that the hand is described through the state of dryness.

xērainō: to dry up, wither

ξηραίνω

This verb shares the ⁨ξηρ⁩ root and names the process behind the condition the verse describes.

THE PATTERN

Scripture places weakened bodies in view and speaks of them within the reach of God’s care.

Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.

Isaiah 35:3 · KJVThe prophet names weakened hands and knees openly, placing bodily frailty within a promise of strengthening.

The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous:

Psalm 146:8 · KJVThe psalm describes God as acting toward people whose bodies or circumstances leave them bowed down.

And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.

Mark 3:1 · KJVMark shows the same scene: Jesus teaches in the synagogue with a man whose hand is withered present.

THE THREAD

If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

John 15:6 · KJV

The Greek ⁨ξηρ⁩ root also describes a branch that withers, extending the word’s image from a hand to something organic. Luke gives no cause for the man’s condition; the shared root widens the image without assigning blame.

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