The Nugget:
Luke 8:18 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. (KJV)
Luk 8:18 “So pay attention to how you listen! Those who understand these mysteries will be given more knowledge. However, some people don’t understand these mysteries. Even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.” (GW, God’s Word translation)
Luk 8:18 “Be careful, then, how you listen; because those who have something will be given more, but whoever has nothing will have taken away from them even the little they think they have.” (GNB, Good News Bible)
Luk 8:18 Pay attention to how you listen! Everyone who has something will be given more, but people who have nothing will lose what little they think they have. (CEV, Contemporary English Version)
Luk 8:18 So take care how you listen, for whoever gets more will have more given to him, and whoever does not get more will have even what he thinks he has taken away from him.” (Williams New Testament)
My Comment:
Reading Luke 8:18 in the light of its immediate context by reading the whole eighth chapter of Luke will help any reader to understand this passage better. In Mark 4:24 Jesus commanded us to take heed as to what we hear. This near parallel in Luke 8:18 commands us to take care how we listen. We need to listen to God’s word in a manner that enables us to remember what we have read or heard read. That way we will be able to build upon our prior knowledge so that we understand and retain still more. This will help us apply what we know to practical matters that guide our steps in the proper way.
Cross Reference Bible Study for Luke 8:18 from The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:
Luke 8:18
Take heed. Luk 8:11, 12, 13, 14, 15, Luk 9:44, Deut 4:9; Deut 32:46, 47, Pro 2:2, 3, 4, 5, Jer 17:21, +*Mar 4:9; +*Mar 4:23; +*Mar 4:24; Mar 13:14, Act 10:33; **Act 17:11, *Heb 2:1, *Jas 1:19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, *1Pe 2:1; *1Pe 2:2.
how ye hear. Luk 6:27; **Luk 11:28, *Deut 28:1; *Deut 28:2; %+*Deut 28:15, Neh 8:3, +*Job 37:2, **Pro 4:20, 21, 22; Pro 23:19, +**Jer 16:12; %+*Jer 29:19, %+*Mar 4:24, Joh 10:5, +*Jas 1:25.
for whosoever hath. Luk 19:26, +*Mat 13:12; Mat 25:29, Mar 4:25; +*Mar 10:29; +*Mar 10:30, *Joh 15:2, *Jas 4:6.
shall be given. Luk 7:50; +*Luk 10:42.
hath not. Mat 25:8.
from him. Luk 12:20, 21; Luk 16:2, 3, 4; Luk 16:19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25; *Luk 19:24; *Luk 19:26, *Mat 7:22; *Mat 7:23, 1Co 13:1, 2, 3.
seemeth to have. or, thinketh that he hath. +*Pro 14:12, +*Rom 12:3, *1Co 3:18; 1Co 8:2; 1Co 14:37, Php 3:4, Jas 1:26.