Quotes by Martin Luther
Martin Luther (1483–1546) — Reformator · Lutherisch · Deutschland
Martin Luther (1483–1546) war ein deutscher Theologe, Augustinermönch und Universitätsprofessor in Wittenberg, der die reformatorische Bewegung des 16. Jahrhunderts anstieß. Er steht für das reformatorische Schriftprinzip und die Lehre von der Rechtfertigung allein durch den Glauben und prägte die deutsche Sprache durch seine einflussreiche Bibelübersetzung. Für heutige Bibelleser bietet sein Werk fundamentale theologische Denkanstöße zur Gnade Gottes, wirft durch seine späten antijüdischen Schriften und seine Haltung im Bauernkrieg aber auch bleibende historische Kritikpunkte auf.
Era: Reformation & Baroque
Recurring topics: Faith & Trust, God, Jesus & the Holy Spirit, Grace & Redemption, Prayer & Silence, Joy & Gratitude, The Bible & the Word of God, Fear & Anxiety, Temptation & Struggle
Quotes by Martin Luther
When you see a child, you catch God in the act.
Martin Luther
That the birds of worry and grief fly over your head, you cannot change. But that they build nests in your hair — that you can prevent.
Martin Luther
Temptations, of course, cannot be avoided, but because we cannot prevent the birds from flying over our heads, there is no need that we should let them nest in our hair
Martin Luther
Faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times.
Martin Luther
God’s love does not seek what is lovable, but creates it.
Martin Luther
The ways of God are like a Hebrew book that can only be read from the back.
Martin Luther
But when you pray, let your heart be without words rather than your words be without heart.
Martin Luther
I read the Bible the way I harvest my apple tree: I shake it, and what falls down and is ripe, I take. The rest I leave hanging for now.
Martin Luther
And though the world were full of devils and wanted to devour us whole, we would not be so afraid, we shall still prevail.
Martin Luther
God doesn’t love us because of our worth, we are of worth because God loves us.
Martin Luther
The Bible is the cradle wherein Christ is laid.
Martin Luther
Pray, and let God worry.
Martin Luther
The law is divine and holy. Let the law have its glory, but yet no law, be it never so divine and holy, ought to teach me that I am justified, and shall live through it. I grant it may teach me that I ought to love God and my neighbor; also to live in love, soberness, patience, etc., but it ought not to show me how I should be delivered from sin, the devil, death, and hell. Here I must take counsel of the gospel. I must hearken to the gospel, which teaches me, not what I ought to do but what Jesus Christ the Son of God hath done for me: that He suffered and died to deliver me from sin and death. The gospel wills me to receive this, and to believe it. And this is the truth of the gospel. Most necessary it is, therefore, that we should know this article well, teach it unto others, and beat it into their heads continually.
Martin Luther
God does not need your good works, but your neighbor does.
Martin Luther
I had rather be in hell with Christ, than be in heaven without Him.
Martin Luther
Learn to know Christ and Him crucified. Learn to sing to Him, and say, “Lord Jesus, You are my righteousness, I am Your sin. You have taken upon Yourself what is mine and given me what is Yours. You have become what You were not so that I might become what I was not.
Martin Luther
The bells sound, they sound quite differently than usual, when one knows of a dead person whom one loves.
Martin Luther
For this reason, because they are loved, sinners are fair; but they are not loved because they are fair.
Martin Luther
Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me! Amen.
Martin Luther
Against evil and sad thoughts a good, cheerful song and friendly conversation are called for.
Martin Luther
Faith means breaking through the impossible. It walks into the sea as if there were no water, into death as if there were no death.
Martin Luther
The mercy of God is like the sky, which always remains firm above us. Under this roof we are safe, wherever we are.
Martin Luther
Trials are embraces of God.
Martin Luther
If God wanted us to be sad, he would not give us sun, moon, and the fruits of the earth.
Martin Luther
To make a sad, despairing person cheerful is more than conquering a kingdom.
Martin Luther
That Jesus Christ bled to death on the cross for sin — even the devils know that and tremble! But that he bled to death for my sin — that is where faith begins.
Martin Luther
Christ watches over you with greater care than you watch over yourself.
Martin Luther
Whoever wants to be a Christian should learn to believe this: that he casts his heart with its cares onto God's back; for he has a strong neck and shoulders, so that he can well carry it.
Martin Luther
The weaknesses of the saints comfort us more than their virtues.
Martin Luther
Behold, Lord, I am an empty vessel that greatly needs to be filled. My Lord, fill it, I am weak in faith.
Martin Luther
To count money out of an empty purse, to bake bread out of the clouds — that is our Lord God's art alone. Yet he does it daily. He makes everything out of nothing.
Martin Luther
I sleep in the name of the Lord and know that my sleep too is pleasing to God.
Martin Luther
It is quite alright with the good Lord if you laugh heartily every once in a while.
Martin Luther
To pray means: to throw the sack down at God's feet.
Martin Luther
Faith and love are the whole essence of a Christian. Faith receives, love gives.
Martin Luther
Because he is God, he can do everything for us. Because he is Father, he wants to do everything for us.
Martin Luther
Even today I still suckle at the Lord's Prayer like a child, drink and eat from it like an old man, and can never get enough of it.
Martin Luther
Blessings at times come to us through our labors and at times without our labors, but never because of our labors, for God always gives them because of His undeserved mercy.
Martin Luther
[God] is like an eternal, unfailing fountain. The more it pours forth and overflows, the more it continues to give. God desires nothing more seriously from us than that we ask Him for much and great things.
Martin Luther
The human heart is like a millstone that turns incessantly; if you throw nothing in to grind, it risks grinding itself down.
Martin Luther
565 quotes in total — browse the collection.
All quotes · lumen.bible