Lexical Summary propheró: To bring forth, to offer, to present Original Word: προφέρω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance bring forth. From pro and phero; to bear forward, i.e. Produce -- bring forth. see GREEK pro see GREEK phero HELPS Word-studies 4393 prophérō (from 4253 /pró, "towards" and 5342 /phérō, "carry, bring along") – properly, to bring the goal forward with high energy (motion, force), i.e. moving something to its necessary manifestation. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom pro and pheró Definition to bring forth NASB Translation brings forth (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4393: προφέρωπροφέρω; (from Homer down); to bring forth: τί ἐκ τίνος, Luke 6:45. Topical Lexicon Sense and ImageryThe verb πρoφέρει depicts a movement from within to without—what is stored inwardly is “brought out,” “produced,” or “carried forward” into open view. In Luke 6:45 Jesus applies the term to moral and spiritual realities: the hidden contents of the heart inevitably express themselves in words and deeds. Thus the word carries the twin ideas of production and disclosure. Occurrences in the New Testament Luke 6:45 supplies the only two New Testament instances. Jesus says: “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil, for out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Berean Standard Bible). The repetition—first for the good person, then for the evil—reinforces the principle that every human life is constantly “bringing forth” something, either wholesome or corrupt. Old Testament Background The proverb “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23) anticipates the same concept. The Hebrew Scriptures frequently trace actions and words back to the “heart” (לֵב, lev) as the control center of the person (e.g., 1 Samuel 16:7; Psalm 51:6). When the Septuagint renders such passages, Greek verbs of “bringing out” or “producing” are often used to translate the Hebrew idiom. Jesus therefore stands squarely in the prophetic tradition that locates sin and righteousness at the core of one’s being. Christ’s Teaching on the Heart 1. Moral Causality By choosing πρoφέρει, Jesus asserts that moral fruit is not random but causal. A regenerated heart will, by necessity, display regenerated speech and conduct (cf. John 15:4-5). 2. Universality Both the “good” and the “evil” man are said to “bring forth.” No neutral ground exists; every person is constantly emitting evidence of inward character. 3. Evaluation The word thus functions as a diagnostic tool. The church can—and must—judge teaching and ministry by observed fruit (Matthew 7:15-20; Galatians 5:19-23). Implications for Soteriology Only a heart transformed by God’s grace is capable of consistently producing good. Luke’s context links this reality to the necessity of the new birth hinted at elsewhere (Luke 11:13; John 3:3-6). Sanctification, likewise, is pictured not as external conformity but as an ever-increasing store of “good treasure” that naturally flows outward (Philippians 2:12-13). Pastoral and Discipleship Significance • Preaching: Faithful proclamation must move beyond behavioral correction to heart-level confrontation, trusting the Spirit to create the inward change that alone can produce lasting fruit. Historical Reception Early writers such as Chrysostom and Augustine cited Luke 6:45 to argue that external rituals are empty apart from inner renewal. The Reformers employed the text to distinguish saving faith—which inevitably produces works—from mere assent. Puritan pastors turned the verse into a spiritual inventory, urging hearers to audit their speech as an index of the heart. Systematic Links • Hamartiology: Sin originates internally (Mark 7:20-23). Practical Summary πρoφέρει reminds the church that the gospel’s power is measured not merely in professions but in outflow. The word encourages self-examination—What am I habitually bringing forth?—while directing hope to Christ, the only One whose heart was perfectly good and whose words were wholly true, and who now, by His Spirit, supplies His people with the inward riches that issue in genuine righteousness. Forms and Transliterations προφερει προφέρει propherei prophéreiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Luke 6:45 V-PIA-3SGRK: τῆς καρδίας προφέρει τὸ ἀγαθόν NAS: of his heart brings forth KJV: heart bringeth forth that which is good; INT: of the heart brings forth that which [is] good Luke 6:45 V-PIA-3S |
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