The Table Talk of Martin Luther Quotes

“No great saint lived without errors.”
― Martin Luther, The Table Talk of Martin Luther

“The gospel cannot be truly preached without offense and tumult.”
― Martin Luther, The Table Talk of Martin Luther

“Great thieves go Scott-free, as the Pope and his crew.”
― Martin Luther, The Table Talk of Martin Luther

“False preachers are worse than deflowerers of virgins.”
― Martin Luther, The Table Talk of Martin Luther

“I compare it with a lie, which like to a snowball, the longer it is rolled the greater it becomes.”
― Martin Luther, The Table Talk of Martin Luther

“The Pope is a mere tormentor of conscience. The assembly of his greased and religious crew in praying was altogether like the croaking of frogs, which edified nothing at all.”
― Martin Luther, The Table Talk of Martin Luther

“Our whole life should be manly; we should fear God and put our trust in him.”
― Martin Luther, The Table Talk of Martin Luther

“Despair makes priests and friars.”
― Martin Luther, The Table Talk of Martin Luther

“The devil and temptations also do give occasion unto us somewhat to learn and understand the Scriptures, by experience and practice. Without trials and temptations we should never understand anything thereof; no, not although we diligently read and heard the same.”
― Martin Luther, The Table Talk of Martin Luther

“As when my little son John offendeth: if then I should not whip him, but call him to the table unto me, and give him sugar and plums, thereby, I should make him worse, yea should quite spoil him.”
― Martin Luther, The Table Talk of Martin Luther

“Good works are the seals and proofs of faith; for even as a letter must have a seal to strengthen the same, even so faith must have good works.”
― Martin Luther, The Table Talk of Martin Luther

“My father and mother did not think they should have brought a superintendent into the world.”
― Martin Luther, The Table Talk of Martin Luther

“Therefore nothing were better for us than soon to be conveyed to the last dance, and covered with shovels.”
― Martin Luther, The Table Talk of Martin Luther

“Rather than walk about holy places we can thus pause in our thoughts, examine our heart, and visit the wheel promised land.”
― Martin Luther, Luther's Works, Volume 54: Table Talk

“Believest thou? then thou wilt speak boldly. Speakest thou boldy? then thou must suffer. Sufferest thou? then thou shalt be comforted. For ... faith, the confession thereof, and the cross do follow one another.”
― Martin Luther, The Table Talk of Martin Luther

“A prince is venison in heaven.”
― Martin Luther, The Table Talk of Martin Luther

“Christ sayeth not, Abstain from the flesh, from marrying, from housekeeping, etc., as the Papists teach, for that were even to invite the devil and all his fellows to a feast.”
― Martin Luther, The Table Talk of Martin Luther

“I, out of my own experience, am able to witness that Jesus Christ is true God; I know full well and have found what the name of Jesus had done for me. I have often been so near death that I thought verily now must I die, because I teach His Word to the wicked world, and acknowledge Him; but always He mercifully put life into me, refreshed and comforted me. Therefore, let us use diligence only to keep Him, and then all is safe, although the devil were ever so wicked and crafty, and the world ever so evil and false. Let whatsoever will or can befall me. I will surely cleave by my sweet Saviour Christ Jesus, for in Him am I baptized; I can neither do nor know anything but only what He has taught me.”
― Martin Luther, Table Talk

“People give ear to an upstart astrologer who strove to show that the earth revolves, not the heavens or the firmament, the sun and the moon. Whoever wishes to appear clever must devise some new system, which of all systems is of course the very best. This fool wishes to reverse the entire science of astronomy; but the sacred scripture tells us that Joshua commanded the sun to stand still, not the earth.”
― Martin Luther, The Table Talk of Martin Luther

“With such and the like fopperies were petty brains troubled.”
― Martin Luther, The Table Talk of Martin Luther

“The preached gospel is offensive in all places of the world, rejected and condemned. If the gospel did not offend and anger citizen or countryman, prince or bishop, then it would be a fine and an acceptable preaching, and might well be tolerated, and people would willingly hear and receive it. But seeing it is a kind of preaching which makes people angry, especially the great and powerful, and deep-learned ones of the world, great courage is necessary, and the Holy Ghost, to those that intend to preach it.”
― Martin Luther, Martin Luther's Table Talk

“Holy Ghost goes first and before in what pertains to teaching; but in what concerns hearing, the Word goes first and before, and then the Holy Ghost follows after. For we must first hear the Word, and then afterwards the Holy Ghost ‘works in our hearts; he works in the hearts of whom he will, and how he will, but never without the Word.”
― Martin Luther, Martin Luther's Table Talk

“We must read the Fathers cautiously, and lay them in the gold balance, for they often stumbled and went astray, and mingled in their books many monkish things. Augustine had more work and labor, to wind himself out of the Father’s writings, then he had with the heretics.”
― Martin Luther, Table Talk

“A good preacher should have these properties and virtues:

1. Teach systematically

2. Have a ready wit

3. Be eloquent

4. Have a good voice

5. Have a good memory

6. Know when to make an end

7. Be sure of his doctrine

8. Venture and engage body and blood, wealth and honour, in the Word

9. Suffer himself to be mocked and jeered of every one”
― Martin Luther, The Table Talk of Martin Luther