Martin Luther's quotes

I am born to be a rough controversialist. I clear the ground, pull up the weeds, fill up ditches, and smooth the roads; but to build, to plant, to sow, to water, to adorn the country, belongs to Melanchthon.

I am far from believing myself without fault; but I can, at least, glorify myself with St. Paul, that I cannot be accused of hypocrisy, and that I have always spoken the truth, perhaps, it is true, a little too harshly; but I would rather sin in disseminating the truth with hard words, than shamefully retain it captive. If great lords are hurt by them, they can go about their own business, without thinking of mine or of my doctrines. Have I done them wrong or injustice? If I sin, it will be for God to pardon me.

The Kingdom of Christ is a kingdom of mercy, grace, and goodness. The kingdom of the Pope is a kingdom of lies and damnation!

Remove Christ from the Scriptures and there is nothing left.

The cross alone is our theology.

When the article of justification has fallen, everything has fallen...This is the chief article from which all other doctrines have flowed...It alone begets, nourishes, builds, preserves, and defines the Church of God; without it the Church of God cannot exist for one hour...[it is] the master and prince, the lord, the ruler, and the judge over all kinds of doctrines.

I myself have often choked on our Lord's statement that the way is narrow and have often thought: We are such a tiny and poor little flock, despised and condemned by everything high and great on earth. Do we have a right to defy the whole world, to boast that only our cause is right...? But we must overcome this and conclude: I know that my cause is right, though the whole world may say otherwise...Do not think: I shall stay with the majority, for the fact that the greater part of mankind is in darkness is nothing new.

I do not want to know anything of peace and concord when the Word of God is thereby lost. Before the Word everyone must give way, whether he be friend or an enemy--for the Word has not been given to us for the sake of external or worldly concord or peace, but for the sake of eternal life. Don't talk to me, therefore, of love and friendship if the Word and faith are to be compromised.

Either sin is with you, lying on your shoulders, or it is lying on Christ, the Lamb of God. Now if it is lying on your back, you are lost; but if it is resting on Christ, you are free, and you will be saved. Now choose what you want.

All who call on God in true faith, earnestly from the heart, will certainly be heard, and will receive what they have asked and desired, although not in the hour or in the measure, or the very thing which they ask; yet they will obtain something greater and more glorious than they had dared to ask.

Melanchthon! Go sin bravely! Then go to the cross and bravely confess it! The whole gospel is outside of us!

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 am not.

The first effect of the power of God in the heart in regeneration is to give the heart a Divine taste or sense; to cause it to have a relish of the loveliness and sweetness of the supreme excellency of the Divine nature.

When the article of justification has fallen, everything has fallen. This is the chief article from which all other doctrines have flowed. It alone begets, nourishes, builds, preserves, and defends the church of God; without it the church of God cannot exist for one hour. It is the master and prince, the lord, the ruler, and the judge over all kinds of doctrines.

Man hides his own things, in order to conceal them; God hides his own things, in order to reveal them.

A dairymaid can milk cows to the glory of God.

When I first took over the defense of the Gospel, I remember what Doctor Staupitz said to me. 'I like it well,' said he, 'that the doctrine which you proclaim gives glory to God alone and none to man. For never can too much glory, goodness, and mercy be ascribed unto God.' These words of the worthy Doctor comforted and confirmed me. The Gospel is true because it deprives men of all glory, wisdom, and righteousness and turns over all honour to the Creator alone.

When I was a young man I thought Paul was making too much of his call. I did not understand his purpose. I did not then realize the importance of the ministry. I knew nothing of the doctrine of faith because we were taught sophistry instead of certainty, and nobody understood Spiritual boasting. We exalt our calling, not to gain glory among men, or money, or satisfaction, or favor, but because people need to be assured that the words we speak are the words of God. This is not sinful pride. It is holy pride.

Anything that one imagines of God apart from Christ is only useless thinking and vain idolatry.

Christ will remain a priest and king; though He was never consecrated by any papist bishop or greased by any of those shavelings; but he was ordained and consecrated by God Himself, and by Him anointed.

The Bible is the cradle wherein Christ is laid.

To pray well is the better half of study.

Prayer is a strong wall and fortress of the church; it is a goodly Christian weapon.

No man ought to lay a cross upon himself, or to adopt tribulation, as is done in popedom; but if a cross or tribulation come upon him, then let him suffer it patiently, and know that it is good and profitable for him.

Peace if possible, truth at all costs.

The gospel demands no works to make us holy and to redeem us. Indeed, it condemns such works, and demands only faith in Christ, because He has overcome sin, death and hell for us.

The Roman church, once the holiest of all, has become the most licentious den of thieves, the most shameless of all brothels, the kingdom of sin, death, and hell. It is so bad that even Antichrist himself, if he should come, could think of nothing to add to its wickedness.

This is my absolute opinion: he that will maintain that man's free-will is able to do or work anything in spiritual cases, be they never so small, denies Christ.

Had one ravished the Virgin Mary, or crucified Christ anew, the pope would, for money, have pardoned him.

God does not work salvation for fictitious sinners. Be a sinner and sin vigorously; but even more vigorously believe and delight in Christ, who is victor over sin, death, and the world.

A mighty fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing.
Our helper He amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing.

The Mass is the greatest blasphemy of God, and the highest idolatry upon the earth, an abomination the like of which has never been in Christendom since the time of the Apostles.

Christians are to be taught that he who sees a needy man and passes him by, yet gives his money for indulgences, does not buy papal indulgences, but God's wrath.

Faith is the master and reason the maid servant.

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

Beautiful music is like the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul, it is the most magnificent and delightful presents that God has given to us.

I am afraid that the schools will prove the very gates of hell, unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures and engraving them in the hearts of the youth.