MLMartin Luther

192 collected words

Martin Luther

Life dates: 1483 AD — 1546 AD

Listed in the author section of Bartlett’s ninth-edition anthology, in the linked 1905 printing. Dates reflect that historical edition and may differ from modern scholarship.

▷ Play this voice Search these words ↗Place in time ↗faith death love life mind courage nature work

Quotations and sayings

01c. 1514 AD

Love is an image of God, and not a lifeless image; not one painted on paper, but the living essence of the divine nature, which beams full of all goodness.

Martin Luther / quote

↗

02c. 1514 AD

Men must have righteous principles in the first place, and then they will not fail to perform virtuous actions.

Martin Luther / quote

↗

03c. 1514 AD

Music is the art of the prophets, the only art which can calm the agitations of the soul.

Martin Luther / quote

↗

04c. 1514 AD

Next to theology I give to music the highest place and honour; and we see how David and all the saints have wrought their godly thoughts into verse, rhyme, and song.

Martin Luther / quote

↗

05c. 1514 AD

None ever saw the pillars of the firmament; yet it is supported.

Martin Luther / quote

↗

06c. 1514 AD

Our Lord God commonly gives riches to foolish people, to whom He gives nothing else.

Martin Luther / quote

↗

07c. 1514 AD

Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring-time.

Martin Luther / quote

↗

08c. 1514 AD

Prayer is a powerful thing; for God has bound and tied himself thereto.

Martin Luther / quote

↗

09c. 1514 AD

Teaching is of more importance than exhortation.

Martin Luther / quote

↗

10c. 1514 AD

The devil has a great advantage against us, inasmuch as he has a strong bastion and bulwark against us in our own flesh and blood.

Martin Luther / quote

↗

11c. 1514 AD

The faculty of listening is a tender thing, and soon becomes weary and satiated.

Martin Luther / quote

↗

12c. 1514 AD

The god of this world is riches, pleasure, and pride.

Martin Luther / quote

↗

13c. 1514 AD

The human heart is like a millstone in a mill; when you put wheat under it, it turns, and grinds, and bruises the wheat into flour; if you put no wheat in, it still grinds on; but then it is itself it grinds and slowly wears away.

Martin Luther / quote

↗

14c. 1514 AD

The law is what we must do; the gospel what God will give.

Martin Luther / quote

↗

15c. 1514 AD

We may not be able to parry evil thoughts, but we may surely guard against their taking root in us and bringing forth evil deeds.

Martin Luther / quote

↗

16c. 1514 AD

When I am angry, I can pray well and preach well.

Martin Luther / quote

↗

17c. 1514 AD

Where God has built a church, there the devil would also build a chapel.

Martin Luther / quote

↗

18c. 1514 AD

Whoso can speak well is a man.

Martin Luther / quote

↗

19c. 1514 AD

With force of arms we nothing can, Full soon were we down-ridden; But for us fights the proper man, Whom God himself hath bidden. Ask ye, who is the same? Christ Jesus is His name, The Lord Zebaoth’s Son, He, and no other one, Shall conquer in the battle.

Martin Luther / quote

↗

20c. 1514 AD

Allegories and spiritual significations, when applied to faith, and that seldom, are laudable; but when they are drawn from the life and conversation, they are dangerous, and, when men make too many of them, pervert the doctrine of faith. Allegories are fine ornaments, but not of proof.

Martin Luther / quote

↗

21c. 1514 AD

The allegory of a sophist is always screwed; it crouches and bows like a snake, which is never straight, whether she go, creep, or lie still; only when she is dead, she is straight enough.

Martin Luther / quote

↗

22c. 1514 AD

I never work better than when I am inspired by anger; when I am angry I can write, pray, and preach well; for then my whole temperament is quickened, my understanding sharpened, and all mundane vexations and temptations depart.

Martin Luther / quote

↗

23c. 1514 AD

I have seen two miracles lately. I looked up, and saw the clouds above me in the noontide; and they looked like the sea that was hanging over me, and I could see no cord on which they were suspended, and yet they never fell. And then when the noontide had gone, and the midnight came, I looked again, and there was the dome of heaven, and it was spangled with stars, and I could see no pillars that held up the skies, and yet they never fell. Now He that holds the stars up and moves the clouds in their course can do all things, and I trust Him in the sight of these miracles.

Martin Luther / quote

↗

24c. 1514 AD

The hair is the finest ornament women have. Of old, virgins used to wear it loose, except when they were in mourning.

Martin Luther / quote

↗