German friar, priest and professor of theology (1483-1546)
I would advise no one to send his child where the Holy Scriptures are not supreme. Every institution that does not unceasingly pursue the study of God's word becomes corrupt. Because of this we can see what kind of people they become in the universities and what they are like now.
MARTIN LUTHER
To the Christian Nobility of the German States
A theologian is born by living, nay dying and being damned, not by thinking, reading, or speculating.
MARTIN LUTHER
Table Talk
God uses lust to impel men to marry, ambition to office, avarice to earning, and fear to faith. God led me like an old blind goat.
MARTIN LUTHER
attributed, The Concise Columbia Dictionary of Quotations
This error of free will is a special doctrine of the Antichrist.
MARTIN LUTHER
Grund und Ursach aller Artikel D. Martin Luthers so durch römische Bulle unrechtlich verdammt sind
I am entirely of the opinion that the papacy is the Antichrist. But if anyone wants to add the Turk, then the Pope is the spirit of the Antichrist, and the Turk is the flesh of the Antichrist. They help each other in their murderous work. The latter slaughters bodily and by the sword, the former spiritually and by doctrine.
MARTIN LUTHER
Table Talk
God created Adam lord of all living creatures, but Eve spoiled it all.
MARTIN LUTHER
attributed, The Concise Columbia Dictionary of Quotations
God writes His Gospel not in the Bible alone, but in trees and flowers and clouds and stars.
MARTIN LUTHER
Watchwords for the Warfare of Life
The great unthankfulness, contempt of God's word, and wilfulness of the world, make me fear that the divine light will soon cease to shine on man, for God's word has ever had its certain course.
MARTIN LUTHER
"Of God's Word", Table Talk
Whoso hearkens not to God's voice, is an idolator, though he perform the highest and most heavy service of God.
MARTIN LUTHER
"Of Idolatry", Table Talk
The works of the righteous would be mortal sins if they would not be feared as mortal sins by the righteous themselves out of pious fear of God.
MARTIN LUTHER
"Heidelberg Disputation: Thesis 7"
I have many times essayed thoroughly to investigate the ten commandments, but at the very outset, "I am the Lord thy God," I stuck fast; that very one word, I, put me to a non-plus. He that has but one word of God before him, and out of that word cannot make a sermon, can never be a preacher.
MARTIN LUTHER
"Of God's Word", Table Talk
A fiery shield is God's Word; of more substance and purer than gold, which, tried in the fire, loses nought of its substance, but resists and overcomes all the fury of the fiery heat; even so, he that believes God's Word overcomes all, and remains secure everlastingly, against all misfortunes; for this shield fears nothing, neither hell nor the devil.
MARTIN LUTHER
"Of God's Word", Table Talk
The Holy Scriptures surpass in efficaciousness all the arts and all the sciences of the philosophers and jurists; these, though good and necessary to life here below, are vain and of no effect as to what concerns the life eternal.
MARTIN LUTHER
"Of God's Word", Table Talk
The faith towards God in Christ must be sure and steadfast, that it may solace and make glad the conscience, and put it to rest. When a man has this certainty, he has overcome the serpent; but if he be doubtful of the doctrine, it is for him very dangerous to dispute with the devil.
MARTIN LUTHER
"Of God's Word", Table Talk
I have lived to see the greatest plague on earth -- the condemning of God's word, a fearful thing, surpassing all other plagues in the world; for thereupon most surely follow all manner of punishments, eternal and corporal.
MARTIN LUTHER
"Of God's Word", Table Talk
Twas a special gift of God that speech was given to mankind; for through the Word, and not by force, wisdom governs.
MARTIN LUTHER
"Of God's Word", Table Talk
And I myself, in Rome, heard it said openly in the streets, "If there is a hell, then Rome is built on it."
MARTIN LUTHER
Against the Roman Papacy, An Institution of the Devil
This year is the year of man's ingratitude: the next will be the year of God's chastisement; for God must needs chastise, though 'tis against his nature: we will have it so.
MARTIN LUTHER
"Of God's Word", Table Talk
Heretics cannot themselves appear good unless they depict the Church as evil, false, and mendacious. They alone wish to be esteemed as the good, but the Church must be made to appear evil in every respect.
MARTIN LUTHER
Dictations on the Psalter
I have grounded my preaching upon the literal word; he that pleases may follow me; he that will not may stay.
MARTIN LUTHER
"Of God's Word", Table Talk