14 minSummaryRead it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at cost
Audiobook editionPaperback · 6 × 9 in · 172 pagesHardcover · 6 × 9 in · 172 pagesAbout this book
At Martin Luther’s dinner table, talk turns from God and the Devil to marriage, music, money and illness.
Selections from the Table Talk of Martin Luther brings you to the Reformer’s dinner table at his home in Wittenberg. Here he argues, jokes, complains about his health and comforts a worried friend. The selections move between faith and daily life, revealing a man who is relaxed, blunt, funny and sometimes unfair.
The main threads include Luther’s understanding of faith, his belief in the Devil, home life with Katharina von Bora, and his love of music and learning. His harsh judgments also demand care. Rather than a tidy argument, these selections offer conversation in which religious conviction, ordinary worries and rough humour sit side by side.
What you’ll discover
- The man at table Meet Luther among students and guests, where jokes and complaints mingle with serious questions.
- Faith in his words Explore his teaching that trust in Christ, rather than religious acts, makes a person right with God.
- A feared and mocked enemy Discover how Luther describes the Devil and why mockery matters in his response.
- Marriage, music and joy Encounter Katharina von Bora and Luther’s delight in singing, the lute and hymns.
- Words that need care Consider his harsh judgments of popes and rival reformers without overlooking their roughness.
Who will love it
Readers who delight in hearing a great mind think aloud will love these short, vivid sayings. They also suit anyone curious about the Reformation from within, and about faith, prayer, money and courage.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Faith comes into everyday conversation
- Scripture offers both teaching and comfort
- Trouble sends faith back to Scripture
- Ordinary gifts teach trust and gratitude
- Rulers hold their power on loan
- Faith comes before good works
- Prayer and patience belong together
- Conviction gives public courage its ground
- Simple images carry a working faith
Formats and delivery
- eBook
- On your phone, tablet, computer or Kindle, with the type as large as you like.
- Large-print eBook
- The same book in bigger, clearer type, from the first page.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 14 minutes, to read today.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in, 172 pages: USD 7.95 when you start free, USD 14.95 on its own.
- Hardcover
- 6 × 9 in, 172 pages: USD 16.95 when you start free, USD 23.95 on its own.
- Large print paperback
- 6 × 9 in, 226 pages: USD 9.95 when you start free, USD 15.95 on its own.
- Large print hardcover
- 6 × 9 in, 226 pages: USD 18.95 when you start free, USD 24.95 on its own.
Every printed copy is made when you order it and shipped worldwide; shipping is shown at checkout. The eBook opens when the book texts go online.
How it works
- Start free. Nothing to pay today; the eBook of this book is yours to keep.
- Read and print. 200,000+ classics as eBook, large-print eBook and 15-minute summary, and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print, 5 accounts for the price of one.
- We remind you first. Free for 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment. Then USD 0.14 a day in your first year on the yearly plan and USD 0.27 a day after, or USD 0.66 a day on the monthly plan. Cancel online in two clicks.
Bought on its own? Every eBook and printed book you buy without the plan carries our 30-day money-back guarantee.
25 languages, side by side
Selections from the Table Talk of Martin Luther in 25 languages, side by side, paragraph by paragraph, once the book texts are online: the way to learn a language with a book you love.
Selections from the Table Talk of Martin Luther
by Martin Luther · 1566
Luther sits at his table in Wittenberg and talks about God, money, the devil, prayer and a vision on his wall.
Medium level2–5 hours to read20 languages
Learn a language with medium classicsSpanishFrenchGermanItalianJapanesePortugueseEnglishHow we measure levels
Excellent
Free for 3 months · starts right away, on any device
Read free3 months free · cancel anytimeRenews every year · Cancel anytimeHow it works
- Read, large type too
- 25 languages, side by side
- Print and large print at cost
- 5 accounts for the price of one
“In simple, powerful, and thoroughly popular language, Luther sought to bring home to the people who filled his church, the supreme truth he had newly gained.”
In short
What would it be like to sit at Martin Luther's table in Wittenberg, while he talks about God, the devil, money, birds and the Pope? In one small scene he watches two birds build a nest in his garden.
Selections from the Table Talk of Martin Luther at a glance
- Reading time
- About 2 h1 h 35 min fast, 2 h 25 min slow
- Length
- 29,000 words
- Library level
- Medium longer sentences, everyday words
- First published
- 1566by Martin Luther
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
The Bible stands above every other book
Luther opens with a picture. The Bible is a wide orchard where every kind of tree grows. He says he has shaken at least an apple or a pear from every one of them. For him it is the one book that holds comfort, warning, promise and instruction together.
He offers his own proof that it comes from God. Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome all raged against this book, and all of them are gone. The book remains. In his view no human hand could have kept it safe through such power. Homer and Virgil are useful old books, but next to the Bible they are hardly worth weighing.
Renews every year · Cancel anytime
You looked at
Which edition is right for me
- eBook
- On your phone, tablet or computer. Your place follows you, and you can make the type as big as you like.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 14 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
- Paperback
- Light and easy to carry. A real book for the bedside table and the beach.
- Hardcover
- Made to last. For the shelf, and for giving.
- Large print paperback
- Bigger, clearer type. Easy on the eyes for long evenings and for reading aloud.
- Large print hardcover
- Bigger, clearer type. Easy on the eyes for long evenings and for reading aloud.
See the type size
Pick a size and read a line at that size. Hold your phone at reading distance.
Luther sits at his table in Wittenberg and talks about God, money, the devil, prayer and a vision on his wall.
Shown close to the printed size on most screens.
Details
- First published
- 1566
- Language
- English
- Reading time
- 2 h 25 min
- Level
- Medium level
- Paperback
- 172 pages · 6 × 9 in
- Hardcover
- 172 pages · 6 × 9 in
- Large print paperback
- 226 pages · 6 × 9 in
- Large print hardcover
- 226 pages · 6 × 9 in
- Delivery and returns
- Printed when you order. Usually here in 12 to 14 days.Arrives Tue 1 Dec to Mon 7 Decto United States, printed for you at cost
For Christmas, order by Thu 12 Nov
Cite this edition
Luther, Martin. Selections from the Table Talk of Martin Luther. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/selections-from-the-table-talk-of-martin-luther.
Luther, M. (2026). Selections from the Table Talk of Martin Luther. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/selections-from-the-table-talk-of-martin-luther (Original work published 1566)
Luther, Martin. Selections from the Table Talk of Martin Luther. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/selections-from-the-table-talk-of-martin-luther.
@book{luther2026selections,
author = {Luther, Martin},
title = {Selections from the Table Talk of Martin Luther},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/selections-from-the-table-talk-of-martin-luther},
note = {First published 1566}
}
Free gifts
USD 580 in free gifts when you start
Every book in every format and in 25 languages, 5 accounts for the price of one. Nothing to pay today.
- 200,000+ classic eBooksIn 25 languages, side by side
USD 170FREE - Every eBookIn 25 languages, any device
USD 120FREE - 15-minute summariesRead in 25 languages
USD 60FREE - Print at cost, no markupPaperback, hardcover, large print
USD 60FREE - 5 accounts for the price of oneA shelf for everyone at home
USD 170FREE - A part in rebuilding the libraryNew languages and books for all
FREE
Questions about Selections from the Table Talk of Martin Luther
Can I read it free?
Yes. The first key idea of the 15-minute summary is free with no sign-up. Start free and the whole book is yours for 3 months, with the eBook to keep, plus 200,000+ more classics and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print. Nothing to pay today: we email you 7 days before your first payment, and you can cancel online in two clicks.
Can I buy just the printed book?
Yes. The paperback costs USD 14.95 on its own. Start free and you pay the cost of printing: USD 7.95 for this paperback, and any other book at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print.
How many accounts do I get?
Five, for the price of one: you and 4 more people, each with their own login, shelf and their own place in every book.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. Cancel online in two clicks at any time and nothing more is charged. Nothing is charged in your first 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment.
What is Luther's Table Talk about?
It collects sayings Luther spoke over meals, grouped by theme. Topics include the Bible, God's works, the world, Christ, sin, the commandments, law and gospel, prayer, and his appearances before emperors.
Did Martin Luther write the Table Talk himself?
No. Guests and friends at his table wrote down what he said, and editors later arranged the sayings by subject. They show his spoken voice instead of a planned book.
What is the main message of the Table Talk?
Trust Christ alone, hold to the plain text of Scripture, and pray in every need. Luther also teaches patience, generosity and courage, and warns against greed and speculative theology.
The author
Martin Luther
1483–1546 · German Protestant reformer and theologian
Martin Luther (1483–1546) was a German priest and theologian. He was born in Eisleben and lived and taught in Wittenberg. He wrote the Ninety-five Theses in 1517 and the Smalcald Articles in 1537. He translated the Bible into German. His Table Talk was published after his death in Eisleben.
“Need teaches us to pray.”
More by Martin Luther
See all their booksMore like this
Our mission
The library burned once. We are building it back.
Every great book, in every language and every format, for every family. Every plan helps pay for new languages and books for readers who have never had them. Join the movement.
Read our story- Every language25 languages today, side by side, and more every year
- No wastePrinted on demand: no warehouses, no unsold stock, no pulped copies
- For everyonePaperback, hardcover and large print at the cost of printing
