Luke 6:27
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But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
(See on Mat 5:44-48; Mat 7:12; and Mat 14:12-14.)
Open source ↗These verses agree with Mat 5:38, to the end of that chapter: I say unto you that hear (Luk 6:27), to all you that hear, and not to disciples only, for these are lessons of universal concern. He that has an ear, let him hear. Those that diligently hearken to Christ shall find he has something to say to them well worth their hearing. Now the lessons Christ here teacheth us are, I. That we must render to all their due, and be honest and just in all our dealings (Luk 6:31): As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise; for this is loving your neighbour as yourselves. What we should expect, in reason, to be done to us, either in justice or charity, by others, if they were in our condition and we in theirs, that, as the matter stands, we must do to them. We must put our souls into their souls' stead, and then pity and succour them, as we should desire and justly expect to be ourselves pitied and succoured. II. That we must be free in giving to them that need (Luk 6:30): "Give to every man that asketh of thee, to every one that is a proper object of charity, that wants necessaries, which thou hast wherewithal to supply out of thy superfluities. Give to those that are not able to help themselves, to those that have not relations in a capacity to help them." Christ would have his disciples ready to distribute, and willing to communicate, to their power in ordinary cases, and beyond their power in extraordinary. III. That we must be generous in forgiving those that have been any way injurious to us. 1. We must not be extreme in demanding our right, when it is denied us: "Him that taketh away thy cloak, either forcibly or fraudulently, forbid him not by any violent means to take thy coat also, Luk 6:29. Let him have that too, rather than fight for it. And (L…
Open source ↗6:27 love your enemies! People were commonly taught in the ancient world to love their family and friends and hate their enemies. Jesus announced a radical new ethic of loving even one’s enemies and overcoming evil through self-sacrificial love for others, not through violence and hatred (cp. Rom 12:14-21).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
Make sure that no one repays evil for evil. Always pursue what is good for one another and for all people.
But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to the family of faith.
He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and even more will be added to you.
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots.
Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.
Falling on his knees, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
But the seeds on good soil are those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, cling to it, and by persevering produce a crop.