Love for Enemies(A)

27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,(B) 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.(C) 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.(D) 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.(E)

32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?(F) Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you?(G) Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them,(H) and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children(I) of the Most High,(J) because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful,(K) just as your Father(L) is merciful.

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27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.

30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.

33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.

34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

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27-30 “To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the supple moves of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more payback. Live generously.

31-34 “Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that’s charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that.

35-36 “I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You’ll never—I promise—regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we’re at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind.

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27 But I say to you who are listening now to Me: [[a]in order to heed, make it a practice to] love your enemies, treat well (do good to, act nobly toward) those who detest you and pursue you with hatred,

28 Invoke blessings upon and pray for the happiness of those who curse you, implore God’s blessing (favor) upon those who abuse you [who revile, reproach, disparage, and high-handedly misuse you].

29 To the one who strikes you on the [b]jaw or cheek, offer the other [c]jaw or cheek also; and from him who takes away your outer garment, do not withhold your undergarment as well.

30 Give away to everyone who begs of you [who is [d]in want of necessities], and of him who takes away from you your goods, do not demand or require them back again.

31 And as you would like and desire that men would do to you, do exactly so to them.

32 If you [merely] love those who love you, what [e]quality of credit and thanks is that to you? For even [f]the [very] sinners love their lovers (those who love them).

33 And if you are kind and good and do favors to and benefit those who are kind and good and do favors to and benefit you, what [g]quality of credit and thanks is that to you? For even [h]the preeminently sinful do the same.

34 And if you lend money [i]at interest to those from whom you hope to receive, what [j]quality of credit and thanks is that to you? Even notorious sinners lend money [k]at interest to sinners, so as to recover as much again.

35 But love your enemies and be kind and do good [doing favors [l]so that someone derives benefit from them] and lend, expecting and hoping for nothing in return but [m]considering nothing as lost and despairing of no one; and then your recompense (your reward) will be great (rich, strong, intense, and abundant), and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind and charitable and good to the ungrateful and the selfish and wicked.

36 So be merciful (sympathetic, tender, responsive, and compassionate) even as your Father is [all these].

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 6:27 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  2. Luke 6:29 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  3. Luke 6:29 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  4. Luke 6:30 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  5. Luke 6:32 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  6. Luke 6:32 William Tyndale, The Tyndale Bible.
  7. Luke 6:33 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  8. Luke 6:33 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  9. Luke 6:34 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  10. Luke 6:34 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  11. Luke 6:34 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  12. Luke 6:35 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.
  13. Luke 6:35 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.