Luke 6:27-36 teaches that followers of Jesus are to love their enemies, do good to people who harm them, and show mercy the way God shows mercy. Jesus says this is not a matter of returning like for like, but of reflecting the generous character of the Father. The passage comes in the middle of Luke’s Sermon on the Plain, spoken to disciples who had just heard a series of blessings and warnings about wealth, comfort, and popularity.
27 “But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. 29 To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him who takes away your cloak, don’t withhold your coat also. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and don’t ask him who takes away your goods to give them back again. 31 “As you would like people to do to you, do exactly so to them. 32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil. 36 “Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful.
Luke 6:27-36 (WEB)
Luke 6:27-36 Summary
Jesus begins with a direct command: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. He then gives concrete examples of what this looks like. If someone strikes you, do not retaliate, and if someone takes your coat, do not hold back your other garment. He tells his listeners to give to anyone who asks and to treat others the way they would want to be treated.
From there Jesus contrasts ordinary human reciprocity with the higher standard of his kingdom. Loving people who love you, doing good to those who do good to you, and lending only where you expect repayment is what even sinners do. The passage closes with the call to lend without expecting anything back, and with the reason: God himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked, so his children should be merciful as their Father is merciful.
Context of Luke 6:27-36
The Gospel of Luke was written by a companion of Paul, traditionally identified as Luke the physician, for a largely Gentile audience who wanted an orderly account of Jesus. In this Gospel, the Sermon on the Plain parallels the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, and it places strong emphasis on the poor, the outcast, and the reversal of worldly status. Jesus has just pronounced blessings on the poor and woes on the rich and the well-fed.
The verses just before this section warn against wealth, self-satisfaction, and public praise, which sets up Jesus’s teaching on enemies and mercy. The verses that follow, 37 to 38, continue the theme with instructions about judging, condemning, and giving generously, so Luke 6:27-36 sits at the heart of a larger call to live under God’s mercy rather than by the scales of human approval.
Luke 6:27-36 Verse by Verse
Matthew 5:44
But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you…
(WEB)
This parallel saying in the Sermon on the Mount repeats the call to love enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Reading it alongside Luke 6 shows that the teaching was central to Jesus’s public ministry and not an isolated remark.
Romans 12:20
Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
(WEB)
Paul draws on Old Testament wisdom to show how love for an enemy can take concrete form, such as feeding a hungry enemy. The verse shows that this kind of love is an active witness that moves beyond merely avoiding revenge.
A Prayer Based on Luke 6:27-36
Father, you have been kind to me when I did not deserve it, and you have shown mercy to me again and again. Teach me to love the people who have hurt me and to pray for their good instead of rehearsing my anger. When someone takes from me or speaks against me, help me to respond with generosity rather than with the urge to win. Make my heart more like yours, and let my life reflect your mercy to those around me. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Luke 6:27-36 mean I should let people abuse me?
No, the passage calls for a posture of non-retaliation and goodwill, not for ignoring harm or permitting abuse. Wise responses can include setting boundaries and seeking protection while still refusing bitterness and seeking the other person’s good.
How is this different from the Golden Rule in Matthew 7:12?
Both teach treating others as you would want to be treated, but Luke 6 places the rule in the context of loving enemies and lending without return. The surrounding verses stretch the principle beyond friendly reciprocity into costly mercy.
What does it mean that God is kind to the unthankful and evil?
It means God’s common kindness, such as sunshine, rain, and daily provision, reaches people who do not honor him. Jesus uses this to show that his followers should reflect that same generous character toward those who do not repay kindness.
