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 is not describing a sentimental feeling but a deliberate way of treating others, even when they have wronged you and nothing about the relationship seems to deserve kindness. The passage forms the heart of what Jesus calls the “sermon on the plain” in Luke’s Gospel.
Luke places these words early in Jesus’s public ministry, right after he has chosen the twelve apostles and gathered a large crowd from across Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. Jesus has just pronounced blessings on the poor and hungry and warnings to the rich and comfortable. Now he turns directly to “you who hear,” speaking to disciples who are being asked to live differently from the world around them.
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 command that runs against natural instinct: 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. If someone strikes you, do not retaliate; if someone takes your coat, do not hold back your other garment; give to anyone who asks and do not demand repayment from those who take from you.
The passage then makes its central argument. Anyone can love people who love them back, and even sinners do that much. Disciples are called to a higher standard, lending and doing good without expecting anything in return. The reward is great, and the children of the Most High are marked by God’s own kindness toward the ungrateful and wicked. Jesus closes by grounding all of this in the character of God: “Be merciful, even as your 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, and addressed to a Gentile reader named Theophilus. Luke pays special attention to Jesus’s concern for the poor, the marginalized, and those who are rejected by society. This passage fits that pattern: Jesus is teaching a kind of love that does not depend on social status, reciprocity, or personal benefit.
The verses immediately before this section pronounce woe on the rich, the full, and those who are praised by others, which sets up a contrast between the values of the kingdom and the values of the crowd. The verses after this section continue the theme with teaching about judging others, forgiving, and giving generously. Read together, they show that mercy is not an optional add-on to the Christian life but its defining mark.
Luke 6:27-36 Verse by Verse
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 echoes Jesus’s teaching by urging believers to care for an enemy’s basic needs. The image of heaping burning coals suggests that kindness can have a powerful and transforming effect on the one who has wronged you.
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)
Matthew records a parallel command from the same teaching tradition, reinforcing that loving enemies and praying for those who persecute you is central to Jesus’s vision of discipleship.
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 when I failed you. I confess that my natural response to hurt is to protect myself, to keep score, and to withhold what I could give. Soften my heart toward those who have wronged me. Help me to bless rather than curse, to pray for people I would rather avoid, and to act toward others the way I would want to be treated. Make me merciful as you are merciful. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does loving your enemies mean letting people hurt you?
No, the passage does not require you to tolerate abuse or to deny that wrong has been done. Jesus calls disciples to refuse retaliation and to act with goodwill, which can include seeking safety, setting boundaries, and involving appropriate authorities when needed.
What is the difference between love and approval in Luke 6:27-36?
Love in this passage is an intentional commitment to another person’s good, even when you disagree with them or disapprove of their actions. Approval concerns agreeing with someone’s choices, which is not required to show them kindness.
Why does Jesus say the reward will be great?
The reward is connected to being recognized as children of the Most High, which means sharing in the family relationship with God. Jesus does not describe the reward in detail here, but he presents it as the fruit of living like the Father who is kind to all.
