Luke 6:27-36 teaches that followers of Jesus are to love their enemies, do good to those who wrong them, and lend, give and forgive without expecting anything back. The reason given is that God himself is kind and merciful to the ungrateful and the wicked, and his people are meant to reflect that character. Jesus gives this teaching in the Sermon on the Plain, shortly after choosing the twelve apostles.
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 ordinary instinct: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who abuse you. He then gives vivid examples, such as turning the other cheek when struck and giving more when someone takes your cloak, followed by the golden rule of treating others as you would want to be treated.
From there he contrasts the love of his disciples with the love that sinners show, which is love that returns favors and expects repayment. The passage closes by pointing to God’s own mercy as the pattern for his people, so that they may be merciful as their Father is merciful.
Context of Luke 6:27-36
Luke’s Gospel was written to a largely Gentile audience, traditionally identified with a man named Theophilus, and it emphasizes Jesus’s concern for the poor, the marginalized and those who are outsiders. Luke 6 records the choosing of the twelve apostles and Jesus’s descent to a level place where a great crowd has gathered, which is why this teaching is often called the Sermon on the Plain.
The verses just before this passage contain a series of woes against the rich, the full and the admired, and the verses just after warn against judging others and call for generous giving. Read in that setting, the command to love enemies is part of a larger reversal in which God’s kingdom turns worldly values upside down.
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 builds on the same ethic when he tells believers to meet an enemy’s hunger and thirst with practical care. Here the call to kindness toward enemies becomes concrete and specific, showing that love is expressed in tangible acts.
Matthew 5:44-45
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, 45 that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.
(WEB)
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives a parallel command to love enemies and pray for persecutors, linking it to God’s impartial sending of sun and rain. The parallel helps readers see how this teaching fits within Jesus’s wider message.
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. I confess that my natural instinct is to protect myself, to repay hurt with hurt, and to love only those who make me feel safe. Teach me to bless those who wound me and to pray for those who have treated me unfairly. Give me generous hands and a forgiving heart, and help me reflect your mercy to the people around me today. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Luke 6:27-36 mean we should never defend ourselves?
Jesus’s examples of turning the other cheek describe an attitude of not retaliating in revenge. Many Christians understand this to mean that they should not seek personal vengeance, while still seeking justice through lawful and righteous means where appropriate.
What is the difference between Luke 6:27-36 and Matthew 5:38-48?
Both passages contain similar teaching on loving enemies and turning the other cheek, and they are often compared by readers. Luke’s account is shorter and is set on a level place in the midst of a crowd, while Matthew’s version appears within the longer Sermon on the Mount.
Why does Jesus say even sinners do these things?
Jesus uses the word sinners to describe ordinary people who love and lend within their own circles of reciprocity. His point is that such behavior, while not evil, does not show the transformed character that comes from knowing God’s grace.
