Luke 6 35

Luke 6:35 kjv

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.

Luke 6:35 nkjv

But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.

Luke 6:35 niv

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

Luke 6:35 esv

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

Luke 6:35 nlt

"Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.

Luke 6 35 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Matt 5:44-45...Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven...Command to love enemies, imitating God's character.
Rom 12:20If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if thirsty, give him drink...Proactive good deeds toward enemies.
Prov 25:21-22If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if thirsty, give him water to drink.OT parallel on beneficence towards enemies.
1 Pet 3:9Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing...Repaying evil with good.
Rom 12:14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.Blessing those who persecute.
Eph 5:1-2Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love...Command to imitate God's love.
Col 3:12-13Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility... bearing with each other and forgiving...Cultivating virtues for relating to others.
Deut 15:7-8If among you, one of your brothers should become poor... you shall not harden your heart... but shall generously open your hand...Generosity to the needy.
Psa 37:26They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed.Righteous character includes generous lending.
Psa 112:5Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice.Rewards for generosity and just dealings.
Exod 22:25If you lend money to one of my people among you who is poor, do not treat it like a business deal; do not charge interest.Prohibition of usury to the poor.
Luke 14:12-14When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends... but invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind...Giving without expectation of earthly return.
Matt 5:12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven...Promise of heavenly reward.
Matt 6:1Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others... otherwise, you have no reward from your Father...Warning against seeking earthly reward for righteousness.
1 Cor 3:8...each one will receive their own reward according to their own labor.Principle of receiving individual reward from God.
Heb 11:6Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.God as a rewarder of faith.
Jn 1:12To all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God...Becoming children of God through faith.
Rom 8:14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.Sons of God by Spirit-led living.
Gal 3:26So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.Universal spiritual sonship through faith.
1 Jn 3:1See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!God's love making us children of God.
Acts 14:17Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons...God's kindness shown universally.
Matt 5:48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.Call to moral perfection, reflecting God.

Luke 6 verses

Luke 6 35 Meaning

This verse encapsulates a core teaching of Jesus, calling for a radical, selfless love that extends even to one's adversaries. It moves beyond conventional human reciprocal relationships, urging believers to imitate God's boundless goodness. By loving enemies, performing benevolent acts without expectation of reciprocation, and lending without hoping for return, believers reflect God's own character—His kindness and generosity extended even to the undeserving. Such actions promise not only a great spiritual reward but affirm one's true identity as a child of the Most High, living in conformity with the divine nature.

Luke 6 35 Context

Luke chapter 6 contains Jesus' Sermon on the Plain, a significant discourse that echoes themes found in Matthew's Sermon on the Mount. Coming after the selection of the twelve apostles and healing miracles (Luke 6:12-19), Jesus begins to articulate the radical demands of Kingdom living for His disciples. This verse is part of Jesus' teaching on reciprocal love, mercy, and generosity (Luke 6:27-38). Earlier, Jesus states the counter-cultural blessings (Luke 6:20-26) and directly commands to "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you" (Luke 6:27). Verse 35 deepens this instruction, providing the divine motivation and promise for such behavior.

Historically and culturally, this teaching directly challenged conventional wisdom and rabbinic interpretations that often limited acts of love and benevolence to fellow Jews, while allowing animosity towards outsiders or enemies. Jesus, by advocating universal love and goodness, raised the standard of righteousness to mirror God's own impartial and universal kindness, thereby also correcting the understanding of the nature of God's people as those who imitate His character, not merely those who adhere to ritual law.

Luke 6 35 Word analysis

  • But: (Greek: Plēn, Πλὴν) - This strong adversative indicates a contrast, signaling a profound shift from conventional human morality (reciprocal love, etc.) to a new, higher standard of conduct.
  • love: (Greek: agapate, ἀγαπᾶτε - imperative from agapao) - Not emotional affection, but divine, volitional, selfless love. It commands active benevolence irrespective of feelings or merit.
  • your enemies: (Greek: tous echthrous hymon, τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑμῶν) - Individuals who harbor ill will, actively oppose, or cause harm. This term expands the concept of neighbor beyond kin or allies.
  • do good: (Greek: kalōs poieite, καλῶς ποιεῖτε - imperative from kalōs poieō) - To act beneficially, rightly, or nobly towards them. This mandates concrete, positive actions, not just absence of harm.
  • to them: Refers to "your enemies," clarifying the object of the good deeds commanded.
  • and lend to them: (Greek: kai daneizete, καὶ δανείζετε - imperative from daneizō) - Commands providing financial or material assistance.
  • without expecting to get anything back: (Greek: mēden apelpi-zontes, μηδὲν ἀπελπίζοντες) - This crucial phrase signifies lending without hope or expectation of repayment, thus making it an act of unconditional giving. It challenges self-serving motives in financial dealings, promoting radical generosity based on trust in God's provision.
  • Then your reward: (Greek: kai estai ho misthos hymōn, καὶ ἔσται ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν) - Misthos means wages or recompense. The reward is primarily spiritual and eternal, promised by God.
  • will be great: (Greek: polys, πολὺς) - Denotes significance in value, quantity, or excellence, indicating an exceedingly generous divine recompense.
  • and you will be children of the Most High: (Greek: kai esesthe huioi Hypsistou, καὶ ἔσεσθε υἱοὶ Ὑψίστου) - Implies an identity transformation. "Most High" (Hypsistos) is an epithet for God (like El Elyon in OT) emphasizing His supreme sovereignty and universal benevolence. This signifies partaking in God's character and belonging to Him.
  • because: (Greek: hoti, ὅτι) - Provides the divine rationale or model for the commands. The foundation for godly behavior is God's own character.
  • he is kind: (Greek: autos chrēstos estin, αὐτὸς χρηστός ἐστιν) - God's disposition is good, benevolent, and compassionate. His kindness extends impartially.
  • to the ungrateful: (Greek: epi tous acharistous, ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀχαρίστους) - Those who are thankless, devoid of gratitude, despite having received good from Him.
  • and wicked: (Greek: kai ponērous, καὶ πονηροὺς) - Those who are actively malicious, evil, or morally corrupt. God's kindness embraces even these who oppose Him.

Words-group by words-group analysis

  • But love your enemies, do good to them: This fundamental instruction represents a radical reversal of human instinct and prevailing social norms. It commands proactive benevolence through agape love and practical good deeds towards those who actively stand in opposition, thus transcending retributive justice and embracing a divine pattern of grace.
  • and lend to them without expecting to get anything back: This specific economic application highlights sacrificial generosity. It means extending aid without anticipation of repayment, thereby challenging financial self-interest and placing ultimate reliance on God's divine accounting rather than human reciprocation or gain. This expresses love through financial vulnerability for the benefit of another.
  • Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High: These clauses state the promised outcome and elevated status for radical discipleship. The "great reward" denotes God's abundant blessing and commendation, primarily spiritual and eternal. Becoming "children of the Most High" signifies not just a status conferred but an active participation in God's nature, reflecting His character and affirming true familial identity.
  • because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked: This final clause provides the divine imperative and ultimate example. It reveals God's own intrinsic and impartial character of benevolence, demonstrating that He extends His goodness even to those who fail to acknowledge or actively defy Him. This serves as the blueprint for imitatio Dei, challenging believers to reflect the Father's indiscriminate grace in their own interactions.

Luke 6 35 Bonus section

  • The term "Most High" (Hypsistos) in Luke and Acts specifically links to divine power and the universal scope of God's dominion, suggesting that His character is meant to be a pattern for all people, not just a select group.
  • This passage functions as an invitation to participate in God's ongoing redemptive work by breaking cycles of revenge and hatred through radical acts of love, thereby embodying the counter-cultural values of the Kingdom that Jesus inaugurated.
  • The teaching about "lending without expecting to get anything back" directly opposes the legalistic loopholes that sometimes allowed for profit from the poor or the exploitation of debt, re-establishing God's original heart for justice and generosity among His people.
  • The concept of imitatio Dei (imitation of God) is crucial here. Jesus doesn't just ask us to do something abstract; He grounds the humanly impossible command in the very character of God Himself, making it an ethical imperative tied to our identity as His children.
  • The phrase "children of the Most High" emphasizes a familial relationship and shared character with God, implying both adoption (Jn 1:12) and resemblance through moral action (1 Pet 1:15-16).

Luke 6 35 Commentary

Luke 6:35 is a pinnacle of Jesus' ethical teaching, demanding a counter-cultural and seemingly irrational response to animosity. It redefines what it means to be God's child, shifting focus from adherence to outward law to embodying God's impartial, proactive, and self-giving love (agape). The command to "love your enemies" is clarified through practical applications: doing good to them and lending without expectation of return. This highlights a discipleship that is generous without self-interest, looking past merit or personal gain. The motivation for such radical generosity and benevolence is rooted in God's own nature; He demonstrates boundless kindness even to the undeserving and malevolent. Therefore, living out this command is not just an arbitrary moral rule but an act of becoming truly "God-like," affirming one's identity as a spiritual child of the sovereign and benevolent Creator. The promised "great reward" and status as "children of the Most High" emphasize the profound spiritual blessedness and true familial resemblance that result from mirroring divine love, positioning eternal gain over temporary reciprocation.