Luke 6:27-28 says:

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (NIV)

This passage provides several powerful encouragements:

1. God empowers us to respond differently.
   Jesus does not call His followers to react the way the world naturally reacts. Instead of returning hatred for hatred, He invites us to respond with love, kindness, blessing, and prayer. This shows that God’s grace can enable us to rise above hurt and resentment.
2. We are free from being controlled by others’ actions.
   When someone mistreats us, our response does not have to be determined by their behavior. Jesus encourages us to choose a Christlike response regardless of how others treat us.
3. Love reflects God’s character.
   Loving enemies is difficult, but it mirrors the way God loves humanity. Later in the chapter, Jesus points to God’s kindness even toward the ungrateful and wicked (Luke 6:35). We are encouraged that every act of mercy reflects our Heavenly Father.
4. Prayer transforms our hearts.
   Praying for those who hurt us helps prevent bitterness from taking root. It shifts our focus from revenge to redemption and invites God to work both in their lives and in ours.
5. Evil does not have the final word.
   By blessing instead of cursing and loving instead of hating, believers participate in God’s greater purpose of overcoming evil with good. This is a hopeful reminder that God’s way is ultimately stronger than hostility and conflict.

Devotional Thought:
Luke 6:27-28 encourages us that we are never more like Jesus than when we show grace to those who do not deserve it. Such love may not change our enemies immediately, but it changes us, demonstrating that Christ’s love is stronger than any offense we experience.

“Lord, help me respond to difficult people with the same mercy You have shown me. Teach me to bless, pray, and love, even when it is hard.”

²⁷ But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. (Luke 6:27-28 ESV)

These verses were covered along with parallel verses in Matthew 5:43 – 45 in lesson H219. Please use the lesson link to learn about these verses.

Luke 6:27–28 — Loving Our Enemies and Praying for Those Who Mistreat Us

Questions of Understanding

1. What does Jesus mean when He commands His followers to love their enemies?

Answer: In Luke 6:27, Jesus commands His followers to love their enemies, introducing a radical standard of love that goes beyond natural human affection. Loving those who love us is relatively easy, but loving those who oppose, reject, or mistreat us requires a heart transformed by God’s grace. Jesus is not commanding His followers to approve of wrongdoing or ignore injustice. Instead, He calls them to demonstrate genuine concern for the spiritual and eternal well-being of those who oppose them. This love is not primarily an emotion but a deliberate choice to act with kindness, patience, mercy, and forgiveness. By loving their enemies, believers reflect the character of God, who extends His goodness even to those who rebel against Him. This command challenges Christians to rise above resentment and retaliation, demonstrating the transforming power of God’s love in their relationships.

2. Why does Jesus instruct believers to do good to those who hate them?

Answer: Jesus commands believers to do good to those who hate them because Christian love must be demonstrated through actions rather than merely expressed through words or feelings. Human nature often responds to hatred with anger, bitterness, or revenge, but Jesus teaches His followers to break this destructive cycle by responding with goodness. Doing good to an enemy does not mean accepting abusive behavior or abandoning appropriate boundaries. Rather, it means refusing to allow another person’s hatred to determine one’s character or conduct. Romans 12:20–21 reinforces this principle by teaching believers to overcome evil with good. When Christians respond to hostility with kindness, they demonstrate that their behavior is governed by God’s righteousness rather than the actions of others. Such goodness may soften hardened hearts, open opportunities for reconciliation, and provide a powerful testimony to the transforming influence of Christ.

3. What does it mean to bless those who curse us?

Answer: In Luke 6:28, Jesus instructs His followers to bless those who curse them, teaching that believers should respond to hostile words with gracious speech rather than retaliation. To bless someone means to desire and seek God’s goodness for that person rather than wishing harm upon them. When others criticize, insult, ridicule, or speak maliciously against us, our natural response may be to defend ourselves through equally harsh words. Jesus calls His followers to exercise self-control and respond in a manner consistent with God’s character. Blessing an enemy does not require pretending that hurtful words are harmless or that false accusations are acceptable. Instead, it means refusing to return evil for evil. This principle is also emphasized in 1 Peter 3:9, where believers are instructed not to repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but to bless. Through gracious speech, Christians demonstrate spiritual maturity and reveal the difference Christ makes in their lives.

4. Why does Jesus command believers to pray for those who abuse or mistreat them?

Answer: Jesus commands believers to pray for those who mistreat them because prayer redirects the heart away from bitterness and toward God’s mercy, wisdom, and righteousness. When someone causes us pain, our natural tendency may be to dwell upon the offense or desire retaliation. Prayer changes the direction of our response by bringing the situation before God. Praying for an offender does not mean asking God to overlook wrongdoing. It may include asking God to bring conviction, repentance, spiritual transformation, and reconciliation where possible. Prayer also helps believers surrender their desire for personal revenge and trust God’s perfect judgment. Jesus demonstrated this principle during His crucifixion when He prayed for those responsible for His suffering (Luke 23:34). Stephen later followed His example by praying for those who were stoning him (Acts 7:60). These examples reveal that prayer for enemies is an expression of Christlike love and a powerful testimony to God’s grace.

5. How does loving our enemies reflect the character and nature of God?

Answer: Loving our enemies reflects God’s character because His love, mercy, and kindness extend beyond those who acknowledge or obey Him. Throughout Scripture, God demonstrates patience toward sinful humanity, providing opportunities for repentance and reconciliation. Romans 5:8 teaches that God demonstrated His love for us while we were still sinners, and Romans 5:10 explains that believers were reconciled to God through the death of His Son while they were His enemies. This reveals the extraordinary nature of divine love: God did not wait for humanity to become deserving before extending His grace. When Christians love those who oppose them, they reflect this same pattern of undeserved kindness. Luke 6:35–36 expands upon Jesus’ teaching by emphasizing God’s kindness toward the ungrateful and evil and calling His followers to be merciful as their Father is merciful. Loving enemies therefore becomes a visible expression of God’s character working through His people.

6. How does Jesus’ teaching challenge the natural human desire for revenge?

Answer: Jesus’ teaching directly challenges the human inclination to retaliate when offended, mistreated, or harmed. People naturally desire fairness and may believe that responding to wrongdoing with equal hostility restores justice. However, retaliation often deepens resentment and continues a cycle of conflict. Jesus introduces a different response by commanding love, goodness, blessing, and prayer. These actions demonstrate that believers are not controlled by anger or the desire for personal vengeance. Romans 12:19 reminds Christians to leave vengeance to God, recognizing that He alone possesses perfect knowledge and righteous judgment. This does not eliminate the importance of justice, accountability, or appropriate protection from harm. Rather, it distinguishes the pursuit of justice from personal revenge. By trusting God with judgment, believers are freed to respond with wisdom, restraint, and compassion, even when others behave unjustly.

7. Does loving our enemies mean that Christians must tolerate abuse or injustice?

Answer: No. Jesus’ command to love enemies does not require believers to tolerate ongoing abuse, ignore injustice, or remain in dangerous situations. Biblical love includes truth, righteousness, wisdom, and appropriate boundaries. Loving someone who behaves wickedly does not mean approving of that behavior or allowing it to continue without consequences. Christians may seek protection, establish boundaries, confront wrongdoing, or appeal to lawful authorities while maintaining a heart free from hatred and personal vengeance. Romans 13:1–4 recognizes the legitimate role of governing authorities in restraining wrongdoing and administering justice. Jesus Himself confronted hypocrisy and injustice while remaining perfectly righteous in His conduct. The essential distinction is between seeking justice and seeking revenge. Believers can oppose harmful actions while praying for the offender’s repentance and spiritual restoration. True Christian love seeks what is ultimately good and righteous, even when that requires confronting sin.

8. How can believers develop the spiritual strength to love those who mistreat them?

Answer: The ability to love enemies does not arise naturally from human strength but develops through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22–23 identifies love, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control as characteristics produced by the Spirit in the lives of believers. As Christians grow in their relationship with God through prayer, Scripture, obedience, and dependence upon His grace, their responses to difficult people can gradually become more Christlike. Remembering how much God has forgiven us also strengthens our willingness to extend mercy to others. Ephesians 4:32 encourages believers to forgive one another as God in Christ has forgiven them. Loving enemies is often a continuing spiritual discipline rather than an immediate emotional response. Through God’s grace, believers can learn to replace bitterness with compassion, anger with patience, and retaliation with prayer. This transformation demonstrates that Christian love is rooted in God’s power rather than merely human determination.

9. What example did Jesus provide of loving those who opposed and persecuted Him?

Answer: Jesus provided the supreme example of loving enemies through His earthly ministry, suffering, and crucifixion. Throughout His ministry, He encountered rejection, false accusations, hostility, and opposition from religious leaders and others who refused to accept His teaching. Yet He consistently demonstrated compassion, patience, and concern for the spiritual condition of those around Him. His love reached its fullest expression at the cross, where He willingly suffered to accomplish God’s plan of redemption. Even while enduring crucifixion, Jesus prayed, asking the Father to forgive those responsible for His suffering (Luke 23:34). His response demonstrated that divine love does not depend upon favorable treatment or human approval. First Peter 2:23 further explains that when Jesus was reviled, He did not retaliate but entrusted Himself to the One who judges justly. His example establishes the pattern for believers: respond to hostility with righteousness, trust God with judgment, and demonstrate love even in the presence of suffering.

10. How can Christians practically apply Luke 6:27–28 in their daily relationships?

Answer: Christians can apply Luke 6:27–28 by intentionally responding to difficult people in ways that reflect Christ’s love rather than their own immediate emotions. When someone speaks harshly, believers can choose gentle words instead of returning insults. When treated unfairly, they can pursue what is right without allowing bitterness to control their attitudes. When confronted with hostility, they can pray for the person’s spiritual needs rather than dwelling upon resentment. Practical expressions of enemy-love may include offering assistance when appropriate, refusing to participate in gossip, speaking truth respectfully, extending forgiveness, and remaining open to reconciliation when genuine repentance occurs. These actions do not require believers to abandon wisdom or appropriate boundaries. Instead, they demonstrate a commitment to live according to God’s Word regardless of how others behave. Colossians 3:12–14 encourages Christians to put on compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, and love. As these qualities become increasingly evident, believers provide a living testimony to the transforming grace of Jesus Christ.

11. What is the relationship between forgiveness and loving our enemies?

Answer: Forgiveness and loving our enemies are closely connected because both require believers to surrender resentment and respond according to God’s grace. Forgiveness involves releasing the desire for personal revenge and refusing to allow past offenses to govern one’s heart. Loving an enemy extends beyond forgiveness by seeking that person’s ultimate good, including repentance, reconciliation with God, and spiritual restoration. Ephesians 4:31–32 instructs believers to put away bitterness, wrath, anger, and malice while demonstrating kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. Forgiveness does not necessarily restore trust immediately, remove consequences, or require reconciliation when the offending person remains unrepentant or dangerous. Trust may need to be rebuilt through genuine repentance and changed behavior. Nevertheless, believers are called to cultivate forgiving hearts because they themselves have received God’s undeserved mercy. Through forgiveness and enemy-love, Christians demonstrate the reconciling power of the gospel.

12. What is the central spiritual lesson Jesus wants His followers to understand in Luke 6:27–28?

Answer: The central spiritual lesson of Luke 6:27–28 is that genuine Christian love is not determined by how others treat us but by our relationship with God and our commitment to reflect His character. Jesus calls His followers to demonstrate a love that rises above natural human reactions and extends kindness even to those who are hostile, unkind, or unjust. His four commands—love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you—provide a comprehensive picture of love expressed through attitudes, actions, words, and prayer. These commands reveal that Christian discipleship involves more than outward religious observance; it requires an inward transformation that changes how believers respond to others. Such love does not excuse evil but overcomes hatred through goodness and entrusts ultimate justice to God. When Christians practice this teaching, they demonstrate the extraordinary nature of God’s grace and provide a visible witness to the life-changing power of Jesus Christ.

Concluding Spiritual Truth

Luke 6:27–28 teaches that the measure of Christian love is not how we treat those who love us, but how we respond to those who oppose us. Jesus calls believers to replace hatred with love, retaliation with kindness, cursing with blessing, and resentment with prayer. This kind of love is possible through the transforming power of God’s grace and the work of the Holy Spirit.

The greatest demonstration of spiritual maturity is not simply loving those who are easy to love, but reflecting the character of Christ toward those who are difficult to love.