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InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT ESA WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
Luke C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21 C22 C23 C24
Luke 6 V1 V3 V5 V7 V9 V11 V13 V15 V17 V19 V21 V23 V25 V29 V31 V33 V35 V37 V39 V41 V43 V45 V47 V49
OET (OET-LV) But I_am_saying to_you_all to_the ones hearing, be_loving the enemies of_you_all, be_doing well to_the ones hating you_all,
OET (OET-RV) “But I’ll tell all of you who are listening: Love your enemies and be kind to those who hate you.
In this section, Jesus spoke about how his true disciples should think and act. He spoke about this immediately after he had chosen twelve of his disciples to be his apostles. Jesus said many things about this topic in his speech, so that people have often called this particular speech of Jesus a “sermon.”
In this sermon, Jesus asked those who heard him to be different from other people in the world and to think differently. He encouraged his disciples to obey his authority and live as people of God. They should be generous and merciful even to their enemies, as God is generous to everyone. Jesus assured his disciples that they would be blessed and rewarded for their obedience and for suffering for him. He concluded his speech by telling parables to motivate his disciples to obey his teaching.
Another possible heading for this section is:
The Sermon on the Plain (NET)
Some English versions divide 6:17–49 into several sections. Here is one way that might be done:
6:17–26 Blessings and woes
6:27–36 Love your enemies
6:37–42 Do not judge
6:43–45 A tree and its fruit
6:46–49 Two foundations
The sermon in 6:17–49 is similar to the sermon commonly referred to as “The Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew chapters 5–7.
In this paragraph, Jesus taught his disciples that they should love people who do not treat them well. Jesus emphasized this point by restating the command in four different ways. Then Jesus gave four examples of showing love to enemies and a general statement of how to treat others.
Some English versions have a section heading here, but Jesus was continuing the sermon that he began in 6:20b. If you put a heading here, you may need to make it explicit that Jesus was still talking. For example:
Jesus continued teaching, and he said, “But I tell you…”
But to those of you who will listen, I say:
¶ “Now, you(plur) who are listening to me, I say this to you:
¶ Jesus continued teaching, and he said, “Here is what I say to you(plur) who are listening to me,
But: The word But introduces a change in focus. Jesus stopped addressing the people who had wrong values (6:24–26). In 6:27, he again spoke to his disciples. Express this change in focus in a natural way in your language.
to those of you who will listen, I say: The phrase that the BSB translates as to those of you who will listen, I say is literally “to you I say, to the ones hearing.” Jesus addressed his disciples as “you” and as “the ones hearing.” He was drawing attention to what he wanted to say.
Some other ways to translate this are:
This is what I say to all who will listen to me… (CEV)
Jesus continued to say, “What I will say to you who are listening to me is…”
Now, you who are listening to me, I say this to you…
There are four commands in these verses: “love,” “do good,” “bless,” and “pray for.” The verb form used for each command indicates an action that is repeated. Jesus commanded his disciples to regularly do these things.
The commands are general commands that apply to everyone individually. They are in the plural form.
Consider what form your language would use for general commands that apply to everyone.
In some languages, it may be the plural form. For example:
love your(plur) enemies
you (plur) should/must love your enemies
In some languages, it may be the singular form. For example:
love your(sing) enemies
you (sing) should love your enemies
In some languages, it may be another form. For example:
everyone should love their enemies
we should love our enemies
Use the form that is most natural in your language.
Love your enemies,
Love your(plur) enemies.
Love the people who are your(plur) enemies.
Love your enemies: The Greek word that the BSB translates as Love refers to the concern and affection that people should have toward other people. Jesus’ disciples should treat their enemies kindly.
do good to those who hate you,
Do good to the people who hate you(plur).
Treat well those who hate you(plur).
do good to those who hate you: Some other ways to translate this are:
Treat well those who hate you
Behave well toward those who hate you
Note 1 topic: writing-participants
ἀλλὰ ὑμῖν λέγω τοῖς ἀκούουσιν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἀλλά ὑμῖν λέγω τοῖς ἀκούουσιν ἀγαπᾶτε τούς ἐχθρούς ὑμῶν καλῶς ποιεῖτε τοῖς μισοῦσιν ὑμᾶς)
Jesus uses this phrase to broaden his audience to the entire crowd, beyond his disciples. At the same time, the phrase also calls everyone to focus their attention on what Jesus is about to say. It may be helpful to make this a separate sentence. Alternate translation: [Now I want all of you to listen carefully to this]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism
ἀγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑμῶν, καλῶς ποιεῖτε τοῖς μισοῦσιν ὑμᾶς
˓be˒_loving (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἀλλά ὑμῖν λέγω τοῖς ἀκούουσιν ἀγαπᾶτε τούς ἐχθρούς ὑμῶν καλῶς ποιεῖτε τοῖς μισοῦσιν ὑμᾶς)
These two phrases mean similar things. Jesus is using repetition to emphasize the importance of what he is saying. You do not need to repeat both phrases in your translation if that would be confusing for your readers. However, there is a slight difference in meaning, and you could also choose to bring that out in your translation. The second phrase specifies in what way followers of Jesus are to love their enemies. They are to do this in a practical way by helping them. Alternate translation: [do good things for people even if they are hostile to you] or [show love to your enemies who hate you by doing things to help them]
OET (OET-LV) But I_am_saying to_you_all to_the ones hearing, be_loving the enemies of_you_all, be_doing well to_the ones hating you_all,
OET (OET-RV) “But I’ll tell all of you who are listening: Love your enemies and be kind to those who hate you.
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.
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