Luke 6:28 (ASV)

Passage

bless them that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you.

Nearby Context

Luke 6:26 Woe [unto you], when all men shall speak well of you! for in the same manner did their fathers to the false prophets.

Luke 6:27 But I say unto you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you,

Luke 6:28 bless them that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you.

Luke 6:29 To him that smiteth thee on the [one] cheek offer also the other; and from him that taketh away thy cloak withhold not thy coat also.

Luke 6:30 Give to every one that asketh thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "bless", "curse", "pray", and "despitefully". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "bless" and "curse", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 27's "But I say unto you that hear..." into verse 29's "To him that smiteth thee on the...", so "bless" and "curse" belong inside that flow. In Luke context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "bless" and "curse" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.