Luke 6:36 (LSB)

Passage

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Nearby Context

Luke 6:34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount.

Luke 6:35 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 Himself is kind to the ungrateful and evil.

Luke 6:36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Luke 6:37 “And do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned.

Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 35's "But love your enemies and do good..." into verse 37's "And do not judge and you will...", so "merciful" and "just" 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 "merciful" and "just" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.