Luke 6:28 (KJV)

Passage

Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

Nearby Context

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

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

Luke 6:28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

Luke 6:29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.

Luke 6:30 Give to every man that asketh of 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 which hear..." into verse 29's "And unto him that smiteth thee on...", 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.