Luke 6:31 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

NIV: Do to others as you would have them do to you.

NASB: Treat people the same way you want them to treat you.

CSB: Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them.

NLT: Do to others as you would like them to do to you.

KJV: And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

NKJV: And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.

The "Golden Rule" applies the part of the Greatest Commandment which says to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:39). Love is more than kind feelings. It's a sacrificial concern for the well-being of others. We are to think about what we need and use that perspective as a basis for meeting the needs of others—even our enemies who persecute us for following Jesus (Luke 6:27). Jesus illustrates this more fully in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37).

Dr. Darryl Bock's New Testament Commentary Series on Luke gives a challenging application:

"In the modern world, this would mean not just protesting against abortion but being prepared to care for the child that is born to a mother who has chosen not to abort. More than this, we are called to continue to love militant pro-choice advocates who go ahead with their intention to abort."

Many other cultures have variations of the Golden Rule. Some, like the Sanskrit, Greek, Persian, and Hindu versions, reflect the negative or prohibitive form: "Don't do to others what you don't want them to do to you." Few take the positive form given by Jesus: to not merely avoid harming another but to actively work for their positive welfare.

Luke 6:27–36 continues Jesus' teaching to a crowd about how His followers should live. He's explained how those who are burdened in this life due to faithfulness will find relief and those who are satisfied due to their unfaithfulness will find eternal hardship (Luke 6:20–26). Here, He commands His followers to love their enemies, a theme He will expound upon when He speaks about judging others (6:37–42). This is possible if the promises of Luke 6:22–23 are true. After explaining that our actions come from our hearts, Jesus will invite the crowd to base their identity in Him (Luke 6:43–49). Matthew 5:38–48 also speaks of loving one's enemies.

Luke 6 contains two main sections of teaching and calls to discipleship. Luke 6:1–16 continues the pattern of Luke 5. The two ways in which Jesus sets aside tradition—this time by taking authority over the Sabbath—are paired with His call for the Twelve disciples. Luke 6:17–49 records Jesus' teaching on the ''level place,'' or His ''Sermon on the Plain,'' and a call to a crowd for general discipleship. Much of this material has parallels in Matthew 5 through 7, but it's not clear if the two accounts are of the same event. As a travelling teacher, Christ likely gave the same general message multiple times.

Luke 6 completes Jesus' call for disciples and followers that started in Luke 5. Luke 5:1—6:16 consists of three calls for disciples, each paired with two revolutionary teachings about Jesus' authority that increasingly infuriate the religious leaders. Luke 6:17–49 continues the theme with a general call for followers and a description of their responsibilities. In Luke 7:1—8:3, Jesus interacts with the other: Gentiles, women, and even the dead. This is followed by another general call (Luke 8:4–21), a series of miracles (Luke 8:22—9:17), and a final call for the Twelve to follow Him even more deeply (Luke 9:18–50).

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.