Luke 6:34 (KJV)

What does Luke 6:34 mean?

In Luke 6:34, Jesus asks what credit there is in lending only when repayment is expected. His point is that such lending is not a distinctive mark of generosity: even people described as sinners do the same for one another.

Jesus pictures a loan made with the expectation of getting an equal amount back. Speaking to his disciples within hearing of a larger crowd, he uses a question to make them consider the kind of lending he has in mind.

The Greek behind Luke 6:34

• “thank” — χάρις (charis): The word can carry the sense of credit or favor. Jesus’s question asks what special credit belongs to someone for lending on those terms.
• “as much” — ἴσος (isos): The word carries the sense of what is equal. Here it points to getting back an amount matching what was lent.

Why Luke 6:34 matters

• Jesus uses “sinners” as a comparison, not as a label for the borrowers alone. The verse says that “sinners also lend to sinners,” showing that both sides of the loan are part of the comparison.
• The question belongs to a wider discussion of how to treat enemies. Verse 35 follows with “love ye your enemies” and “lend, hoping for nothing again,” giving the contrast to the expectation of repayment in verse 34.
• The repeated pattern in verses 32–34 gives the question its force. Jesus asks the same kind of question about loving, doing good, and lending when the other person is expected to respond in kind.