“And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye?”
The full verse · Luke 6:33 · KJV
ye do to them which do to , ? also the .
The Scene
Why It Was Asked
The purpose behind the questionJesus moves from feelings to actions. Having asked about love (Luke 6:32), He now asks about doing good. Returning a favor is fair, but it is not grace. Gill puts it plainly: "As one good turn deserves another," and asks, "what grace or goodness is there in such an action?"
Gill also explains why the question mattered to its first hearers. He cites a Jewish teaching of his sources that an Israelite was bound to do good to a fellow Israelite but not to a Gentile, unless the Gentile had first done him good. Gill says Jesus spoke "In direct opposition to such narrow sentiments." The question asks hearers to see that goodness limited to those who repay it is no different from the world's.
The Response
What Scripture recordsJesus answered His question in the same breath: "for sinners also do even the same" (Luke 6:33). He repeated the pattern with lending (Luke 6:34), then commanded, "But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again" (Luke 6:35). He ended with the reason: the Highest "is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil," so "Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful" (Luke 6:35-36).
Historical Context
The world behind the words"Do good" translates the Greek agathopoieō, a verb made from "good" and "do." It is the same verb Jesus used in the synagogue when He asked, "Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil?" (Luke 6:9). The word for "thank" is again charis, grace or favor.
Gill comments that being kind to those who are kind to us is "natural" to people, and so no one should think himself "better than sinners, on such an account."
The Bigger Picture
Where this fits in God's storyThis question shows that God measures goodness differently than we do. Doing good to people who do good to us keeps the scales even. God does not keep the scales even with us. He "is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil" (Luke 6:35), and Jesus calls His followers to reflect that same mercy (Luke 6:36).
The same verb ties this teaching to the sabbath healing earlier in the chapter (Luke 6:9). There, Jesus did good to a man who could give nothing back while His critics plotted against Him (Luke 6:10-11). He practiced what He taught.
Look Closer
How is this question different from the one in Luke 6:32?
Carry the question into prayer and conversation.
Lord, You do good to people who cannot repay You; who is one person You want me to do good to this week?
A prayer to carry into the day.
- Why do you think it feels natural to keep track of who has been good to us?
- Tell about a time a kindness came to you from someone who had no reason to be kind.
For you, a small group, a friend, or the dinner table.
It is easy to do good to the people who have helped you. Jesus asks for goodness that is not a trade. Think of the people around you who cannot or will not return a favor, and look for a practical way to do them good.
This does not make gratitude or friendship wrong. Returning kindness is right; it just is not the whole of what Jesus asks. The aim is to reflect the Father, who is kind to the unthankful (Luke 6:35).
Scripture's own application: Romans 12:20-21
Built from the biblical text and checked against trusted commentaries and lexicons. References & Sources
Keep questioning
“For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye?”
“And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye?”
“For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same?”
“And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so?”