Luke 6:28

Analysis

Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. This verse continues Jesus' radical ethic of enemy love with two specific applications. "Bless them that curse you" (eulogeite tous katarōmenous hymas, εὐλογεῖτε τοὺς καταρωμένους ὑμᾶς) commands responding to cursing with blessing. The verb eulogeō (εὐλογέω, "bless") means to speak well of, to invoke divine favor upon, or to praise. It compounds eu (good) and logos (word)—literally "good word." The verb kataraomai (καταράομαι, "curse") means to invoke harm, speak evil against, or pray for calamity upon someone.

The second command, "pray for them which despitefully use you" (proseuchesthe hyper tōn epēreazontōn hymas, προσεύχεσθε ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐπηρεαζόντων ὑμᾶς), specifies intercession for those who mistreat us. The verb epēreazō (ἐπηρεάζω) means to abuse, threaten, insult, or treat spitefully. The preposition hyper (ὑπέρ, "for" or "on behalf of") indicates praying for their benefit, not merely about them. Jesus commands praying for the welfare of those who abuse us.

These commands require supernatural grace—they are impossible in human strength. Natural response to cursing is counter-cursing; natural response to abuse is retaliation or avoidance. Jesus demands transformation at the level of speech (blessing vs. cursing) and heart (intercession vs. bitterness). This ethic reflects God's own character—He blesses those who curse Him and sends blessings even on rebels (Romans 5:8-10). Prayer for enemies is particularly powerful because genuine intercession for someone's welfare gradually transforms the pray-er's heart, making it increasingly difficult to harbor hatred.

Historical Context

These commands formed part of Jesus' teaching to disciples who would soon face intense persecution. The early church experienced systematic opposition from both Jewish religious authorities and the Roman state. Christians were cursed in synagogues, excluded from Jewish community life, brought before courts, imprisoned, beaten, and eventually martyred. Jesus' words prepared them for this reality and provided a distinctly Christian response.

The Apostle Paul embodied these commands, writing, "Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat" (1 Corinthians 4:12-13). Stephen, the first Christian martyr, prayed for his murderers as they stoned him: "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge" (Acts 7:60), echoing Jesus' own prayer from the cross (Luke 23:34). This pattern of blessing persecutors became a defining characteristic of early Christianity.

First-century Jewish and Greco-Roman ethics generally endorsed cursing enemies and invoking divine vengeance. The imprecatory Psalms (Psalms 35, 69, 109, 137) prayed for God's judgment on enemies. Some Dead Sea Scroll texts included curses against the "sons of darkness." Jesus doesn't abolish these prayers—God will indeed judge wickedness—but He forbids individuals from pronouncing curses and commands them instead to bless and intercede. This distinction acknowledges God's prerogative to judge while prohibiting personal vengeance.

Reflection

• How can believers genuinely bless and pray for those who have deeply wounded them without minimizing the harm done?
• What is the relationship between praying for enemies and seeing their transformation through the gospel?
• How does blessing those who curse us reflect the gospel message itself?
• In what ways does interceding for abusers protect believers from bitterness while maintaining appropriate boundaries?
• How should this command shape Christian responses to persecution, opposition, and cancel culture?