Luke 6:32 Meaning and Explanation
“For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Loving only those who love you, Jesus says, earns no credit; even sinners do that.
What Does Luke 6:32 Mean?
Jesus begins to test the quality of love with three probing questions, and the first cuts deepest: if you love those who love you, what thank have you? The word behind 'thank' is the word for grace — what grace, what credit, is there in that? Even sinners love the people who love them back.
Reciprocal affection is simply commerce: love paid for love received. Jesus is not belittling it; he is refusing to let it count as discipleship. The love that marks his people begins precisely where repayment ends. Anyone can love a friend; grace is known by how it treats those who give nothing back.
Luke 6:32 in the Original Language
charis (χάρις), 'thank' -- grace or favor; the question asks what credit or grace there is in loving only those who repay it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 6:32
What does Luke 6:32 mean?
Loving only those who love you, Jesus says, earns no credit; even sinners do that.