And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.
Parallel translations
- WEB If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much.
- KJV And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
- BSB And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.
- NKJV And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.
- NASB And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Lending only when you expect repayment shows no virtue, since even sinners lend to get back as much. Jesus calls for generosity without guaranteed return.
Overview
This third example completes Jesus' point that self-interested conduct deserves no special credit before God. Lending in hope of repayment is mere prudent self-interest. Disciples are called to give and lend in a way that reflects God's gracious generosity, which expects nothing in return from those it blesses.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Matt 5:42Give to him who asks you, and don’t turn away him who desires to borrow from you.
- Luke 14:12–14He also said to the one who had invited him, “When you make a dinner or a supper, don’t call your friends, nor your brothers, nor your kinsmen, nor rich neighbors, or perhaps they might also return the favor, and pay you back.
- Luke 6:35But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.
- Deut 15:8–11but you shall surely open your hand to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need, which he lacks.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 6:34 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.