What Does Luke 6:33 Mean?
And if you do good to those who do good to you, what thanks is that to you? For even those who miss the mark do the same.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.THE KEY
The verse calls goodness that returns to its source reciprocity, then asks what favor remains when repayment is built in.
THE MEANING
You can return good within the same circle of exchange; the verse names that as something even those called sinners do. Its question turns on what credit belongs to kindness when it is returned in kind. The distinction comes into view when good reaches beyond the expectation of return.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that returning kindness only to people who first do good to you is, by itself, evidence of unusual generosity.
THE ROOT
ἀγαθοποιέω
agathopoieō
GROWS FROM
ἀγαθός (agathos, good) + ποιέω (poieō, do or make)
To do what is good or beneficial.
The same verb describes both sides of the exchange: people do good to those who do good to them. The repeated word makes the contrast turn on the direction of the good, not on whether the act itself is good.
ALSO GROWS
agathos: Good or beneficial.
ἀγαθός
It names the quality of the act being returned.
poieō: To do or make.
ποιέω
It makes the good an enacted deed, not merely a favorable intention.
χάρις
charis
GROWS FROM
χάρις
charis
Favor, gratitude, or credit; here, what credit or thanks is due.
The question asks what χάρις (charis, favor or thanks) there is in returning good within a reciprocal exchange. The word holds both the response of gratitude and the favor being shown, bringing the verse’s question of credit into the same word family as freely granted gifts.
ALSO GROWS
charizomai: To grant freely or show favor.
χαρίζομαι
It makes the link between favor and freely given action visible.
charisma: A gift or favor.
χάρισμα
It shows favor taking the form of something given.
ἁμαρτωλοί
hamartōloi
GROWS FROM
ἁμαρτάνω
hamartanō
The word family of missing or erring; here, people described as missing the mark.
“those who miss the mark” in this verse is hamartōloi. Even those described by their missing still do good when it is returned to them. The verse places ordinary reciprocity inside that category, so the contrast is about the reach of the good, not a simple division between people who do good and people who do not.
ALSO GROWS
hamartanō: To miss or err.
ἁμαρτάνω
It is the verb at the base of the word family used for missing the mark.
hamartia: Missing or error.
ἁμαρτία
It shows the underlying sense carried by the label translated “sinners.”
THE PATTERN
Kindness reaches beyond reciprocity when it is extended to someone who cannot be counted on to return it.
If the one who hates you hungers, feed him bread; and if he thirsts, give him water to drink.For if you love those who love you, what wage do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?So if your enemy hungers, feed him. If he thirsts, give him drink, for by doing this you will heap coals of fire upon his head.THE THREAD
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return. And your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Highest, for he is kind to the unthankful and to the evil.Luke 6:35 repeats ἀγαθοποιέω (agathopoieō, “do good”) and extends it to enemies, with no expectation of return. Beside that verse, the question here becomes precise: what changes when good is no longer confined to a circle of repayment?
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