Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. The positive generosity commands conclude the non-retaliation antithesis: give and lend freely. Deuteronomy 15:7–11 commands generous lending to the poor, even in the year before the sabbatical year when the debt will be cancelled. The do not refuse communicates that the first impulse of the disciple community toward the one who asks should be toward giving, not toward calculating whether the request is deserving or strategic. Luke 6:30 records Jesus' version: give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

Publish a note on this verse