Matthew 5:42

Berean Standard Bible

Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

King James Bible

Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

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Matthew 5:42, nestled within the Sermon on the Mount, reads in its simplicity: "Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." This verse, part of Jesus’ radical teachings, carries profound implications for how we understand generosity, human relationships, and the ethics of Christian living. It is a call that challenges natural human instincts, societal norms, and even practical reasoning, inviting a deeper reflection on what it means to live in alignment with the kingdom of God. To unpack this verse requires exploring its context, its theological weight, its practical challenges, and its enduring relevance in shaping a life of faith.

The Sermon on the Mount, spanning Matthew 5-7, is Jesus’ most comprehensive teaching on the ethics of the kingdom of God. It is not a legalistic code but a vision of life transformed by God’s values, where the heart’s disposition matters as much as outward actions. Matthew 5:42 comes in a section where Jesus addresses the law of retaliation and the call to love enemies, pushing beyond the Old Testament’s "eye for an eye" to a radical love that mirrors God’s own generosity. The verse immediately precedes teachings on enemy love and follows instructions on non-resistance to evil, suggesting that it is part of a broader ethic of selflessness and trust in God’s provision. Jesus is speaking to a crowd of ordinary people—fishermen, farmers, and the marginalized—living under Roman oppression, where resources were scarce, and survival often demanded self-preservation. To these people, Jesus’ command to give and lend without hesitation would have sounded not only impractical but revolutionary.

At its core, Matthew 5:42 calls for a posture of open-handed generosity. The instruction to "give to the one who asks" is strikingly unqualified. Jesus does not specify who the asker is, whether their need is genuine, or whether they deserve the gift. Similarly, the directive not to turn away from the one who wants to borrow carries no conditions about repayment or the borrower’s trustworthiness. This lack of qualification is intentional, reflecting the boundless nature of God’s grace. In the kingdom of God, generosity is not a transaction calculated by merit or outcome but an expression of a heart transformed by divine love. Jesus’ teaching echoes the character of God, who gives freely to all—righteous and unrighteous alike—as seen in the rain that falls and the sun that shines on everyone (Matthew 5:45). To give and lend in this way is to participate in the divine nature, to reflect the Father’s heart in a world marked by scarcity and self-interest.

Yet, this teaching is not without tension. Human nature resists such unqualified generosity. We are conditioned to weigh costs, assess risks, and protect our resources. In a first-century context, where poverty was rampant and lending could mean parting with essential resources, Jesus’ words would have seemed reckless to some. Even today, in a world of economic disparity and competing demands, the command raises questions: What if the asker is manipulative? What if lending leads to personal ruin? Jesus’ silence on these practical concerns is not an oversight but an invitation to trust. The verse implicitly points to faith in God’s provision, a theme woven throughout the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 6, Jesus assures his listeners not to worry about material needs, for God knows and provides (Matthew 6:31-33). To give and lend freely requires a radical trust that God will sustain those who prioritize His kingdom.

This trust, however, does not negate wisdom or stewardship. While Jesus’ teaching appears absolute, the broader biblical narrative suggests a balance. Proverbs, for instance, speaks to the importance of prudence in managing resources (Proverbs 21:20), and Paul later instructs believers to work diligently to provide for themselves and others (2 Thessalonians 3:10). Matthew 5:42 is not a call to naive or indiscriminate giving but a challenge to default toward generosity rather than suspicion. It asks us to examine our motives: Do we withhold out of wisdom or fear? Are we clinging to resources out of distrust in God’s ability to provide? The verse confronts the heart’s tendency to prioritize self over others, urging a disposition that seeks the good of the neighbor, even at personal cost.

The social implications of this teaching are profound. In Jesus’ time, giving and lending were not merely personal acts but communal ones, shaping relationships within a society marked by inequality. The poor often depended on the generosity of others to survive, and lending was a critical means of support in an agrarian economy. By instructing his followers to give and lend freely, Jesus subverts systems of power and control. Wealth, in this view, is not a status to be hoarded but a tool for blessing others. This ethic challenges both the greed of the wealthy and the despair of the poor, creating a community where mutual care reflects the kingdom’s values. In a modern context, this might translate to addressing systemic poverty, sharing resources with those in need, or advocating for justice in economic systems—all rooted in the same heart of generosity.

The verse also carries a personal challenge, particularly in how it reshapes our understanding of boundaries and self-sacrifice. To give to the one who asks requires humility, a willingness to see the other as worthy of our care, regardless of their status or our judgment of their need. It calls us to relinquish control, to let go of the need to dictate how our generosity is used. This is especially difficult in a culture that prizes autonomy and self-reliance. Yet, Jesus’ teaching suggests that true freedom lies not in guarding our resources but in giving them away, trusting that our security lies in God’s hands. This does not mean neglecting personal needs or enabling harmful behavior, but it does mean cultivating a heart that is quick to respond with compassion rather than judgment.

Theologically, Matthew 5:42 points to the gospel itself. Jesus, the one who gave everything—his life, his love, his very self—embodies the ultimate fulfillment of this command. His life was a gift to those who asked and those who didn’t, to the grateful and the ungrateful. In calling his followers to give and lend freely, Jesus invites them to imitate his self-giving love, to participate in the redemptive work of the kingdom. This is not a call to earn salvation through generosity but a response to the grace already received. The Christian’s generosity flows from the overflow of God’s generosity, a tangible witness to the world of a God who gives without measure.

In practical terms, living out Matthew 5:42 requires discernment and courage. It might mean giving time, money, or emotional energy to someone in need, even when it feels inconvenient. It might mean lending resources with no expectation of repayment, trusting God to provide. It might also mean examining our hearts for biases—do we give more readily to those we deem "worthy"?—and seeking to align our actions with the impartial love of God. In a world where generosity is often transactional, this verse calls us to a higher standard, one that reflects the radical, self-giving love of the kingdom.

Ultimately, Matthew 5:42 is a summons to live differently. It invites us to see every request, every opportunity to give or lend, as a chance to reflect God’s character. It challenges us to move beyond fear and scarcity to a life of abundance, where trust in God frees us to love without limits. While the command may seem daunting, it is also liberating, for it reminds us that our resources, our lives, and our futures are held in the hands of a generous God. To give and not turn away is to step into the kingdom’s rhythm, where love, not self-preservation, has the final word.

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Dearly beloved in Christ, grace and peace be multiplied to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us and calls us to walk in the light of His boundless love. I write to you, brothers and sisters, scattered across cities and towns, workplaces and homes, united by the Spirit who binds us as one body, to stir your hearts toward a truth that burns brightly in the words of our Savior: “Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” These words, spoken on a mountainside to a people weary and oppressed, echo with divine authority, summoning us to a life that mirrors the generosity of God Himself. Let us, then, with hearts open to the Spirit’s leading, reflect deeply on this command, that we may live it out in a world desperate for the hope we carry.

Consider, beloved, the weight of this teaching, delivered by the One who is Himself the gift of God to a broken world. In the Sermon on the Mount, our Lord unveils the ethics of His kingdom—not a kingdom of power or wealth as the world counts such things, but a kingdom of love, humility, and radical trust in the Father’s provision. When Jesus commands us to give to the one who asks and not to turn away from the one who seeks to borrow, He does not merely prescribe an action but reveals the heart of God. For has not God given freely to us, though we were unworthy? Did not Christ pour out His life, not counting the cost, for sinners who could never repay? This word, then, is no mere rule to follow but an invitation to participate in the divine nature, to let the love that flows from the Father’s throne shape our hands, our wallets, and our very lives.

Let us not shrink from the challenge of this call. The world around us, with its clamor for self-preservation, its obsession with security, and its suspicion of others, would deem such generosity foolish. To give without condition, to lend without guarantee of return—these are not the ways of a culture that measures worth by profit or loss. Yet, is this not the very foolishness of the cross, which confounds the wisdom of the wise? Our Lord does not call us to reckless abandon but to a higher wisdom, one that trusts in the Father who sees our needs and provides. For just as He clothes the lilies and feeds the sparrows, so He promises to sustain those who seek first His kingdom. This is the foundation of our generosity: not our abundance, but His. We give because we have received; we lend because we trust the One who has lent us life itself.

Yet, I know, dear saints, the questions that rise in your hearts. What of those who ask with deceitful motives? What of the borrower who squanders what is given? How do we balance the demands of stewardship with this call to open-handedness? These are not idle concerns, for we are called to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. But let us beware lest our caution become a cloak for fear or selfishness. The Lord’s command is not qualified by the worthiness of the asker or the certainty of repayment. He bids us give, not because every request is righteous, but because our giving testifies to a God who gives without measure. This does not mean we cast aside discernment—indeed, the Spirit grants wisdom to navigate each moment—but it does mean that our default posture must be one of love, not suspicion. Examine your hearts, beloved: when you hesitate to give, is it wisdom guiding you, or the fear of loss? Let the Spirit search you, that your generosity may flow from faith, not from calculation.

This teaching, simple though it seems, carries the power to transform not only our lives but the world around us. In a society marked by greed, where wealth divides and poverty isolates, your generosity becomes a living witness to the kingdom. When you give to the one who asks—be it a neighbor in need, a stranger on the street, or a brother seeking aid—you proclaim that your treasure is not in earthly things but in Christ. When you lend without clinging to repayment, you declare that your security lies not in bank accounts but in the hands of the Father. Such acts, small though they may seem, ripple outward, challenging systems of injustice, softening hardened hearts, and pointing to a God who delights in mercy. Consider how your giving might reshape your community: a meal shared with the hungry, a resource offered to the struggling, a moment of compassion extended to one who expects rejection. These are the seeds of the kingdom, sown in faith, that bear fruit for eternity.

Let me speak plainly, beloved, for the days are urgent, and the world watches. The call to give and lend freely is not merely personal but communal. It binds us together as the body of Christ, for how can we claim to love God whom we have not seen if we turn away from our brother whom we have seen? In your churches, your neighborhoods, your workplaces, look for opportunities to embody this command. Perhaps it is the single mother who needs help with groceries, the coworker who faces an unexpected debt, or the ministry that serves the least of these. Do not wait for the perfect moment or the perfect recipient. Give as Christ gave—freely, sacrificially, joyfully. And when you lend, do so with a heart that releases the outcome to God, knowing that what you entrust to Him is never lost.

I do not deny the cost of this obedience. To live out Matthew 5:42 is to embrace a life of vulnerability, to let go of the illusion of control. It is to risk being taken advantage of, to face the possibility of loss. But is this not the way of our Savior, who emptied Himself for our sake? In your giving, you share in His sufferings; in your lending, you walk in His steps. And yet, the promise remains: those who lose their lives for His sake will find them. Your generosity is not a subtraction but an investment in the kingdom, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where the Father sees what is done in secret and rewards with eternal riches.

So, my brothers and sisters, let us press forward in this call. Let us be a people known for our generosity, not because we are wealthy in goods, but because we are rich in faith. Let us give to the one who asks, not out of obligation, but out of gratitude for the grace poured out on us. Let us lend without turning away, trusting that the God who gave His Son will not abandon those who obey His word. And let us do so with joy, knowing that our acts of love are a fragrance pleasing to God, a testimony to a world in need of hope. May the Spirit empower you, may the Father sustain you, and may the love of Christ compel you to live as lights in this generation.

I commend you to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, though He was rich, became poor for our sake, that we might become rich in Him. To Him be glory forever. Amen.

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O God of boundless grace, Father of all mercies, who gives without measure and loves without limit, we come before Your throne with hearts humbled and expectant, seeking Your Spirit to stir us toward the life You have called us to live. You are the Giver of every good and perfect gift, the One who sent Your Son to pour out His life for a world unworthy, and it is in His name, Jesus Christ, our Savior and King, that we lift our voices in prayer. Your Word in Matthew 5:42 pierces our hearts with its simple yet profound command: to give to the one who asks, to not turn away from the one who seeks to borrow. O Lord, this is no small thing You ask of us, for it challenges our fears, our instincts, and our clinging to what we call our own. Yet we know that all we have is Yours, entrusted to us for the glory of Your kingdom. So we pray, Almighty God, that You would transform us into a people who reflect Your generosity, who embody the self-giving love of Your Son, and who live as witnesses to Your abundant grace in a world marked by scarcity and suspicion.

We confess, O Father, that our hearts are often guarded, our hands closed tightly around what we fear to lose. We have heard Your Son’s call to give freely, yet we hesitate, weighing the worthiness of those who ask, calculating the risks of lending without guarantee. Forgive us, Lord, for the ways we have let fear masquerade as wisdom, for the times we have turned away from those in need, justifying our refusal with thoughts of prudence or self-preservation. Search us, O God, and know our hearts; try us and see if there be any selfish way in us. Break the chains of mistrust that bind us, and fill us with the faith that trusts in Your provision, the faith that sees Your hand at work in every act of generosity, the faith that dares to give because You have first given to us.

O Spirit of God, who hovered over the waters at creation and now hovers over our hearts, breathe life into Your people. Teach us to see every request, every outstretched hand, as an opportunity to mirror Your heart. Grant us the courage to give without condition, to lend without expectation, knowing that our true treasure is not in earthly wealth but in the riches of Your kingdom. You, O Lord, are the One who clothes the fields with splendor and feeds the birds of the air; You know our needs before we ask, and You promise to provide. Help us to trust in Your faithfulness, to release our grip on what fades and to hold fast to what endures. Let our generosity be a living sacrifice, a testimony to the world that our hope is in You alone.

We pray, too, for wisdom, for You have not called us to folly but to discernment seasoned with love. Guide us, Holy Spirit, in the practical outworking of this command. Show us how to give in ways that honor You, how to lend in ways that build up Your people and advance Your purposes. Guard us from enabling harm or neglecting those You have entrusted to our care, but keep us from the hardness of heart that withholds what could bless. May our giving be a reflection of Your impartial love, reaching across boundaries of status, race, or worthiness, for You send Your rain on the just and unjust alike. Let our lives proclaim that all are precious in Your sight, that no one is beyond the reach of Your grace.

O Jesus, our Redeemer, You are the perfect fulfillment of this command, the One who gave everything—Your comfort, Your glory, Your very life—for the sake of those who could never repay. We stand in awe of Your love, which did not turn away from us when we were yet sinners, but ran toward us with open arms. Shape us, we pray, into Your likeness. Let our hands be Your hands, extended to the needy; let our hearts be Your heart, quick to respond with compassion. In a world divided by greed and hardened by fear, make Your church a beacon of generosity, a community where the poor find provision, the broken find care, and the stranger finds welcome. May our acts of giving and lending, however small, point to the greater gift of Your gospel, drawing others to the Savior who gave all.

We lift up those among us who struggle to give, whose resources are scarce, whose hearts are heavy with the weight of their own needs. Comfort them, O God, and remind them that You see their sacrifice, that even a cup of water given in Your name is precious in Your sight. For those who have abundance, stir their hearts to share freely, not out of guilt but out of gratitude for Your unmerited grace. And for those who ask and borrow, whether out of desperation or deceit, we pray for Your mercy to touch their lives, that they may encounter Your love through Your people and be drawn into the fellowship of Your kingdom.

O God, we long for the day when Your kingdom comes in fullness, when every need is met, every debt is canceled, and every heart is filled with Your love. Until that day, let us live as citizens of that kingdom, giving and lending as those who know the cost of Your love and the promise of Your provision. May our lives be a song of praise, a living prayer that glorifies Your name. We ask all this in the precious name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.