Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

Give to every one that asketh thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

To every one that asks of thee, give; and from him that takes away what is thine, ask it not back.

'And to every one who is asking of thee, be giving; and from him who is taking away thy goods, be not asking again;

Give to every man that asks of you; and of him that takes away your goods ask them not again.

To every one who asks, give; and from him who takes away your property, do not demand it back.

Give to everyone who comes with a request, and if a man takes away your property, make no attempt to get it back again.

But distribute to all who ask of you. And do not ask again of him who takes away what is yours.

Give to everyone who asks of you; and, when anyone takes away what is yours, do not demand its return.

To every one that asketh of thee. The same words, as we shall presently see, are found in Matthew: for it may readily be inferred from the context, that Luke does not here speak of a request to obtain assistance, but of actions at law, which bad men raise for the purpose of carrying off the property of others. From him who takes away what are thine, ask them not again. If it is thought better to read the two clauses separately, I have no objection: and then it will be an exhortation to liberality in giving. As to the second clause, in which Christ forbids us to ask again those things which have been unjustly taken away, it is undoubtedly an exposition of the former doctrine, that we ought to bear patiently "the spoiling of our goods." But we must remember what I have already hinted, that we ought not to quibble about words, as if a good man were not permitted to recover what is his own, when God gives him the lawful means. We are only enjoined to exercise patience, that we may not be unduly distressed by the loss of our property, but calmly wait, till the Lord himself shall call the robbers to account.

See Matthew 5:42.

Ask them not again - Or, Do not beg them off. This probably refers to the way in which the tax-gatherers and Roman soldiers used to spoil the people. "When such harpies as these come upon your goods, suffer the injury quietly, leaving yourselves in the hand of God, rather than attempt even to beg off what belongs to you, lest on their part they be provoked to seize or spoil more, and lest you be irritated to sue them at law, which is totally opposite to the spirit and letter of the Gospel; or to speak bad words, or indulge wrong tempers, which would wound the spirit of love and mercy." Of such as these, and of all merciless creditors, who even sell the tools and bed of a poor man, it may be very truly said: -
Tristius haud illis monstrum, nec saevior ulla
Pestis et ira deum Stygiis sese extulit undis: -
Diripiunt dapes, contactaque omnia faedant Immundo: -
Virg. Aen. iii. ver. 214
"Monsters more fierce offended heaven ne'er sent
From hell's abyss, for human punishment: -
They snatch the meat, defiling all they find."
Dryden
However, it is probable that what is here spoken relates to requiring a thing speedily that had been lent, while the reason for borrowing it still continues. In Ecclus. 20:15, it is a part of the character of a very bad man, that to-day he lendeth, and tomorrow will he ask it again. From Luke 6:27 to Luke 6:30 our blessed Lord gives us directions how to treat our enemies.
1. Wish them well.
2. Do them good.
3. Speak as well of them as possible.
4. Be an instrument of procuring them good from others; use your influence in their behalf.
5. Suffer patiently from them contempt and ill treatment.
6. Give up your goods rather than lose your meekness and charity towards them.
The retaliation of those who hearken not to their own passion, but to Christ, consists in doing more good than they receive evil. Ever since our blessed Savior suffered the Jews to take away his life, it is by his patience that we must regulate our own. Quesnel.

And give to every man that asketh,.... See Gill on Matthew 5:42.
And of him that taketh away thy goods; not by force, but by consent, having either lent them, or sold them to him: for if they were taken away by force, the person so taking them was to be deemed a thief and a robber, and to be treated as such; but one that takes them by agreement, and is not able to make a return of them, or to give a valuable consideration for them, of such an one ask them not again: do not exact or demand them, but give him a release, as the law requires, in Deuteronomy 15:2 which seems to be respected here; and where the same word is used by the Septuagint, as here.

Give to every one - Friend or enemy, what thou canst spare, and he really wants: and of him that taketh away thy goods - By borrowing, if he be insolvent, ask them not again. Matthew 5:42.