Each verse below is quoted from the King James Version and followed by a short note on how it supports the Golden Rule.
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Matthew 7:12 (KJV)
This is the classic Bible verse for do unto others. Jesus compresses the moral teaching of the Old Testament into one test: whatever you would want from people, give to them first. It turns a long list of rules into a single question. No other Bible verse for do unto others is better known.
And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
Luke 6:31 (KJV)
Luke records the same saying in a shorter form, placed right after the call to love enemies. That setting matters, because it shows the Golden Rule is not only for friends. It applies even when the other person has not earned kindness. This shorter Bible verse for do unto others is easy to memorize.
But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
Luke 6:27 (KJV)
Just before the Golden Rule, Jesus raises the bar. Doing unto others includes those who dislike us. This verse keeps the rule from shrinking into a polite exchange of favors and makes it a real choice to act for another person’s good. It raises the bar for any Bible verse for do unto others.
Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
Luke 6:36 (KJV)
Mercy is the model behind the rule. We are asked to treat others the way God has treated us, with patience and undeserved kindness. When we wonder how much grace to extend, this verse points us to the Father’s example. A Bible verse for do unto others needs mercy behind it.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Matthew 22:39 (KJV)
Jesus names love of neighbor as the second great commandment. The Golden Rule is its practical form: ask what you would want, then do it. Loving your neighbor as yourself assumes you already know what you need, so use that knowledge for others. This Bible verse for do unto others rests on love of neighbor.
Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
Leviticus 19:18 (KJV)
The root of the Golden Rule is already in the Law of Moses. Here it appears beside a ban on revenge and grudges, which shows that treating people well means letting go of payback. The closing line grounds the command in who God is. The Bible verse for do unto others grows from this older root.
Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Romans 13:10 (KJV)
Paul gives a simple test for any action: does it harm my neighbor? If love works no ill, then the Golden Rule becomes a guardrail for speech, business, and relationships. Avoiding harm is the first step of doing unto others. It is a simple test for any Bible verse for do unto others.
For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Galatians 5:14 (KJV)
Paul echoes Jesus by saying the whole law gathers into one command. This helps explain why Matthew 7:12 calls the Golden Rule the law and the prophets. Every commandment about people finds its meaning in this single practice of love. This Bible verse for do unto others sums up the law.
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32 (KJV)
Kindness and forgiveness are the daily shape of the Golden Rule. Because God forgave us first, we can extend the same patience to those who wrong us. It is also how we would want to be treated after our own mistakes. It is a daily Bible verse for do unto others in kindness.
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
Philippians 2:3 (KJV)
Doing unto others becomes difficult when pride gets in the way. Paul asks believers to act without rivalry or showing off, and to give others honor. Humility makes it easier to see another person as someone you would want to be fair to. This Bible verse for do unto others deals with pride.
Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Philippians 2:4 (KJV)
This verse trains attention. Most of us notice our own needs first, so Paul asks us to look also at what matters to those around us. The Golden Rule starts there, with noticing what another person is carrying. A Bible verse for do unto others trains attention.
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Romans 12:10 (KJV)
Preferring one another in honor means letting someone else go first, receive credit, or be heard. It is a concrete way to apply the Golden Rule at home, at work, and in church, where small courtesies often carry the most meaning. It is a humble Bible verse for do unto others.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Matthew 5:7 (KJV)
Jesus links the mercy we give to the mercy we receive. This beatitude reads like a companion to the Golden Rule, since both teach that how we treat others is tied to how we hope to be treated, by people and by God. This Bible verse for do unto others is about mercy received.
The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
Proverbs 11:25 (KJV)
Proverbs teaches the Golden Rule through a picture of watering. Those who refresh others find themselves refreshed. Generosity is not a loss, and the person who gives help to others often finds help returning in unexpected ways. It is a picture-based Bible verse for do unto others.
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Colossians 3:13 (KJV)
Forbearing means putting up with each other’s faults. Paul expects quarrels among believers and gives the answer: forgive as Christ forgave. If we want patience for our own flaws, this verse shows us the way to offer it. This Bible verse for do unto others asks for patience.
Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
1 Peter 3:8 (KJV)
Peter lists qualities that make the Golden Rule visible: compassion, brotherly love, tenderness, and courtesy. Notice courtesy sits beside compassion, which reminds us that good manners and deep care both belong in a life shaped by Christ. It is a character-building Bible verse for do unto others.
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
Luke 6:37 (KJV)
Only a few verses after the Golden Rule, Jesus applies it to judging. We want others to give us the benefit of the doubt, so we should give it in return. Forgiveness and mercy are the actions that carry the rule out. This Bible verse for do unto others is followed by a warning.
But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Hebrews 13:16 (KJV)
Doing good and sharing what we have are called sacrifices that please God. This turns ordinary generosity into worship. When we help a neighbor the way we would want to be helped, we serve God as well. It is a generous Bible verse for do unto others.
The bible verse for do unto others is Matthew 7:12 in the King James Version: Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Luke 6:31 gives a shorter version of the same teaching. Together these two verses are what most people mean when they talk about the Golden Rule, even though the phrase Golden Rule itself does not appear in Scripture.
The wording is worth reading slowly. Jesus says all things whatsoever, which leaves little room for exceptions. He does not limit it to family, to people we like, or to moments when it is convenient. The rule covers every kind of interaction, from a quick conversation to a major decision, and it begins with an honest look at what we ourselves would hope to receive.
Matthew 7:12 closes a long stretch of teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus has spoken about prayer, anxiety, and judging others, and then he gathers it all into one sentence. You can read more about this teaching on our page of Bible verses about the Sermon on the Mount, where the Golden Rule sits among the most famous lessons ever spoken.
The placement tells us something. Just before this verse, Jesus promises that the Father gives good gifts to those who ask. Just after it, he speaks of the narrow gate. The Golden Rule therefore stands between trusting God and following him, as the practical link: because God is generous with us, we are generous with others. Receiving and giving belong together. That context shapes the Bible verse for do unto others.
Luke places the Golden Rule in a different setting, in the middle of what is often called the Sermon on the Plain. The verse right before it tells us to love our enemies, bless those who curse us, and pray for those who mistreat us. That is the context in which Luke 6:31 appears, and it changes how we hear the words.
This matters for anyone who treats the Golden Rule as simple good manners. In Luke, the rule asks for something harder. We are to act well toward people who may not act well toward us. We do not wait for fairness to be returned. Jesus asks his listeners to take the first step, because that is how God has dealt with them. The Bible verse for do unto others works in both settings.
Many readers are surprised to learn that the idea behind the Bible verse for do unto others did not begin with Jesus. Leviticus 19:18 already commands love of neighbor as oneself, and the same chapter tells Israel to treat foreigners as native-born citizens. Jesus does not invent a new moral rule. He shows that it was the heart of the Law all along.
This is why he says that it is the law and the prophets. The commandments about honesty, wages, courts, and care for the poor all grow from one root. When a person asks how to apply an old law to a new situation, the Golden Rule gives a way to think. Ask what you would want if you stood in the other person’s place. The Bible verse for do unto others has deep roots.
Many cultures teach a negative form of this idea: do not do to others what you would hate to have done to you. That is a good principle, but the bible verse for do unto others goes further. Jesus puts it as a positive command to do, not only to refrain. It is not enough to avoid harm. We are asked to take action for another person’s good.
This changes how we measure our lives. A person could avoid hurting anyone and still never lift a finger to help. Jesus asks for something fuller. When we see a need, the Golden Rule asks what we would want someone to do for us, and then asks us to do it. Silence and distance are not neutral in this view. The Bible verse for do unto others goes further than that.
Jesus names two great commandments: love God, and love your neighbor as yourself. The Golden Rule is the second commandment in action. Our page on Bible verses about loving your neighbor explores the larger biblical theme, including the parable that answers the question of who our neighbor really is.
There is wisdom in the phrase as yourself. God knows we are naturally attentive to our own needs, comfort, and reputation. He does not ask us to ignore that. He asks us to use it as a guide. If you would want honesty, be honest. If you would want patience, be patient. Self-knowledge becomes a tool for love when we turn it outward. The Bible verse for do unto others fulfils these two.
Words are often where the Golden Rule is tested first. Think about how you would want to be spoken about when you are not in the room, or how you would want to be corrected when you have made a mistake. The bible verse for do unto others invites us to speak in those ways, with truth and gentleness together.
Gossip, sarcasm, and public shaming are easy to justify when we feel wronged. But few of us want those things aimed at ourselves. A simple pause before speaking, asking whether I would want to hear this about me, can prevent a great deal of hurt. Proverbs says a soft answer turns away wrath, and the Golden Rule agrees. The Bible verse for do unto others applies first to speech.
Families give us the most chances to practice and to fail. Spouses, parents, children, and siblings see each other at the worst moments. The Golden Rule asks what we would want in those moments: patience when we are tired, forgiveness when we apologize, and attention when we are speaking. Then it asks us to offer the same.
Parents can use the rule when disciplining, remembering how they would want to be corrected. Children can use it when they are asked to share or to listen. In marriage, it can be as simple as asking what kind of morning, or evening, you would want your spouse to give you, and then making that same gift on purpose. A Bible verse for do unto others is hardest at home.
The workplace and the classroom are places where the Golden Rule is quietly tested. Do we take credit that belongs to others? Do we pass along gossip? Do we treat people who can do nothing for us with the same respect as those who can? Matthew 7:12 does not carve out a separate rule for public life. It covers all things whatsoever.
Leaders can ask how they would want to be managed, paid, and heard. Employees can ask how they would want a colleague to cover for them or to share information. Students can think about what kind of classmate they would want beside them. These questions are small, but they shape a culture of trust over time. The Bible verse for do unto others applies at work and school.
The Golden Rule and mercy are closely tied in Luke 6, where Jesus says to be merciful as the Father is merciful and then says to forgive and be forgiven. If you are interested in this link, our page on Bible verses about mercy gathers more passages on the subject.
When we have failed, we hope others will not hold it against us forever. The bible verse for do unto others asks us to give that same room to people who have failed us. This does not mean ignoring harm or pretending nothing happened. It means that when repentance comes, we do not withhold the grace we ourselves would long to receive. The Bible verse for do unto others is also about mercy.
Just a few verses after the Golden Rule in Luke, Jesus says do not judge and you will not be judged. It is an application of the same principle. Most of us would like others to see our best motives and to assume good faith. The Golden Rule says to give that kind of reading to others first. For more on this theme, see our page on Bible verses about judging others.
This does not remove the need for discernment. Scripture still asks us to tell right from wrong. But there is a difference between honest evaluation and a quick verdict on someone’s heart. We rarely know the full story behind another person’s choices, and we would want others to admit the same about us.
The hardest tests of the bible verse for do unto others come when someone has treated us poorly. Our instinct is to give back what we received. Jesus says otherwise, and he does not hide the cost. In Luke 6 he talks about turning the other cheek and lending without expecting anything back. These are not easy words to hear.
Yet the logic stays consistent. If I were the one in the wrong, I would hope for patience and a second chance. So when the roles are reversed, I try to give it. This may not mean staying in a harmful situation, and wisdom matters. But it does mean refusing to let bitterness decide how I act toward another person. The Bible verse for do unto others is hardest with enemies.
The Golden Rule has a very practical side. If you were hungry, you would want food. If you were lonely, you would want a visit. If you were in debt, you would want a patient creditor. The bible verse for do unto others invites us to look at the needs around us and to respond in the ways we would hope someone would respond to us. Our page on Bible verses about generosity offers more encouragement along these lines.
Not every need is financial. Time, attention, a meal, a ride, a listening ear, and a note of thanks can mean as much as money. Hebrews 13:16 even calls doing good and sharing a sacrifice that pleases God. When you help a neighbor, you are not only being nice. You are giving an offering of worship in an ordinary form. A Bible verse for do unto others should lead to action.
Philippians 2 explains why the rule is hard and how it becomes natural. Pride makes us see ourselves as the center of the story. Paul asks believers to consider others better than themselves and to look at the interests of others as well as their own. This is not low self-worth. It is a refusal to make everything about me.
Paul then points to Jesus, who gave up his own rights and served. The bible verse for do unto others is not only advice; it is a way of life modeled by Christ himself. As we grow in humility, the question of what I would want for myself slowly gives way to a deeper question: what does my neighbor need? The Bible verse for do unto others becomes possible through Christ.
Readers often ask whether the Golden Rule means giving people whatever they want. The answer is no. Jesus says we do to others what we would want, but a thoughtful person would not want to be enabled in harmful habits. If you were making a destructive choice, you would hope for honest and loving help. Doing unto others therefore includes truthfulness, boundaries, and sometimes hard conversations.
Another question is whether the rule works if people are different from us. It does, as long as we imagine ourselves truly in the other person’s place, with their background and needs. Good practice means listening. Instead of assuming that others want what we want, we ask them, and we let love shape the answer. The Bible verse for do unto others is about wisdom, not weakness.
The bible verse for do unto others is one of the easiest passages to teach children, because it can be turned into a question they can ask themselves in any situation: how would I want to be treated right now? A child who is deciding whether to include a classmate, share a toy, or tell the truth can use this question without needing a long explanation.
Parents can model it by apologizing when they are wrong and by speaking respectfully to their children. Stories, role-play, and simple memory verses help. Learning Matthew 7:12 by heart gives a child a lifelong compass. Over time, the rule becomes less a rule and more a habit of the heart, shaped by repetition and by example.
Some people admire the Golden Rule as a general moral idea while setting aside Jesus. But Scripture presents it as part of a life in relationship with God. The power to love others comes from the love we have received. Ephesians 4:32 grounds kindness in the fact that God for Christ’s sake forgave us. We give because we have been given to.
This also keeps us honest. When we try the Golden Rule on our own strength, we quickly discover our limits. We grow tired and resentful, and we fail. The gospel does not leave us there. It offers forgiveness for our failures and the help of the Spirit to try again. The rule becomes a response to grace, not an attempt to earn it. The Bible verse for do unto others is more than a moral saying.
Colossians 3:13 tells us to forgive one another as Christ forgave us. This is the Golden Rule under pressure. If you have ever needed forgiveness, you know how much it meant when someone offered it. The bible verse for do unto others invites us to be that person for someone else. Our page on Bible verses about forgiving others goes deeper into this topic.
Forgiveness is rarely a single moment. It can be a decision made again each time the memory returns. It does not always erase consequences or restore trust at once. But it releases the debt in our hearts. As we practice it, we find we are the ones who are set free from the weight of old grievances. It supports the Bible verse for do unto others with forgiveness.
To live the Golden Rule, begin small. Each morning, ask who you will meet and what you would want from them if you were in their place. Throughout the day, pause before reacting. Notice the cashier, the neighbor, the coworker, the family member who is struggling, and consider how you would want to be seen.
At night, review the day with honesty. Where did you treat people as you would want to be treated, and where did you fall short? Bring both to God in prayer and ask for help tomorrow. The bible verse for do unto others is not a test to pass once but a path to walk, one ordinary choice at a time, by grace. Begin with a Bible verse for do unto others each morning.
The local church is meant to be a place where the Golden Rule is visible. New visitors often wonder whether anyone will notice them, greet them, or invite them to sit down. Each member can ask how they would want to be welcomed if they walked through the door for the first time, and then offer exactly that kind of welcome without waiting for a program or a leader to organize it.
The same idea reaches beyond the building. Neighbors who are elderly, sick, new to town, or short on money are the people Jesus pointed to when he taught about the least of these. A casseroles-and-rides ministry, a note after a funeral, or an honest invitation to dinner may seem small. But each is a clear picture of the bible verse for do unto others in action, and communities remember it for years. The church should practice the Bible verse for do unto others.
Social media and messaging create new places to apply the Golden Rule. It is easy to type a harsh comment to a stranger that we would never say face to face. Matthew 7:12 does not make an exception for screens. Before posting, we can ask whether we would want to receive that message, whether it is true, and whether it is kind. The people on the other side are real, with feelings and families.
The rule also applies to what we share. Passing along rumors, mocking someone’s mistake, or joining a pile-on may feel harmless in the moment. But few of us would want our worst day to be broadcast. A Christian online presence shaped by the Golden Rule gives credit, corrects gently, forgives quickly, and leaves a trail of encouragement that reflects the character of Christ. Apply the Bible verse for do unto others online too.
Jesus spoke into everyday economic life, and the Golden Rule applies to buying, selling, hiring, and lending. A business owner can ask what kind of prices, contracts, and honesty a customer would want, and a customer can ask the same about the person serving them. Paying wages on time, telling the truth about a product, and keeping promises are ways of doing unto others that build trust and honor God.
Money tests us because it reveals what we value. If we would want mercy when we cannot pay a debt, we should be willing to show mercy when someone owes us. If we would want a fair price, we should not take advantage of those who lack information or power. Proverbs and the prophets repeat this concern, and the Golden Rule gathers it into one memorable question.
Because the Golden Rule is short, it is among the easiest teachings of Jesus to memorize, and memorizing it pays off in daily life. Write Matthew 7:12 on a card, set it as a phone reminder, or say it aloud before a difficult conversation. When a tense moment arrives, the words are already in your mind and can interrupt the urge to answer sharply or to look away from someone who needs help.
Try pairing the two verses. Matthew 7:12 gives the full statement and its link to the law and the prophets, while Luke 6:31 gives a brief form that is easy to recall on the spot. Many believers also add Luke 6:36 about mercy, so that the rule and its motive are learned together. Over weeks of repetition, the bible verse for do unto others becomes a quiet habit of thought rather than a slogan.
Since we cannot keep the Golden Rule on willpower alone, prayer is part of the practice. A simple prayer might ask God to open our eyes to the people we usually overlook, to soften our reactions, and to give us the courage to act when it is inconvenient. Asking for help is itself a sign that we take the command seriously and understand how much we need grace.
It also helps to pray for the specific people we find difficult. Praying for a rude coworker or a distant relative by name often changes our posture toward them before anything else changes. This follows the teaching in Luke 6 to pray for those who mistreat us. The bible verse for do unto others is lived out best by people who keep returning to God, confessing failures, and asking again for a gentle and generous heart.
If this study encouraged you, these related pages continue the theme with more Scripture and practical reflection: Bible verses about loving your neighbor, Bible verses about judging others, Bible verses about mercy, Bible verses about respect, Bible verses about humbleness, Bible verses about love, Bible verses about forgiveness, Bible verses about giving to others, Bible verses about feeling judged, Bible verses about unconditional love.
To study these verses in more depth, try Bible Gateway, Bible Hub, Bible Study Tools, Blue Letter Bible.
The main Bible verse for do unto others is Matthew 7:12, which says that whatever you would want men to do to you, you should do to them, for this is the law and the prophets. Luke 6:31 gives a shorter version of the same Golden Rule teaching. It is the main Bible verse for do unto others.
Yes. The words Golden Rule are not in Scripture, but the teaching is found in Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31. Jesus summarizes the law and the prophets in this command, and Leviticus 19:18 shows that the idea of loving your neighbor as yourself is much older.
Jesus says it in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:12, and in a similar form in Luke 6:31 during the Sermon on the Plain. Both passages teach that we should act toward others the way we would want them to act toward us. This is the Bible verse for do unto others in its setting.
No. The Golden Rule asks what you would truly want if you were in their place, which often includes honesty, boundaries, and care for their long-term good. Doing unto others can sometimes mean saying no, or having a hard conversation with love and respect.
Jesus calls love of neighbor the second great commandment, and Paul says the whole law is fulfilled in it. The Golden Rule makes that love practical by giving a simple test: treat others in the same way you would want to be treated.
Teach Matthew 7:12 as a memory verse and turn it into a question children can ask in everyday moments: how would I want to be treated? Model the rule yourself by apologizing, listening, and speaking kindly, since children learn the most from what they see.
