In the old law was the notion of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth (Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20). The higher law of the gospel of Jesus Christ requires forbearance in striking back when we are harmed or deprived in any way. “Ye shall not resist evil” is an injunction against setting ourselves against the evil one; in other words, we are not to return evil for evil but submit, with forbearance and not vengeance, to any injustice against us. This is not passive submission to injury but pacific, or meek, response to it.
Joseph Smith’s translation of Luke 6:29–30 gives the proper sense of the teaching: “Unto him who smiteth thee on the cheek, offer also the other; or, in other words, it is better tooffer the other, than to revile again… . For it is better that thou suffer thine enemy to take these things, than to contend with him.” Go the extra mile to be “submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love” (Mosiah 3:19). Being willing to live the gospel makes us willing to go beyond what the law requires.
“The Lord requires sacrifice, meaning something above and beyond the minimum. The Master spoke of the ‘second mile’ and told us to go there… . Why? Because He wants to bless us. So He put all the blessings in the second mile.”43