diff --git a/builtin/commands/default.lua b/builtin/commands/default.lua
index eb0fb3a..5f3678c 100644
--- a/builtin/commands/default.lua
+++ b/builtin/commands/default.lua
@@ -222,8 +222,27 @@ cmd { name = "window.split-vertical",
 cmd { name = "window.toggle-line-numbers",
       description = "Toggle the active window's line-number gutter (off / absolute).",
       fn = function()
-        local cur = pmacs.window.line_numbers()
-        pmacs.window.set_line_numbers(cur == "off" and "absolute" or "off")
+        pmacs.window.set_line_numbers(
+          pmacs.window.line_numbers() == "off" and "absolute" or "off")
+      end }
+
+-- Pick a line-number mode directly from the completion dropdown, rather
+-- than cycling. Arrow-navigable candidates (off/absolute/relative/hybrid).
+cmd { name = "window.set-line-numbers",
+      description = "Set the active window's line-number mode (off/absolute/relative/hybrid).",
+      fn = function()
+        pmacs.minibuffer.read {
+          prompt = "Line numbers: ",
+          source = function() return { "off", "absolute", "relative", "hybrid" } end,
+          history = "line-numbers",
+          on_accept = function(mode)
+            if mode == nil or mode == "" then return end
+            local ok, err = pcall(pmacs.window.set_line_numbers, mode)
+            if not ok then
+              pmacs.editor.set_status("line-numbers: " .. (tostring(err):match("^[^\n]*") or ""))
+            end
+          end,
+        }
       end }
 cmd { name = "window.focus-next",
       description = "Move focus to the next window in iteration order.",
diff --git a/src/editor.rs b/src/editor.rs
index 8f85a33..95d4388 100644
--- a/src/editor.rs
+++ b/src/editor.rs
@@ -1812,6 +1812,10 @@ fn paint_line_number_gutter(
     gutter_w: u32,
 ) {
     let line_count = window.text_view.line_count();
+    // Relative/Hybrid measure distance from the cursor's buffer line;
+    // Absolute ignores it. Computed once per frame (the gutter repaints on
+    // cursor motion, so this stays current).
+    let cursor_line = window.text_view.line_at_offset(window.cursor);
     let style = crate::cell::Style {
         fg: crate::cell::Color::Indexed(8),
         ..crate::cell::Style::default()
@@ -1833,10 +1837,14 @@ fn paint_line_number_gutter(
         if buffer_line >= line_count {
             continue; // past end-of-buffer: blank gutter
         }
-        // Write the 1-based number right-aligned, rightmost digit first,
-        // alloc-free. `field >= digits(line_count)` by construction, so
-        // the leftmost digit always leaves at least a leading pad cell.
-        let mut val = buffer_line + 1;
+        // The mode picks the number: absolute (`line+1`), relative
+        // distance, or hybrid (absolute on the cursor line, else relative).
+        // Written right-aligned, rightmost digit first, alloc-free.
+        // `field >= digits(line_count)` by construction, so the leftmost
+        // digit always leaves at least a leading pad cell.
+        let Some(mut val) = window.line_numbers.number_for(buffer_line, cursor_line) else {
+            continue;
+        };
         let mut col = field;
         loop {
             col -= 1;
diff --git a/src/lua_bindings/mod.rs b/src/lua_bindings/mod.rs
index 434f632..523acc6 100644
--- a/src/lua_bindings/mod.rs
+++ b/src/lua_bindings/mod.rs
@@ -10104,9 +10104,12 @@ fn install_window_module(lua: &Lua, core: &SharedCore) -> mlua::Result<Table> {
                 let m = match mode.as_str() {
                     "off" | "none" => crate::window::LineNumberMode::Off,
                     "absolute" | "abs" | "on" => crate::window::LineNumberMode::Absolute,
+                    "relative" | "rel" => crate::window::LineNumberMode::Relative,
+                    "hybrid" => crate::window::LineNumberMode::Hybrid,
                     other => {
                         return Err(mlua::Error::external(format!(
-                            "unknown line-number mode {other:?} (expected off|absolute)"
+                            "unknown line-number mode {other:?} \
+                             (expected off|absolute|relative|hybrid)"
                         )));
                     }
                 };
@@ -10125,6 +10128,8 @@ fn install_window_module(lua: &Lua, core: &SharedCore) -> mlua::Result<Table> {
                 let mode = match cc.borrow().active_window().line_numbers {
                     crate::window::LineNumberMode::Off => "off",
                     crate::window::LineNumberMode::Absolute => "absolute",
+                    crate::window::LineNumberMode::Relative => "relative",
+                    crate::window::LineNumberMode::Hybrid => "hybrid",
                 };
                 Ok(mode)
             })?,
diff --git a/src/window.rs b/src/window.rs
index 9988622..9649166 100644
--- a/src/window.rs
+++ b/src/window.rs
@@ -132,7 +132,6 @@ pub struct Selection {
 /// Line-number display mode for a window's left gutter (UX gutter arc).
 /// `Off` reserves no gutter at all — text starts at column 0, and every
 /// coordinate is unchanged (the default, matching the Emacs tradition).
-/// Additional modes (relative, hybrid) arrive in a later sub-arc.
 #[derive(Copy, Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Default)]
 pub enum LineNumberMode {
     /// No gutter; zero layout change.
@@ -140,6 +139,36 @@ pub enum LineNumberMode {
     Off,
     /// Absolute 1-based line numbers, right-aligned in the gutter.
     Absolute,
+    /// Distance from the cursor line (the cursor line shows `0`).
+    Relative,
+    /// Like `Relative`, but the cursor line shows its absolute 1-based
+    /// number instead of `0` (Vim `number` + `relativenumber`).
+    Hybrid,
+}
+
+impl LineNumberMode {
+    /// Whether this mode reserves a gutter at all (everything but `Off`).
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn is_on(self) -> bool {
+        !matches!(self, Self::Off)
+    }
+
+    /// The displayed 0-or-1-based number for a buffer `line` given the
+    /// cursor's buffer line, or `None` in `Off`. `Relative`/`Hybrid` depend
+    /// on `cursor_line`; `Absolute` ignores it.
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn number_for(self, line: usize, cursor_line: usize) -> Option<usize> {
+        match self {
+            Self::Off => None,
+            Self::Absolute => Some(line + 1),
+            Self::Relative => Some(line.abs_diff(cursor_line)),
+            Self::Hybrid => Some(if line == cursor_line {
+                line + 1
+            } else {
+                line.abs_diff(cursor_line)
+            }),
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 /// Cells of horizontal padding the line-number gutter adds around the
@@ -219,11 +248,15 @@ impl Window {
     /// reads this one function so the width stays consistent.
     #[must_use]
     pub fn gutter_width(&self) -> u32 {
-        match self.line_numbers {
-            LineNumberMode::Off => 0,
-            LineNumberMode::Absolute => {
-                decimal_digits(self.text_view.line_count().max(1)) + LINE_NUMBER_GUTTER_PAD
-            }
+        // Every on-mode reserves the same width — sized for the largest
+        // number any mode could show (the absolute line count, which
+        // bounds relative distances and hybrid's cursor-line number). A
+        // fixed width keeps the text from jittering as the cursor moves in
+        // relative/hybrid modes.
+        if self.line_numbers.is_on() {
+            decimal_digits(self.text_view.line_count().max(1)) + LINE_NUMBER_GUTTER_PAD
+        } else {
+            0
         }
     }
 
@@ -514,6 +547,26 @@ fn collapse_single_child_splits(node: &mut LayoutNode) {
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
 
+    #[test]
+    fn line_number_mode_number_for_covers_all_modes() {
+        use LineNumberMode::{Absolute, Hybrid, Off, Relative};
+        // Cursor on buffer line 5 (0-based). Lines 3 and 7 are 2 away.
+        assert_eq!(Off.number_for(3, 5), None);
+        // Absolute ignores the cursor line: 1-based.
+        assert_eq!(Absolute.number_for(3, 5), Some(4));
+        assert_eq!(Absolute.number_for(5, 5), Some(6));
+        // Relative: distance from the cursor line; cursor line is 0.
+        assert_eq!(Relative.number_for(3, 5), Some(2));
+        assert_eq!(Relative.number_for(7, 5), Some(2));
+        assert_eq!(Relative.number_for(5, 5), Some(0));
+        // Hybrid: absolute on the cursor line, relative elsewhere.
+        assert_eq!(Hybrid.number_for(5, 5), Some(6));
+        assert_eq!(Hybrid.number_for(3, 5), Some(2));
+        // Every on-mode reserves a gutter; Off does not.
+        assert!(!Off.is_on());
+        assert!(Absolute.is_on() && Relative.is_on() && Hybrid.is_on());
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn decimal_digits_counts_correctly() {
         assert_eq!(decimal_digits(1), 1);