Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
Parallel translations
- WEB bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you.
- BSB bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
- NKJV bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.
- NASB bless those who curse you, pray for those who are abusive to you.
- NLT Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus commands His disciples to bless and pray for those who curse and mistreat them. Genuine love for enemies expresses itself in word and prayer, not retaliation.
Overview
Continuing the Sermon on the Plain, Jesus calls for a love that actively seeks the good of even hostile people. Blessing and intercession replace the natural impulse to curse back. This reflects the heart of God, who is kind to the ungrateful, and points ahead to Christ Himself, who prayed for those who crucified Him (Luke 23:34).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- 1 Pet 3:9Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
- 1 Cor 4:12And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
- Rom 12:14Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
- Jas 3:10Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
- Luke 23:34Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
- Matt 5:44But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
- Luke 6:27But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
- Ezek 36:5Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all Idumea, which have appointed my land into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey.
- Acts 7:60And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
- Luke 6:35But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
- Ezek 25:15Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart, to destroy it for the old hatred;
- Acts 14:5And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 6:28 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.