But 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;
Parallel translations
- WEB But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,
- BSB But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
- NKJV But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
- NASB But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
- NLT But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute 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 love for enemies and prayer for persecutors. It calls disciples to the highest expression of self-giving love.
Overview
Against all human instinct, Jesus commands active love and prayer toward those who hate and harm us. This love is not mere feeling but doing good and seeking the good of one's enemies before God. It reflects the very heart of the gospel, for Christ loved and died for us while we were His enemies.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Rom 12:14Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
- 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.
- Luke 6:27–28But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
- Rom 12:20–21Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
- Prov 25:21–22If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
- Luke 23:34Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
- 1 Pet 2:23Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
- 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 6:34–35And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
- 1 Cor 4:12–13And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
- 2 Kgs 6:22And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.
- 1 Cor 13:4–8Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
- Exod 23:4–5If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
- Ps 35:13–14But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.
- Ps 7:4If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:)
- 2 Chr 28:9–15But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven.
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 5:44 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.