But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who 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,
- KJV 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;
- 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,
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 those who persecute you; bless, and don’t curse.
- 1 Pet 3:9not rendering evil for evil, or insult for insult; but instead blessing; knowing that to this were you called, that you may inherit a blessing.
- Luke 6:27–28“But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
- Rom 12:20–21Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
- Prov 25:21–22If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink:
- Luke 23:34Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots.
- 1 Pet 2:23Who, when he was cursed, didn’t curse back. When he suffered, didn’t threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously;
- Acts 7:60He kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them!” When he had said this, he fell asleep.
- Luke 6:34–35If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much.
- 1 Cor 4:12–13We toil, working with our own hands. When people curse us, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure.
- 2 Kgs 6:22He answered, “You shall not strike them. Would you strike those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.”
- 1 Cor 13:4–8Love is patient and is kind; love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud,
- Exod 23:4–5“If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.
- Ps 35:13–14But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting. My prayer returned into my own bosom.
- Ps 7:4if I have rewarded evil to him who was at peace with me (yes, if I have delivered him who without cause was my adversary),
- 2 Chr 28:9–15But a prophet of Yahweh was there, whose name was Oded; and he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria, and said to them, “Behold, because Yahweh, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, he has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain them in a rage which has reached up to 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.