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Scripture · New Testament

Matthew 5:44

Matthew 5:44 is verse 44 of Matthew chapter 5, shown here in the Berean Standard Bible.

Berean Standard Bible

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

BYZ and TR love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully accuse you and persecute you; see Luke 6:27–28.

BSB source and public domain terms

King James Version

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;

World English Bible

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,

Read in context

Matthew 5:42–46 · Berean Standard Bible

42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

43 You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘Hate your enemy.’

44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same?

Read all of Matthew 5

Greek words

Data created by STEPBible.org based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

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Cross-references

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge lists these related verses. Scripture text comes from the Berean Standard Bible.

Exodus 23:4

If you encounter your enemy’s stray ox or donkey, you must return it to him.

Exodus 23:5

If you see the donkey of one who hates you fallen under its load, do not leave it there; you must help him with it.

2 Kings 6:22

“Do not kill them,” he replied. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and then return to their master.”

2 Chronicles 28:9

But a prophet of the LORD named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army that returned to Samaria. “Look,” he said to them, “because of His wrath against Judah, the LORD, the God of your fathers, has delivered them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches up to heaven.

2 Chronicles 28:10

And now you intend to reduce to slavery the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem. But are you not also guilty before the LORD your God?

2 Chronicles 28:11

Now therefore, listen to me and return the captives you took from your kinsmen, for the fierce anger of the LORD is upon you.”

2 Chronicles 28:12

Then some of the leaders of the Ephraimites —Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai—stood in opposition to those arriving from the war.

2 Chronicles 28:13

“You must not bring the captives here,” they said, “for you are proposing to bring guilt upon us from the LORD and to add to our sins and our guilt. For our guilt is great, and fierce anger is upon Israel.”

2 Chronicles 28:14

So the armed men left the captives and the plunder before the leaders and all the assembly.

2 Chronicles 28:15

Then the men who were designated by name arose, took charge of the captives, and provided from the plunder clothing for the naked. They clothed them, gave them sandals and food and drink, anointed their wounds, and put all the feeble on donkeys. So they brought them to Jericho, the City of Palms, to their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria.

Psalms 7:4

if I have rewarded my ally with evil, if I have plundered my foe without cause,

Psalms 35:13

Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered.

Psalms 35:14

I paced about as for my friend or brother; I was bowed down with grief, like one mourning for his mother.

Proverbs 25:21

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.

Proverbs 25:22

For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.

Luke 6:27

But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

Luke 6:28

bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Luke 6:34

And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.

Luke 6:35

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

Luke 23:34

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots.

Acts 7:60

Falling on his knees, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Romans 12:14

Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.

Romans 12:20

On the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

Romans 12:21

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

1 Corinthians 4:12

We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;

1 Corinthians 4:13

when we are slandered, we answer gently. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.

1 Corinthians 13:4

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

1 Corinthians 13:5

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs.

1 Corinthians 13:6

Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth.

1 Corinthians 13:7

It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Corinthians 13:8

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be restrained; where there is knowledge, it will be dismissed.

1 Peter 2:23

When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.

1 Peter 3:9

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

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