Matthew 5:44

But now listen to what I say to you: Love your enemies as well as your friends, and pray for those who cause you to suffer.

Translation for Translators

In The 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;

In Context

43“You have heard your religious teachers say that it is written that Moses wrote, ‘Love the citizens of your country and hate your enemies.’

45Do that in order to imitate what God, your Father who is in heaven, does. He desires that you [MET] do like he does. He acts kindly to all people. For example, he causes the sun to shine equally on wicked people and on good people, and he sends rain both on righteous people and on unrighteous people.

Read all of Matthew 5

Cross References

Exodus 23:4If you see someone’s bull or donkey when it is wandering away loose, take it back to its owner, even if the owner is your enemy.

2 Chronicles 28:9But a prophet of Yahweh whose name was Obed was there in Samaria. He went out of the city to meet the army when it returned to Samaria. He said to them, “Because Yahweh, the God whom your ancestors belonged to, was angry with the people of Judah, he allowed you to defeat them. But God has seen the cruel way that you slaughtered them.

Psalms 35:13When they were ill, I showed that I was sad. I did not eat any food, and I bowed my head as I prayed for them.

Luke 6:27“But I say this to each of you disciples who are listening to what I say: Love your enemies as well as your friends. Do good things for those who hate you!

Luke 23:34Jesus prayed, “ My Father, forgive them, because they do not realize whom they are doing this to!” Then the soldiers divided Jesus’ clothing by gambling with something like dice, to decide which piece of clothing each one would get.

Acts 16:28Paul saw the jailer and shouted to him, “Do not harm yourself! We (exc) prisoners are all here!”

Matthew Henry on Matthew 5:44-48

The Sermon on the Mount. 43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 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; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Matthew 5:44