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What the Bible says
What Does the Bible Say About Enemies?
The Bible gives one of Jesus' hardest and most beautiful commands: love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.
The world says love your friends and hate your enemies, but Jesus calls us higher, to love, bless, and pray for those who wrong us. This is not weakness; it is the strength to refuse the cycle of hate.
We can love our enemies because God first loved us while we were His enemies. Scripture calls us to leave vengeance to God, to overcome evil with good, and to trust Him to set right what we cannot.
Key Bible verses
“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.”
Matthew 5:44 · King James Version (public domain)
“Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Romans 12:20-21 · King James Version (public domain)
“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
Romans 12:19 · King James Version (public domain)
“If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink.”
Proverbs 25:21 · King James Version (public domain)
How this points to Jesus
On the cross Jesus prayed for the very people killing Him: Father, forgive them. He loved His enemies to the end, and while we were still His enemies, He died for us. His love, poured into our hearts, is the only power strong enough to love those who wrong us, and it changes the world.