the Week of Proper 25 / Ordinary 30
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King James Version
Matthew 5:44
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But I tell you, love your enemies. Pray for those who treat you badly.
But I saye vnto you love youre enimies. Blesse the that coursse you. Do good to them that hate you. Praye for them which doo you wronge and persecute you
But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,Luke 6:27,35; 23:34; Acts 7:60; Romans 12:14,20, 35; 1 Corinthians 4:12-13; 1 Peter 2:23; 3:9;">[xr]
"But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
But I say to you, love your enemies. Pray for those who hurt you.
but I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those that persecute you;
But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you, and persecute you;
"But I say to you, love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
But I tell 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,
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you:
But I command you all, love your enemies, and pray for your persecutors;
But Y seie to you, loue ye youre enemyes, do ye wel to hem that hatiden you, and preye ye for hem that pursuen, and sclaundren you;
but I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you;
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you.
but I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you;
But I say to you, Have love for those who are against you, and make prayer for those who are cruel to you;
But I tell you, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!
But *I* say unto you, Love your enemies, [bless those who curse you,] do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who [insult you and] persecute you,
[Master of enmity.] But I say unto you, Love your enemies; bless them who execrate you; do that which is good to him who hateth you; and pray for them who lead you with a chain, and persecute you [fn] {Master of enmity.}
But I say to you: Love your enemies; and bless him that curseth you; and do good to him that hateth you; and pray for them that lead you in bonds, and that persecute you:
But I say vnto you, Loue your enemies, blesse them that curse you, doe good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully vse you, and persecute you:
But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!
But I tell you, love those who hate you. (*Respect and give thanks for those who say bad things to you. Do good to those who hate you.) Pray for those who do bad things to you and who make it hard for you.
But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
But I say vnto you, Loue your enemies: blesse them that curse you: doe good to them that hate you, and pray for them which hurt you, and persecute you,
But I say to you, Love your enemies, and bless anyone who curses you, and do good to anyone who hates you, and pray for them who carry you away by force and persecute you,
But, I, say unto you, Be loving your enemies, and praying for them who are persecuting you:
But I say to you, Love your enemies: do good to them that hate you: and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you:
But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
But I saye vnto you, loue your enemies, blesse them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for the which hurt you, and persecute you:
But now I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
But I tell you, love your enemies
But I tell 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,
But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
but I say to you, Love your enemies; bless those cursing you, do well to those hating you; and pray for those abusing and persecuting you,
but I -- I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those cursing you, do good to those hating you, and pray for those accusing you falsely, and persecuting you,
But I saye vnto you: loue youre enemies: Blesse the that cursse you: Do good to the that hate you: Praye for the which do you wronge and persecute you,
but I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who traduce you, and persecute you:
But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you,
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, [fn]
But I tell you, love those who hate you and pray for those who run their mouths about you.
"But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Exodus 23:4, Exodus 23:5, 2 Kings 6:22, 2 Chronicles 28:9-15, Psalms 7:4, Psalms 35:13, Psalms 35:14, Proverbs 25:21, Proverbs 25:22, Luke 6:27, Luke 6:28, Luke 6:34, Luke 6:35, Luke 23:34, Acts 7:60, Romans 12:14, Romans 12:20, Romans 12:21, 1 Corinthians 4:12, 1 Corinthians 4:13, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 1 Peter 2:23, 1 Peter 3:9
Reciprocal: Genesis 42:25 - and thus Genesis 50:21 - I will nourish Exodus 10:18 - and entreated Leviticus 19:18 - not avenge Numbers 12:13 - General Numbers 16:47 - and ran Deuteronomy 22:4 - thou shalt surely 1 Samuel 15:11 - he cried 1 Samuel 24:6 - the Lord forbid 1 Samuel 24:7 - stayed 1 Samuel 24:17 - thou hast 2 Samuel 1:12 - General 2 Samuel 2:6 - I also 2 Samuel 9:3 - the kindness of God 1 Kings 13:6 - besought Job 31:30 - have Psalms 26:3 - For Psalms 141:5 - for yet my Proverbs 19:11 - and Isaiah 11:9 - not hurt Jeremiah 15:10 - curse Malachi 2:9 - but Matthew 5:22 - I say Matthew 7:29 - having Matthew 18:33 - even Luke 10:29 - And Luke 17:4 - I repent John 15:8 - so Acts 14:5 - despitefully Acts 16:28 - cried Colossians 3:13 - forgiving 1 Thessalonians 5:15 - none 1 Timothy 2:8 - without James 3:9 - therewith curse
Gill's Notes on the Bible
But I say unto you, love your enemies,.... That is, as the Apostle Paul may be thought to interpret the words of Christ,
Romans 12:20. "If thine enemy hunger, feed him: if he thirst, give him drink": unless our Lord should be supposed rather to regard the internal affection of the mind; since outward expressions of love, by words and works, are urged in the following exhortations: the actions of a man may be hated, and just indignation be expressed against them, and yet his person be loved, tenderness be used to him, and pity shown him: all men, even enemies, are to be loved with a natural love, as men; though they cannot be loved with a spiritual affection, as brethren in Christ: and in natural affection there are degrees, according to the relation and circumstances that persons stand in to one another.
Bless them that curse you: when wicked men curse you, as Shimei cursed David, do not "render evil for evil, or railing for railing, but contrariwise, blessing"; give good words, use kind language, mild and soft expressions; such as may either win upon them, or put them to shame and silence: "bless, and curse not"; the latter belongs to them, the former to you; "let them curse, but bless thou": curses better fit their mouths, and blessings thine. Blessing here, does not signify praising them, for that would be sinful, which is sometimes the sense of the word; nor wishing, or praying for a blessing on them, which is right and good; but this is mentioned afterwards, as distinct from blessing; wherefore, it is better to understand it of a sweet and engaging address unto, and behaviour and conduct towards such, whose mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.
Do good to them that hate you; such as hate you in their hearts, and discover their hatred by their actions; do not make returns in the same way, but on the contrary, do them all the good you can; perform all the kind offices that lie in your power; let them partake of your bounty and liberality; if poor, feed, clothe, and supply them, as you are able, with the necessaries of life; and give them wholesome advice for the good of their souls: by "so doing", you will "heap coals of fire on their heads"; of enemies, make them friends; engage their affections to you, and you may be happy instruments in doing them good, both in soul and body:
and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you. What Christ here commands and advises to, he himself did; for as he hung upon the cross, he prayed for his crucifiers, who were then using him in the most despiteful, as well as cruel manner; saying, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do": and in this he has left us an example, that we should tread in his steps; and here in he was quickly followed by his holy martyr Stephen; who, whilst he was being stoned, prayed for his persecutors and murderers, saying, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge". This breathes out the true spirit of Christianity, and is peculiar to it. The whole of this is directly opposite to the tenets of the Jews, particularly the Scribes and Pharisees; who allowed of revenge, and keeping anger against any person that had done them an injury, as has been observed: and which were also the sentiments of the Karaites, or Scripturarians, another sect among them who kept to the letter of the Scriptures, and rejected the traditions of the elders, which the Pharisees held: but in this they agreed with them,
"that it was right to do good to their friends, and to forgive them that asked pardon of them; but to such men who rendered evil, and did not return to do well, that they might receive forgiveness, אסור לנקום ולנטור מהם
אינו, "it is not forbidden to revenge, and to keep anger against them" s.''
It is indeed said t of their former holy men, חסידים, "Hasideans", which some have thought to be the same with the "Essenes", and a sort of Christians; however, were a better sort of Jews; that these
"heard their reproach, but did not return it; and not only so, but they pardoned him that reproached them, and forgave him.''
And it is reported of these men, that they used to pray to God to pardon and forgive all that disturbed them. But the Pharisees, whom Christ had to do with, and against whom he inveighs, were men of another complexion.
s R. Eliahu in Adderet, c. 3. apud Trigland. de Sect. Karaeorum, c. 10. p. 166, 167. t Maimon. Hilch. Talmud Tora. c. 7. sect. 13.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Love your enemies - There are two kinds of love, involving the same general feeling, or springing from the same fountain of good-will to all mankind, but differing so far as to admit of separation in idea. The one is that feeling by which we approve of the conduct of another, commonly called the love of complacency; the other, that by which we wish well to the person of another, though we cannot approve his conduct. This is the love of benevolence, and this love we are to bear toward our enemies. It is impossible to love the conduct of a person who curses and reviles us, who injures our person or property, or who violates all the laws of God; but, though we may hate his conduct, and suffer keenly when we are affected by it, yet we may still wish well to the person; we may pity his madness and folly; we may speak kindly of him and to him; we may return good for evil; we may aid him in the time of trial; we may seek to do him good here and to promote his eternal welfare hereafter, Romans 12:17-20. This seems to be what is meant by loving our enemies; and this is a special law of Christianity, and the highest possible test of piety, and probably the most difficult of all duties to be performed.
Bless them that curse you - The word “bless” here means to “speak well of” or “speak well to:” - not to curse again or to slander, but to speak of those things which we can commend in an enemy; or, if there is nothing that we can commend, to say nothing about him. The word “bless,” spoken of God, means to regard with favor or to confer benefits, as when God is said to bless his people. When we speak of our “blessing God,” it means to praise Him or give thanks to Him. When we speak of blessing people, it “unites” the two meanings, and signifies to confer favor, to thank, or to speak well of.
Despitefully use you - The word thus translated means, first, to injure by prosecution in law; then, wantonly and unjustly to accuse, and to injure in any way. This seems to be its meaning here.
Persecute - See the notes at Matthew 5:10.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 44. Love your enemies — This is the most sublime piece of morality ever given to man. Has it appeared unreasonable and absurd to some? It has. And why? Because it is natural to man to avenge himself, and plague those who plague him; and he will ever find abundant excuse for his conduct, in the repeated evils he receives from others; for men are naturally hostile to each other. Jesus Christ design's to make men happy. Now he is necessarily miserable who hates another. Our Lord prohibits that only which, from its nature, is opposed to man's happiness. This is therefore one of the most reasonable precepts in the universe. But who can obey it? None but he who has the mind of Christ. But I have it not. Seek it from God; it is that kingdom of heaven which Christ came to establish upon earth. See on Matthew 3:2. This one precept is a sufficient proof of the holiness of the Gospel, and of the truth of the Christian religion. Every false religion flatters man, and accommodates itself to his pride and his passions. None but God could have imposed a yoke so contrary to self-love; and nothing but the supreme eternal love can enable men to practise a precept so insupportable to corrupt nature. Sentiments like this are found among Asiatic writers, and in select cases were strongly applied; but as a general command this was never given by them, or any other people. It is not an absolute command in any of the books which they consider to be Divinely inspired. Sir William Jones lays by far too much stress on the casual introduction of such sentiments as this in the Asiatic writers. See his WORKS, vol. i. p. 168, where the sentiment is connected with circumstances both extravagant and unnatural; and thus it is nullified by the pretended recommendation.
Bless them that curse you — ευλογειτε, give them good words for their bad words. Genesis 2:3.
Do good to them that hate you — Give your enemy every proof that you love him. We must not love in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
Pray for them which despitefully use you — επηρεαζοντων from επι against, and αρης Mars, the heathen god of war. Those who are making continual war upon you, and constantly harassing and calumniating you. Pray for them - This is another exquisitely reasonable precept. I cannot change that wicked man's heart; and while it is unchanged he will continue to harass me: God alone can change it: then I must implore him to do that which will at once secure the poor man's salvation, and contribute so much to my own peace.
And persecute you — διωκοντων, those who press hard on and pursue you with hatred and malice accompanied with repeated acts of enmity.
In this verse our Lord shows us that a man may be our enemy in three different ways.
First, in his heart, by hatred.
Secondly, in his words by cursing or using direful imprecations (καταρωμενους) against us.
Thirdly, in his actions, by continually harassing and abusing us.
He shows us also how we are to behave to those.
The hatred of the first we are to meet with love.
The cursings or evil words of the second, we are to meet with good words and blessings.
And the repeated injurious acts of the third, we are to meet with continual prayer to God for the man's salvation.
