Thematic Bible: Who to love


Thematic Bible



You have heard that it hath been said, "you shall love your neighbour, and hate your enemy:" 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: that ye may be the children of your father who is in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. read more.
but if you love only them who love you, what reward can ye have? do not the heathens themselves do as much? and if ye salute your brethren only, what mighty matter is that? do not even the heathens do the same? be ye therefore perfect, even as your father who is in heaven is perfect.

But as for you, who hear me, love your enemies: do good to those, who hate you: bless those, who curse you: and pray for those, who maliciously abuse you. if any one strike you on one cheek, present to him the other likewise: or if any one seize your cloak, surrender your coat also. read more.
give to all that ask: and if a man takes away your goods, don't demand them again. behave to others in the same manner, as you desire they would behave to you. for if you only love those, who love you, where's the obligation? the very heathen return love for love. if you return one kind office by another, where's the obligation? the heathen themselves do as much. if you lend with the expectation of gaining by it, where's the obligation? for the heathen lend to one another, for the prospect of an equivalent. but as for you, love your enemies, do good, and lend without expecting any advantage from it: so shall your reward be great, in acting like the children of the most high: for he is kind to the most ungrateful wretches.