80 Bible Verses about enemies, of believers
Most Relevant Verses
"If the world hates you, you should realize that it hated me before you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as one of its own. But because you do not belong to the world and I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you.
God, arrogant men rise up against me, while a company of ruthless individuals want to kill me. They do not have regard for you.
I have given them your word, and the world has hated them, because they do not belong to the world, just as I don't belong to the world.
Indeed, all who want to live a godly life in union with the Messiah Jesus will be persecuted.
Of course, none of you should suffer for being a murderer, thief, criminal, or troublemaker. But if you suffer for being a Christian, do not feel ashamed, but glorify God with that name.
"Then the king will say to those on his right, "Come, you who have been blessed by my Father! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, because I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you welcomed me. I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you took care of me. I was in prison, and you visited me.'read more.
"Then the righteous will say to him, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you something to eat, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you as a stranger and welcome you, or see you naked and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison, and visit you?' The king will answer them, "I tell all of you with certainty, since you did it for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did it for me.'
"If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a large millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.
Jesus told his disciples, "It is inevitable that temptations to sin will come, but how terrible it will be for the person through whom they come!
He dropped to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting me?" He asked, "Who are you, Lord?"
You will be hated continuously by everyone because of my name. But the person who endures to the end will be saved."
You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the person who endures to the end will be saved.
They will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.
"Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword! I came to turn "a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A person's enemies will include members of his own family.'
Do you think that I came to bring peace on earth? Not at all, I tell you, but rather division! From now on, five people in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided father against son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
Jacob continued to live in the land they were occupying, where his father had journeyed in the territory of Canaan. This is a record of Jacob's descendants. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he was helping his brothers tend their flocks. He was a young man at that time, as were the children of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives. But Joseph would come back and tell his father that his brothers were doing bad things. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his brothers, since he was born to him in his old age, so he had made a richly-embroidered tunic for him. read more.
When Joseph's brothers realized that their father loved him more than all of his brothers, they hated him so much that they were unable to speak politely to him. Right about this time, Joseph had a dream and then told it to his brothers. As a result, his brothers hated him all the more! "Let me tell you about this dream that I had!" he said. "We were tying sheaves together out in the middle of the fields, when all of a sudden, my sheaf stood up erect! And then your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf!" At this, his brothers replied, "Do you really think you're going to rule us or lord it over us?" So they hated him even more because of his dreams and his interpretations of them. But then he had another dream, and he proceeded to tell his brothers about that one, too. "I had another dream," he said. "The sun, moon, and eleven of the stars were bowing down before me!" When Joseph told his father about this, his father rebuked him and asked him, "What kind of dream is that? Will I, your mother, and your brothers really come to you and bow down to the ground in front of you?" As a result, his brothers became more envious of him. But his father kept thinking about all of this.
The son disrespects his father, the daughter rebels against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man's enemies are the people of his own house.
"Brother will hand brother over for execution, and a father his child. Children will rebel against parents and have them put to death.
Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death.
So they called Peter and John back in and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
He said, "We gave you strict orders not to teach in his name, didn't we? Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to bring this man's blood on us!"
But Saul kept trying to destroy the church. Going into one house after another, he began dragging off men and women and throwing them in prison.
Meanwhile, still spewing death threats against the Lord's disciples, Saul went to the high priest. He asked him for letters to take with him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he might bring them in chains to Jerusalem.
Now there were false prophets among the people, just as there also will be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction on themselves.
You'll be thrown out of the synagogues. Yes, a time is coming when the one who kills you will think he's serving God.
He said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" But they shouted out loud, stopped listening, and together they all rushed at him, ran him outside of the city, and began to stone him to death. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. read more.
As they continued to stone Stephen, he kept praying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, don't hold this sin against them!" After he had said this, he died.
About that time, Herod arrested some people who belonged to the church and mistreated them. He even had James, the brother of John, killed with a sword.
Indeed, I myself thought it my duty to take extreme measures against the name of Jesus from Nazareth. That is what I did in Jerusalem. I received authority from the high priests and locked many of the saints in prison. And when I cast my vote against them, they were put to death.
When the lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the word of God and the testimony they had given.
But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, so that you will become children of your Father in heaven, because he makes his sun rise on both evil and good people, and he lets rain fall on the righteous and the unrighteous.
"Have I rejoiced in the destruction of those who hate me, or have I been happy that evil caught up with him? No, I haven't allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse.
"But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you, and pray for those who insult you. If someone strikes you on the cheek, offer him the other one as well, and if someone takes your coat, don't keep back your shirt, either.
Jesus kept saying, "Father, forgive them, because they don't know what they're doing." Then they divided his clothes among them by throwing dice.
As they continued to stone Stephen, he kept praying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, don't hold this sin against them!" After he had said this, he died.
Do not pay others back evil for evil or insult for insult. Instead, keep blessing them, because you were called to inherit a blessing.
and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. And never bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.' Because if you forgive people their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. read more.
But if you do not forgive people their offenses, your Father will not forgive your offenses."
and forgive us our sins, as we forgive everyone who sins against us. And never bring us into temptation.'"
When they reached the place called The Skull, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Jesus kept saying, "Father, forgive them, because they don't know what they're doing." Then they divided his clothes among them by throwing dice.
But "if your enemy is hungry, feed him. For if he is thirsty, give him a drink. If you do this, you will pile burning coals on his head."
If your enemy hungers, give him food to eat; and if he thirsts, give him water to drink. For you'll be piling burning coals of shame on his head and the LORD will reward you.
Just then an expert in the Law stood up to test Jesus. He asked, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus answered him, "What is written in the Law? What do you read there?" He answered, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind. And you must love your neighbor as yourself."read more.
Jesus told him, "You have answered correctly. "Do this, and you will live.'" But the man wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" After careful consideration, Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell into the hands of bandits. They stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. By chance, a priest was traveling along that road. When he saw the man, he went by on the other side. Similarly, a descendant of Levi came to that place. When he saw the man, he also went by on the other side. But as he was traveling along, a Samaritan came across the man. When the Samaritan saw him, he was moved with compassion. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day, he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, "Take good care of him. If you spend more than that, I'll repay you when I come back.' "Of these three men, who do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the bandits?" He said, "The one who showed mercy to him." Jesus told him, "Go and do what he did."
"If you come across your enemy's ox or donkey wandering off, you are to certainly return it to him. If you see your enemy's donkey lying helpless under its load, you must not abandon it; rather, you are certainly to return it to him.
Don't rejoice when your enemy falls; don't let yourself be glad when he stumbles. Otherwise the LORD will observe and disapprove, and he will turn his anger away from him.
Then Saul said, "I've wronged you. Return, my son David, for I won't harm you again because my life was precious to you today. Look, I've acted foolishly and have made a very great mistake."
Be clear-minded and alert. Your opponent, the Devil, is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
The LORD asked Satan, "Where have you come from?" In response, Satan answered the LORD, "From wandering all over the earth and walking back and forth throughout it." Then the LORD asked Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on earth. The man is blameless as well as upright. He fears God and keeps away from evil." But in response, Satan asked the LORD, "Does Job fear God for nothing?
However, the Lord stood by me and gave me strength so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the gentiles could hear it. I was rescued out of a lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will take me safely to his heavenly kingdom. Glory belongs to him forever and ever! Amen.
Resist him and be firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.
For the weapons of our warfare are not those of the world. Instead, they have the power of God to demolish fortresses. We tear down arguments
Finally, be strong in the Lord, relying on his mighty strength. Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the Devil's strategies. For our struggle is not against human opponents, but against rulers, authorities, cosmic powers in the darkness around us, and evil spiritual forces in the heavenly realm. read more.
For this reason, take up the whole armor of God so that you may be able to take a stand whenever evil comes. And when you have done everything you could, you will be able to stand firm. Stand firm, therefore, having fastened the belt of truth around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and being firm-footed in the gospel of peace. In addition to having clothed yourselves with these things, having taken up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to put out all the flaming arrows of the evil one, also take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times with every kind of prayer and request. Likewise, be alert with your most diligent efforts and pray for all the saints.
Therefore, I want younger widows to remarry, have children, manage their homes, and not give the enemy any chance to ridicule them. For some widows have already turned away to follow Satan.
I have fought the good fight. I have completed the race. I have kept the faith.
Therefore, submit yourselves to God. Resist the Devil, and he will run away from you.
You prepare a table before me, even in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
I'm not asking you to take them out of the world but to protect them from the evil one.
The God of old is a dwelling place, with everlasting arms underneath. He drove out your enemies before you and said: "Destroy them!'
Then the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel and he delivered you from the hand of your enemies on every side, so that you lived securely.
David composed the words of this song to the LORD the very day the LORD delivered him from the domination of all of his enemies, including from Saul's hands. This is what he said: LORD, you are my stone stronghold and my fortified place; you are continuously delivering me. He is my God, my strong stone in him I will find my refuge my shield, the strength of my salvation, my high tower, my way of escape, and the one who is saving me. You will save me from violence.
The LORD is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my God, my stronghold in whom I take refuge, my shield, the glory of my salvation, and my high tower."
You be my judge, God, and plead my case against an unholy nation; rescue me from the deceitful and unjust man.
God is our refuge and strength, a great help in times of distress.
Save me from my enemies, my God! Keep me safe from those who rise up against me. Save me from those who practice evil; deliver me from bloodthirsty men.
In you, LORD, I take refuge; let me never be humiliated. Rescue and deliver me, because you are righteous. Turn your ear to me and save me. Be my sheltering refuge where I may go continuously; command my deliverance for you are my rock and fortress.read more.
My God, deliver me from the power of the wicked and the grasp of ruthless practicers of evil.
The one who lives in the shelter of the Most High, who rests in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the LORD, "You are my refuge, my fortress, and my God in whom I trust!" He will surely deliver you from the hunter's snare and from the destructive plague.read more.
With his feathers he will cover you, under his wings you will find safety. His truth is your shield and armor.
Deliver me, LORD, from evil people, preserve me from violent men, who craft evil plans in their minds, inciting wars every day.
Deliver me from my enemies, LORD. I have taken refuge in you.
Rescue me and deliver me from the control of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies, and whose right hand deceives.
Stop being afraid of those who kill the body but can't kill the soul. Instead, be afraid of the one who can destroy both body and soul in hell. "Two sparrows are sold for a penny, aren't they? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's permission. Indeed, even the hairs on your head have all been counted! read more.
So stop being afraid. You are worth more than a bunch of sparrows."
but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail. When you have come back, you must strengthen your brothers."
The victor's crown of righteousness is now waiting for me, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on the day that he comes, and not only to me but also to all who eagerly wait for his appearing.
The last enemy to be done away with is death,
Indeed, you delivered my soul from death, my eyes from crying, and my feet from stumbling.
Now, however, that grace has been revealed through the coming of our Savior the Messiah Jesus, who has destroyed death and through the gospel has brought life and release from death into full view.
Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. (This is the second death the lake of fire.)
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There won't be death anymore. There won't be any grief, crying, or pain, because the first things have disappeared."
