22 Bible Verses about Loving Your Enemies

I, however, say to you--Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,

Bless those who curse you, pray for those who insult you.

Do to others whatever you would wish them to do to you; for that is the teaching of both the Law and the Prophets.

Dear friends, let us love one another, because Love comes from God; and every one who loves has received the new Life from God and knows God.

Bless your persecutors--bless and never curse. Rejoice with those who are rejoicing, and weep with those who are weeping. Let the same spirit of sympathy animate you all, not a spirit of pride; be glad to associate with the lowly. Do not think too highly of yourselves.read more.
Never return injury for injury. Aim at doing what all men will recognize as honorable. If it is possible, as far as rests with you, live peaceably with every one. Never avenge yourselves, dear friends, but make way for the Wrath of God; for Scripture declares--'"It is for me to avenge, I will requite," says the Lord.' Rather--'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him to drink. By doing this you will heap coals of fire upon his head.' Never be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

But love your enemies, and show them kindness, and lend to them, never despairing. Then your reward shall be great, and you shall be Sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the thankless and the bad.

Let everything you do be done in a loving spirit.

My children, I am to be with you but a little while longer. You will look for me; and what I said to the Jews--'You cannot come where I am going'--I now say to you. I give you a new commandment--Love one another; love one another as I have loved you. It is by this that every one will recognize you as my disciples--by your loving one another."

Though I speak in the 'tongues' of men, or even of angels, yet have not Love, I have become mere echoing brass, or a clanging cymbal! Even though I have the gift of preaching, and fathom all hidden truths and all the depths of knowledge; even though I have such faith as might move mountains, yet have not Love, I am nothing! Even though I dole my substance to the poor, even though I sacrifice my body, that I may boast, yet have not Love, it avails me nothing!read more.
Love is long-suffering, and kind; Love is never envious, never boastful, never conceited, never behaves unbecomingly; Love is never self-seeking, never provoked, never reckons up her wrongs; Love never rejoices at evil, but rejoices in the triumph of Truth; Love bears with all things, every trustful, ever hopeful, ever patient. Love never fails. But, whether it be the gift of preaching, it will be done with; whether it be the gift of 'tongues,' it will cease; whether it be knowledge, it, too, will be done with.

Let your love be sincere. Hate the wrong; cling to the right. In brotherly love, be affectionate to one another; in showing respect, set an example of deference to one another; Never flagging in zeal; fervent in spirit; serving the Master;

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called Sons of God. Blessed are those who have been persecuted in the cause of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.read more.
Blessed are you when people taunt you, and persecute you, and say everything evil about you--untruly, and on my account. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward in Heaven will be great; for so men persecuted the Prophets who lived before you.

Yet the man that endures to the end shall be saved.

But Jesus answered: "Go and say to that fox 'Look you, I am driving out demons and shall be completing cures to-day and to- morrow, and on the third day I shall have done.' But to-day and to-morrow and the day after I must go on my way, because it cannot be that a Prophet should meet his end outside Jerusalem. Jerusalem! Jerusalem! she who slays the Prophets and stones the messengers sent to her--Oh, how often have I wished to gather your children round me, as a hen takes her brood under her wings, and you would not come!read more.
Verily your House is left to you desolate! and never, I tell you, shall you see me, until you say--'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

So Jesus turned and said to them: "Women of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. A time, I tell you, is coming, when it will be said--'Happy are the women who are barren, and those who have never borne children or nursed them!' At that time people will begin to say to the mountains 'Fall on us,' and to the hills 'Cover us.'read more.
If what you see is done while the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?" There were two others also, criminals, led out to be executed with Jesus. When they had reached the place called 'The Skull,' there they crucified Jesus and the criminals, one on the right, and one on the left. [Then Jesus said: "Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing."] His clothes they divided among them by casting lots. Meanwhile the people stood looking on. Even the leading men said with a sneer: "He saved others, let him save himself, if he is God's Christ, his Chosen One." The soldiers, too, came up in mockery, bringing him common wine, And saying as they did so: "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself."

Which of the Prophets escaped persecution at their hands? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One; of whom you, in your turn, have now become the betrayers and murderers-- You who received the Law as transmitted by angels and yet failed to keep it." As they listened to this, the Council grew frantic with rage, and gnashed their teeth at Stephen.read more.
He, filled as he was with the Holy Spirit, fixed his eyes intently on the heavens, and saw the Glory of God and Jesus standing at God's right hand. "Look," he exclaimed, "I see Heaven open and the Son of Man standing at God's right hand!" At this, with a loud shout, they stopped their ears and all rushed upon him, forced him outside the city, And began to stone him, the witnesses laying their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen, while he cried to the Lord: "Lord Jesus! receive my spirit!" Falling on his knees, he called out loudly: "Lord! do not charge them with this sin;" and with these words he fell asleep.

For I, Brothers, do not regard myself as having yet laid hold of it. But this one thing I do--forgetting what lies behind, and straining every nerve for that which lies in front, I press on to the goal, to gain the prize of that heavenward Call which God gave me through Christ Jesus.

Since, therefore, you were raised to Life with the Christ, seek for the things that are above; for it is there that the Christ is 'seated at the right hand of God.' Fix your thoughts upon the things that are above, not upon those that are on earth. For you died, and your Life now lies hidden, with the Christ, in God.read more.
When the Christ, who is our Life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

My Brothers, whatever may be the temptations that beset you from time to time, always regard them as a reason for rejoicing, Knowing, as you do, that the testing of your faith develops endurance. And let endurance do its work perfectly, so that you may be altogether perfect, and in no respect deficient.read more.
If one of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask wisdom from the God who gives freely to every one without reproaches, and it will be given to him.

That you may become Sons of your Father who is in Heaven; for he causes his sun to rise upon bad and good alike, and sends rain upon the righteous and upon the unrighteous.

You have heard that it was said--'Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thy enemy.'

You have heard that it was said--'Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thy enemy.' I, however, say to you--Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, That you may become Sons of your Father who is in Heaven; for he causes his sun to rise upon bad and good alike, and sends rain upon the righteous and upon the unrighteous.read more.
For, if you love only those who love you, what reward will you have? Even the tax-gatherers do this! And, if you show courtesy to your brothers only, what are you doing more than others? Even the Gentiles do this! You, then, must become perfect--as your heavenly Father is perfect.

But to you who hear I say--Love your enemies, show kindness to those who hate you, Bless those who curse you, pray for those who insult you. When a man gives one of you a blow on the cheek, offer the other cheek as well; and, when any one takes away your cloak, do not keep back your coat either.read more.
Give to every one who asks of you; and, when any one takes away what is yours, do not demand its return. Do to others as you wish them to do to you. If you love only those who love you, what thanks will be due to you? Why, even the outcast love those who love them! For, if you show kindness only to those who show kindness to you, what thanks will be due to you? Even the outcast do that! If you lend only to those from whom you expect to get something, what thanks will be due to you? Even the outcast lend to the outcast in the hope of getting as much in return! But love your enemies, and show them kindness, and lend to them, never despairing. Then your reward shall be great, and you shall be Sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the thankless and the bad. Learn to be merciful--even as your Father is merciful.