22 Bible Verses about Loving Your Enemies

But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited.read more.
Repay no one evil for evil, but have regard for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay," says the Lord. No, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For he is kind to the ungrateful and evil.

Let all that you do be done in love.

Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek me; and as I said to the Jews, 'Where I am going, you cannot come,' so now I say to you. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I have to the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.read more.
Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous or boastful, it is not arrogant or rude, it does not seek its own, it is not provoked, it keeps no record of wrongs, it does not rejoice in evil, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails; but where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

Let love be genuine. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; outdo one another in showing honor. Never be lacking in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.

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 are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.read more.
Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

But he who endures to the end will be saved.

And he said to them, "Go and tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course.' Nevertheless I must journey today and tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!read more.
Behold, your house is left to you desolate. And I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'"

For behold, the days are coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed!' Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us!' and to the hills, 'Cover us!' For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?"read more.
Two others, criminals, were also led with him to be put to death. And when they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And they divided his garments and cast lots. And the people stood watching; but even the rulers sneered at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One." The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him wine vinegar, and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself." There was also an inscription written over him: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels, and yet did not keep it." Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed their teeth at him.read more.
But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed together upon him with. Then they cast him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell on his knees and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Brethren, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.read more.
When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.read more.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.read more.
For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

"But I say to you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic.read more.
Give to everyone who asks of you, and from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For he is kind to the ungrateful and evil. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.