Bible Verses About Enemies

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘Hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Jesus overturns the idea that we love friends and hate enemies. He points to the way God gives sun and rain to everyone as the pattern to follow.

“But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone takes your cloak, do not withhold your tunic as well. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what is yours, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

Love for enemies becomes concrete: doing good, blessing, praying, and refusing to answer harm with harm. It is a way of acting, not only a feeling.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

Jesus says there is no special credit in loving only those who love us back. Mercy toward the ungrateful reflects the character of God himself.

“Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.”

Paul asks believers to bless those who persecute them rather than curse them. Blessing here means wishing them well and asking God to act for them.

“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”

Peter tells Christians not to repay evil for evil or insult for insult, but to give a blessing instead. He ties this to the calling to inherit a blessing from God.

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone. Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” On the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Paul says not to take revenge but to leave room for God's justice, and to overcome evil with good. Feeding a hungry opponent is part of that picture.

“Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles, or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.”

The wise teacher warns against celebrating when an enemy falls. Gloating can turn God's attention from the enemy's wrong to our own.

“If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.”

Kindness to a hungry enemy is commended, and Paul later builds on it. Many readers take the image of coals as a call to shame the enemy into repentance, not to hurt him.

“You must not harbor hatred against your brother in your heart. Directly rebuke your neighbor, so that you will not incur guilt on account of him. Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.”

The law already forbids hidden hatred and grudges and commands loving one's neighbor. Honest rebuke is better than quietly stewing against someone.

“After Saul had returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.” So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to look for David and his men in the region of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. Soon Saul came to the sheepfolds along the road, where there was a cave, and he went in to relieve himself. And David and his men were hiding in the recesses of the cave. So David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do with him as you wish.’” Then David crept up and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. Afterward, David’s conscience was stricken because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe. So he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.” With these words David restrained his men, and he did not let them rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went on his way.”

David has Saul in his power in a cave and refuses to harm the Lord's anointed. He leaves the outcome of a bitter conflict in God's hands.

“Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots.”

From the cross Jesus asks the Father to forgive those who are carrying out his execution. Christians see here love for enemies at its most costly.

“While they were stoning him, Stephen appealed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Falling on his knees, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

Stephen, dying under a hail of stones, echoes his Lord by asking that the sin not be held against his killers. The pattern of Jesus lives on in his followers.

“But Joseph replied, “Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people. Therefore do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” So Joseph reassured his brothers and spoke kindly to them.”

Joseph tells the brothers who sold him that he will not take God's place, and that God turned their wrong toward good. He then comforts them with kind words.

“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men prosper in their ways, when they carry out wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and abandon wrath; do not fret—it can only bring harm. For the evildoers will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.”

The psalmist urges patience and calm instead of anger when the wicked seem to prosper. He asks the reader to wait for the Lord rather than take matters into his own hands.

“If you encounter your enemy’s stray ox or donkey, you must return it to him. If you see the donkey of one who hates you fallen under its load, do not leave it there; you must help him with it.”

Even toward an enemy, the law asks Israel to return a stray ox or help with a fallen donkey. Basic decency does not depend on whether we like the person.