Bible Verses About Loving Your Enemies

"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you."

"But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you."

"Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."

"If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee."

"But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil."

"For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?"

"Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not."

"Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing."

"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots."

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

What does the Bible say about loving your enemies?

Few of Jesus' teachings are as radical or countercultural as His command to love our enemies. In a world that encourages retaliation, Scripture calls believers to a higher standard — blessing those who curse us, praying for those who persecute us, and overcoming evil with good. Key King James Version passages include Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:27-28, Romans 12:20-21. This page collects 10 KJV verses about loving your enemies, each quoted in full.

Why does Jesus command us to love our enemies?

Loving enemies reflects God's own character — He loved us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). It also breaks cycles of hatred, demonstrates the transformative power of the gospel, and distinguishes Christians from the world.

How can I practically love my enemies?

Pray for them sincerely, refuse to retaliate, speak well of them, meet their practical needs when possible, and ask God to soften your heart toward them. It starts with a choice, not a feeling.