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Matthew 5:43-48
New International Version
Matthew 5:43-48
New International Version
Love for Enemies
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[a](A) and hate your enemy.’(B) 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,(C) 45 that you may be children(D) 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.(E) 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?(F) Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.(G)
Footnotes
- Matthew 5:43 Lev. 19:18
Matthew 5:43-48
New King James Version
Matthew 5:43-48
New King James Version
Love Your Enemies(A)
43 “You have heard that it was said, (B)‘You shall love your neighbor (C)and hate your enemy.’ 44 [a]But I say to you, (D)love your enemies, bless those who curse you, (E)do good to those who hate you, and pray (F)for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for (G)He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 (H)For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your [b]brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the [c]tax collectors do so? 48 (I)Therefore you shall be perfect, just (J)as your Father in heaven is perfect.
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- Matthew 5:44 NU But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you
- Matthew 5:47 M friends
- Matthew 5:47 NU Gentiles
Matthew 5:43-48
Contemporary English Version
Matthew 5:43-48
Contemporary English Version
Love
(Luke 6.27,28,32-36)
43 (A) You have heard people say, “Love your neighbors and hate your enemies.” 44 But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. 45 (B) Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And he sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong. 46 If you love only those people who love you, will God reward you for this? Even tax collectors[a] love their friends. 47 If you greet only your friends, what's so great about this? Don't even unbelievers do that? 48 (C) But you must always act like your Father in heaven.
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- 5.46 tax collectors: These were usually Jewish people who paid the Romans for the right to collect taxes. They were hated by other Jews who thought of them as traitors to their country and to their religion.
Matthew 5:43-48
New American Standard Bible
Matthew 5:43-48
New American Standard Bible
43 “(A)You have heard that it was said, ‘(B)You shall love your neighbor (C)and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, (D)love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may prove yourselves to be (E)sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For (F)if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors, do they not do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Even the Gentiles, do they not do the same? 48 Therefore (G)you shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.