Matthew 5:44

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;

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
But	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
I	ἐγὼ egō	G1473	I · personal pronoun — 1st person nominative singular
say	λέγω legō	G3004	properly · verb — present active indicative, 1st person singular
unto you	ὑμῖν hymîn	G5213	to (with or by) you
Love	ἀγαπᾶτε agapate	G25	to love (in a social or moral sense) · verb — present active imperative, 2nd person plural
your	ὑμῶν hymōn	G5216	of (from or concerning) you
enemies	ἐχθροὺς echthrous	G2190	hateful (passively · noun — accusative plural masculine
bless	εὐλογεῖτε eulogeite	G2127	to speak well of · verb — present active imperative, 2nd person plural
them that curse	καταρωμένους katarōmenous	G2672	to execrate · verb — present middle or passive deponent participle, accusative plural masculine
you	ὑμᾶς hymâs	G5209	you (as the objective of a verb or preposition)
do	ποιεῖτε poieite	G4160	to make or do (in a very wide application · verb — present active imperative, 2nd person plural
good	καλῶς kalōs	G2573	well (usually morally) · adverb
to them that hate	μισοῦντας misountas	G3404	to detest (especially to persecute) · verb — present active participle, accusative plural masculine
you	ὑμᾶς hymâs	G5209	you (as the objective of a verb or preposition)
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
pray	προσεύχεσθε proseuchesthe	G4336	to pray to God · verb — present middle or passive deponent imperative, 2nd person plural
for	ὑπὲρ huper	G5228	"over" · preposition
them which despitefully use	ἐπηρεαζόντων epēreazontōn	G1908	to insult · verb — present active participle, genitive plural masculine
you	ὑμᾶς hymâs	G5209	you (as the objective of a verb or preposition)
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
persecute	διωκόντων diōkontōn	G1377	compare the base of G1169 (δειλός) and G1249 (διάκονος)) · verb — present active participle, genitive plural masculine
you	ὑμᾶς hymâs	G5209	you (as the objective of a verb or preposition)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Romans 12:14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
1 Peter 3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit…
Luke 6:27-28 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
Romans 12:20-21 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.
Proverbs 25:21-22 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
1 Peter 2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
Acts 7:60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Matthew 5:43–end

We have here, lastly, an exposition of that great fundamental law of the second table, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, which was the fulfilling of the law. I. See here how this law was corrupted by the comments of the Jewish teachers, Mat 5:43. God said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour; and by neighbour they understood those only of their own country, nation, and religion; and those only that they were pleased to look upon as their friends: yet this was not the worst; from this command, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, they were willing to infer what God never designed; Thou shalt hate thine enemy; and they looked upon whom they pleased as their enemies, thus making void the great command of God…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Matthew 5:44

But I say unto you, Love your enemies--The word here used denotes moral love, as distinguished from the other word, which expresses personal affection. Usually, the former denotes "complacency in the character" of the person loved; but here it denotes the benignant, compassionate outgoings of desire for another's good. bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you--The best commentary on these matchless counsels is the bright example of Him who gave them. (See Pe1 2:21-24; and compare Rom 12:20-21; Co1 4:12; Pe1 3:9). But though such precepts were never before expressed--perhaps not even conceived--with such breadt…

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John Gill on Matthew 5:44

But I say unto you, love your enemies,.... That is, as the Apostle Paul may be thought to interpret the words of Christ, Romans 12:20. "If thine enemy hunger, feed him: if he thirst, give him drink": unless our Lord should be supposed rather to regard the internal affection of the mind; since outward expressions of love, by words and works, are urged in the following exhortations: the actions of a man may be hated, and just indignation be expressed against them, and yet his person be loved, tenderness be used to him, and pity shown him: all men, even enemies, are to be loved with a natural love, as men; though they cannot be loved with a spiritual affection, as brethren in Christ: and in na…

The Church Fathers

A brother asked a hermit, 'What is humility?' He answered, 'To do good to them that do evil to you.' The brother said, 'Suppose a man cannot attain that standard, what is he to do?' The hermit answered, 'He should run away, and choose silence.'
— Desert Fathers, The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks

The law has found more than it has lost, while Christ says, "Love your personal enemies, and bless your cursers, and pray for your persecutors, that ye may be sons of your heavenly Father." Do you see whom patience gains for us as a Father? In this principal precept the universal discipline of patience is succinctly comprised, since evil-doing is not conceded even when it is deserved.
— Tertullian, Of Patience

Learn from them that a large benevolence is enjoined upon us, even so far as to supplicate God for our enemies, and to beseech blessings on our persecutors. Who, then, are greater enemies and persecutors of Christians, than the very parties with treason against whom we are charged? Nay, even in terms, and most clearly, the Scripture says, "Pray for kings, and rulers, and powers, that all may be peace with you.
— Tertullian, The Apology

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Sermon on the mount — After spending a night in solemn meditation and prayer in the lonely mountain-range to the west of the Lake of Galilee (Luke 6:12), on the following morning our Lord called to him his disciples, and…
Adoption · Should produce: Likeness to God — Should produce: Likeness to God
Commandments · DISCOURSE — DISCOURSE
Cursing · The precepts of Jesus concerning — The precepts of Jesus concerning
Enemies · Should be: Loved — Should be: Loved
Enemy · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Forgiveness · OF ENEMIES — OF ENEMIES
Forgiveness Of Injuries · Blessing and prayer — Blessing and prayer
Good For Evil · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Hatred · 10:12,18;15:17;26:24-26; — 10:12,18;15:17;26:24-26;
Judaism · .To make room for the Gospel — .To make room for the Gospel
Love To Man · Should be exhibited, toward: Enemies — Should be exhibited, toward: Enemies
Malice · Pray for those who injure you through

Matthew 5:44

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Matthew 5:43–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Matthew 5:44

John Gill on Matthew 5:44

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Matthew 5:44

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Matthew 5:43–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Matthew 5:44

John Gill on Matthew 5:44

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on Matthew 5:43–end

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Matthew 5:43-47