Love Your Enemies

Matthew 5

⁴³ "You have heard that it was said, _y 'You shall love your neighbor _{1 z} and hate your enemy.' ⁴⁴ ₂ "But I say to you, _a love your enemies, bless those who curse you, _b do good to those who hate you, and pray _c for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, ⁴⁵ "that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for _d He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶ _e "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 ₃ brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the ₄ tax collectors do so? ⁴⁸ _f "Therefore you shall be perfect, just _g as your Father in heaven is perfect.

1. Cross References
   Leviticus 19:18
   You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.
   
2. Cross References
   Deuteronomy 23:3 - 6
   An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the assembly of the LORD; even to the tenth generation none of his descendants shall enter the assembly of the LORD forever.
   Psalms 41:10
   But You, O LORD, be merciful to me, and raise me up, That I may repay them.
   
3. Cross References
   Luke 6:27
   But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.
   Romans 12:14
   Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
   
4. Cross References
   Romans 12:20
   Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.
   
5. Cross References
   Luke 23:34
   Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots.
   Acts 7:60
   Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
   1 Corinthians 4:12
   And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure.
   1 Peter 2:23
   Who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously.
   
6. Cross References
   Job 25:3
   Is there any number to His armies? Upon whom does His light not rise?
   Psalms 65:9 - 13
   You visit the earth and water it, You greatly enrich it; The river of God is full of water; You provide their grain, For so You have prepared it.
   Luke 12:16
   Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.
   Luke 12:17
   "And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?'
   Acts 14:17
   "Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness."
   
7. Cross References
   Luke 6:32
   But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
   
8. Cross References
   Genesis 17:1
   When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD ...
   Leviticus 11:44
   For I am the LORD your God. You shall therefore...
   Leviticus 19:2
   Speak to all the congregation of the children o...
   Luke 6:36
   Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also...
   Colossians 1:28
   Him we preach, warning every man and teaching e...
   Colossians 4:12
   Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of C...
   James 1:4
   But let patience have its perfect work, that yo...
   1 Peter 1:15
   But as He who called you is holy, you also be h...
   
9. Cross References
   Ephesians 5:1
   Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.