Matthew 5:43-48

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Note: These verses continue to elaborate on Matthew 5:20 regarding righteousness that “exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees”.

Similar Old Testament Verses

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.”

Leviticus 19:1-2

You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him.

Leviticus 19:17

You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

Leviticus 19:18
Definition of “neighbor“.

When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 19:33

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the LORD will reward you.

Proverbs 25:21-22

If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him. If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him.

Exodus 23:4-5

Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the LORD see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.

Proverbs 24:17-18

And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left…

Jonah 4:11
Note: This verse is God’s response to Jonah who hated Nineveh and had wanted God to destroy them.

Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.

Proverbs 20:22

Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done.

Proverbs 24:29

Do you thus repay the LORD, you foolish and senseless people? Is not he your father, who created you, who made you and established you?

Deuteronomy 32:6

I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.

Isaiah 50:6

Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me! They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain. Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.

Psalm 139:19-22
Note: For New Testament elaboration about righteous anger, see Romans 12:9, 1 Peter 3:10-12, Hebrews 1:9, Ephesians 5:11, James 4:4

Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.