Love Your Enemies^(A)

^27 (B)“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ^28 (C)bless those who curse you, and ^(D)pray for those who spitefully use you. ^29 (E)To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. ^(F)And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. ^30 (G)Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. ^31 (H)And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.

^32 (I)“But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. ^34 (J)And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. ³⁵ But ^(K)love your enemies, ^(L)do good, and ^(M)lend, ^[a]hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and ^(N)you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. ^36 (O)Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan^(A)

²⁵ And behold, a certain ^[a]lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, ^(B)“Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

²⁶ He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”

²⁷ So he answered and said, ^(C)“ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ^(D)‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ”

²⁸ And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and ^(E)you will live.”

²⁹ But he, wanting to ^(F)justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

³⁰ Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among ^[b]thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. ³¹ Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, ^(G)he passed by on the other side. ³² Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. ³³ But a certain ^(H)Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had ^(I)compassion. ³⁴ So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. ³⁵ On the next day, ^[c]when he departed, he took out two ^(J)denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ ³⁶ So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”

³⁷ And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.”

Then Jesus said to him, ^(K)“Go and do likewise.”

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.

Instructions to the Rich

¹⁷ Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain ^(A)riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things ^(B)to enjoy.

^4 (A)Love suffers long and is ^(B)kind; love ^(C)does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not ^[a]puffed up;

²² But ^(A)the fruit of the Spirit is ^(B)love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, ^(C)goodness, ^(D)faithfulness,