²⁸ Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.

⁹ Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing.

¹² We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us.

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.

¹⁰ And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!

³⁴ Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”^[a] And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.^[b]

Love for Enemies

²⁷ “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you.

⁴⁴ But I say, love your enemies!^[a] Pray for those who persecute you!

⁶⁰ He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.

³⁵ “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.