⁷ “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

Love for Enemies

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’^{(A) 44} But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,^{(B) 45} so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.^{(C) 46} For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.^(D)

¹¹ When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”^{(A) 12} But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. ¹³ Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous but sinners.”^(B)

Love for Enemies

²⁷ “But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you;^{(A) 28} bless those who curse you; pray for those who mistreat you.^{(B) 29} If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. ³⁰ Give to everyone who asks of you, and if anyone takes away what is yours, do not ask for it back again.^{(C) 31} Do to others as you would have them do to you.^(D)

³² “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. ³³ If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. ³⁴ If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive payment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. ³⁵ Instead, love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return.^[a] Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.^{(E) 36} Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Judging Others

³⁷ “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven;^{(F) 38} give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap, for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”^(G)

⁴ Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant^(A)

Unity in the Body of Christ

4 I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,^{(A) 2} with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,^{(B) 3} making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace:

²⁹ Let no evil talk come out of your mouths but only what is good for building up,^[a] as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption.^{(A) 31} Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice.^{(B) 32} Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.^[b](C)