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)

The New Life in Christ

12 I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, on the basis of God’s mercy, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable act of worship.^{(A) 2} Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.^[a](B)

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.^(A)

¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all.^{(A) 18} If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.^{(B) 19} Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God,^[a] for it is written, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”^{(C) 20} Instead, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink, for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.

³³ I have said this to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution, but take courage: I have conquered the world!”^(A)

⁴ Little children, you are from God and have conquered them, for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

³ For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome,^{(A) 4} for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith.^{(B) 5} Who is it who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?^(C)

⁷ Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To everyone who conquers, I will give permission to eat from the tree of life that is in the paradise of God.^(A)

⁵ Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”^(A)

⁶ Then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered, with seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.^(B)