⁴³ You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy;^(A)

⁴⁴ But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,^(B)

^45 [a]To show that you are the children of your Father Who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the wicked and on the good, and makes the rain fall upon the upright and the wrongdoers [alike].

⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward can you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that?

⁴⁷ And if you greet only your brethren, what more than others are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles (the heathen) do that?

⁴⁸ You, therefore, must be perfect [growing into complete ^[b]maturity of godliness in mind and character, ^[c]having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity], as your heavenly Father is perfect.^(C)

¹⁸ If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before it hated you.

¹⁹ If you belonged to the world, the world would treat you with affection and would love you as its own. But because you are not of the world [no longer one with it], but I have chosen (selected) you out of the world, the world hates (detests) you.