enemies

²⁷But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. ²⁸Bless those who curse you, and pray for those who slander you. ²⁹And to him who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your coat, do not withhold even your tunic. ³⁰But distribute to all who ask of you. And do not ask again of him who takes away what is yours. ³¹And exactly as you would want people to treat you, treat them also the same. ³²And if you love those who love you, what credit is due to you? For even sinners love those who love them.

²O God, do not be silent toward my praise, for the mouth of the sinner and the mouth of the deceitful one have been opened against me. ³They have spoken against me with deceitful tongues, and they have surrounded me with hateful words, and they fought against me over nothing. ⁴Instead of choosing to act on my behalf, they detracted me. But I gave myself to prayer. ⁵And they set evil against me, instead of good, and hatred, in return for my love.

¹⁴Bless those who are persecuting you: bless, and do not curse.

¹⁷When your enemy will fall, do not be glad, and do not let your heart exult in his ruin,

⁶Act manfully and be strengthened. Do not be afraid, and do not dread at the sight of them. For the Lord your God himself is your commander, and he will neither dismiss nor abandon you.”

²⁰So if an enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in doing so, you will heap burning coals upon his head.

⁷They prepared a snare for my feet, and they bowed down my soul. They dug a pit before my face, yet they have fallen into it.

⁷When the ways of man will please the Lord, he will convert even his enemies to peace.

⁴³You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and you shall have hatred for your enemy.’ ⁴⁴But I say to you: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. And pray for those who persecute and slander you. ⁴⁵In this way, you shall be sons of your Father, who is in heaven. He causes his sun to rise upon the good and the bad, and he causes it to rain upon the just and the unjust. ⁴⁶For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Do not even tax collectors behave this way? ⁴⁷And if you greet only your brothers, what more have you done? Do not even the pagans behave this way? ⁴⁸Therefore, be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

⁷If I wander into the midst of tribulation, you will revive me. For you extended your hand against the wrath of my enemies. And your right hand has accomplished my salvation.

¹⁴The Lord will fight on your behalf, and you will remain silent.”

¹Of David himself. O Lord, judge those who harm me; assail those who attack me. ²Take hold of weapons and a shield, and rise up in assistance to me. ³Bring forth the spear, and close in on those who persecute me. Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.” ⁴Let them be confounded and in awe, who pursue my soul. Let them be turned back and be confounded, who think up evil against me. ⁵May they become like dust before the face of the wind, and let the Angel of the Lord hem them in. ⁶May their way become dark and slippery, and may the Angel of the Lord pursue them.

³⁴Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them. For they know not what they do.” And truly, dividing his garments, they cast lots.

¹A Psalm of David himself. Do not choose to imitate the malicious; neither should you envy those who work iniquity. ²For they will quickly wither away like dry grass, and in like manner to kitchen herbs, they will soon droop. ³Hope in the Lord and do good, and dwell in the land, and so you shall be pastured with its riches. ⁴Delight in the Lord, and he will grant to you the petitions of your heart. ⁵Reveal your way to the Lord, and hope in him, and he will accomplish it.

¹⁰For my enemies have spoken against me. And those who watched for my soul have taken counsel as one,

²²But if you listen to his voice and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies, and I will afflict those who afflict you.