What Does the Bible Say About Your Enemies?
The Bible offers a surprising and countercultural perspective on your enemies. From the Old Testament to the New, God calls His people not only to avoid vengeance but to actively show kindness and mercy toward those who oppose them. Jesus famously commanded His followers to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). This instruction is not rooted in sentiment but in concrete action—blessing, serving, and forgiving those who wish you harm.
This teaching challenges natural instincts and the world’s logic. Instead of meeting hostility with hostility, the Bible calls believers to reflect God’s own character—gracious, patient, and just—even toward His enemies. The way Christians treat their enemies becomes a living testimony to the Gospel’s transforming power.
1. The Bible’s Call to Love Your Enemies
The most direct and challenging command about your enemies comes from Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). This radical love is more than a feeling—it is action-oriented. In Luke 6:27–28, Jesus expands this by saying, “Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.”
In biblical thought, love is demonstrated by what you do, not merely what you feel. The Bible defines love for enemies through acts of kindness and restraint:
Blessing instead of cursing (Romans 12:14).
Turning the other cheek when insulted or struck (Matthew 5:39).
Meeting needs when an enemy is hungry or thirsty (Proverbs 25:21–22).
This pattern mirrors God’s own love, who “makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good” (Matthew 5:45). The ultimate model is Jesus Himself, who prayed for His executioners, “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34).
2. Old Testament Foundations for Treating Enemies
Although Jesus’ teaching feels revolutionary, the Bible’s call to show mercy toward your enemies has roots in the Old Testament. Exodus 23:4–5 instructs Israel to help an enemy’s animal if it is wandering or struggling under a burden. Proverbs 25:21–22 calls for feeding and giving water to an enemy in need, promising that such acts will “heap burning coals on his head” and that “the LORD will reward you.”
These commands reveal a consistent biblical ethic: God’s people are to act with compassion even toward adversaries. Such kindness disrupts cycles of retaliation and keeps God’s people distinct from the surrounding nations, who often prized revenge as a form of honor.
3. The Tension Between God’s Wrath and His Mercy
While the Bible calls believers to love your enemies, it also speaks of God’s righteous judgment against His enemies. The Psalms sometimes contain prayers for God to act against the wicked (Psalm 68:1; Psalm 139:19). Revelation describes God’s final victory over those who oppose Him, portraying His wrath as the ultimate end for unrepentant enemies (Revelation 19:11–21).
This tension is resolved in two ways:
God reserves vengeance for Himself (Romans 12:19). Believers are called to trust His justice rather than take it into their own hands.
God offers mercy before judgment. Even His enemies are given time to repent, as seen in passages like 2 Peter 3:9, where God is described as “patient… not wishing that any should perish.”
For Christians, this means loving enemies now, even while acknowledging that God will one day set all things right.
4. Loving Your Enemies as a Witness to the Gospel
The Gospel transforms how we view your enemies. Before coming to Christ, every believer was once an enemy of God (Romans 5:10). God reconciled us to Himself through the death of His Son, showing the ultimate act of love toward those who opposed Him.
When Christians extend love and forgiveness to enemies, they display the same grace they have received. This is not weakness—it is strength rooted in the cross. By refusing to repay evil for evil, believers bear witness to the reality that Christ has conquered sin and death, freeing His people from the grip of hatred and revenge.
This perspective also ties into the Bible’s vision for the future: a day when all hostility will cease, and God will dwell with His redeemed people in peace (Revelation 21:3–4). Our treatment of enemies now anticipates that coming reality.
5. Practical Ways the Bible Teaches Us to Respond to Enemies
The Bible’s instructions on dealing with your enemies are not abstract ideals—they are practical steps believers can take:
Pray for Them – Bring them before God, asking for their good, their repentance, and for your own heart to remain free from bitterness.
Serve Them When Possible – Look for tangible ways to meet needs, even small ones.
Speak Kindly – Resist the urge to respond with insult or gossip; instead, choose words that honor God.
Refuse Retaliation – Trust God’s justice rather than seeking to “even the score.”
Guard Your Heart – Keep hatred, fear, and resentment from taking root through continual reliance on God’s Spirit.
Living this way is difficult and often counterintuitive, but it aligns with the Spirit’s work in shaping believers to reflect Christ’s character.
Conclusion
The Bible’s teaching about your enemies turns the world’s logic upside down. Instead of fostering hatred and revenge, it calls believers to love, bless, and serve those who oppose them—reflecting God’s own mercy toward His enemies. While God will ultimately judge all wickedness, He calls His people to leave vengeance in His hands and to live as ambassadors of reconciliation in the present age.
By loving enemies, Christians not only obey Christ’s commands but also bear witness to the transforming power of the Gospel, showing that grace is stronger than hatred and forgiveness more powerful than revenge.
Bible Verses About Your Enemies
Matthew 5:44 – “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
Luke 6:27–28 – “Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you.”
Romans 12:14 – “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.”
Proverbs 25:21–22 – “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat.”
Exodus 23:4–5 – “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him.”
Romans 12:19 – “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God.”
Psalm 23:5 – “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”
Luke 23:34 – “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
2 Peter 3:9 – “The Lord… is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish.”
Revelation 19:11 – “In righteousness he judges and makes war.”
