Devine Scripture

Matthew 5:44

What does Matthew 5:44 mean?

A plain-English look at Matthew 5:44 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Matthew 5:44 means

Jesus delivers His climactic and counter-cultural command: "Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you." This transcends mere tolerance or passive non-resistance; it demands active, sacrificial, and benevolent love, even for those who wish you harm. Praying for persecutors is the ultimate expression of this love, seeking their good and salvation, reflecting the very heart of God, who offers grace to all.

Matthew 5:44 in context

Matthew 5 — The Beatitudes

Jesus opens his Sermon on the Mount with eight pronouncements that turn the world's value system upside down. Blessing belongs not to the proud and self-sufficient but to the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, the hungry for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and the persecuted. In a few sentences he sketches the character of the citizens of the kingdom of heaven, and then calls them salt of the earth and light of the world.

  • Kingdom ethics
  • Inner righteousness
  • True blessedness
  • Light and salt

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

but I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you;

KJV

King James Version · 1611

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

but I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you;

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

But I say to you, Have love for those who are against you, and make prayer for those who are cruel to you;

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

but I--I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those cursing you, do good to those hating you, and pray for those accusing you falsely, and persecuting you,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

But I say to you, Love your enemies: do good to them that hate you: and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you:

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, [bless those who curse you,] do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who [insult you and] persecute you,

Context

This verse delivers the most challenging commandment of the Sermon on the Mount, directly contradicting the traditional view presented in verse 43. It establishes active love for enemies and prayer for persecutors as the hallmark of Kingdom righteousness, laying the theological groundwork for imitating the Father's character in the subsequent verses.

v.43Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy:

v.44This passage

v.45that ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • 1 Corinthians 4:12

    and we toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;

  • Luke 6:27

    But I say unto you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you,

  • Proverbs 25:21

    If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:

  • Romans 12:20

    But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head.

  • Romans 12:14

    Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not.

  • Psalms 35:13

    But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I afflicted my soul with fasting; And my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

Sermon ideas from Matthew 5:44

Angles a pastor or small-group leader might preach or teach from this passage, drawn from the chapter's main themes.

  • What Matthew 5:44 teaches us about kingdom ethics

  • What Matthew 5:44 teaches us about inner righteousness

  • What Matthew 5:44 teaches us about true blessedness

  • What Matthew 5:44 teaches us about light and salt

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