This list gives you King James Version verses on loving your enemies, arranged by the kinds of situations where that command is hardest to live out: a conflict at work, a family wound, a person who has wronged you publicly. It is for anyone who knows Jesus asked for something difficult and wants to see exactly where that teaching comes from and how to put it into practice.
What these passages share is a simple shift: loving an enemy is presented as an act of obedience and trust in God, not a feeling you must manufacture first. Each one points you away from revenge and toward a God who is patient, just and generous.
Verses for Remembering Who Jesus Commanded Us to Love
Start with the words of Jesus himself. These verses come from the Sermon on the Mount and set the standard for how his followers are to treat people who oppose them.
Matthew 5:44
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…
(KJV)
Jesus does not say your enemies will be easy to like. He says to love them, bless them, and pray for them. Try naming one person who troubles you and praying a single sentence for their good tomorrow morning, even if the prayer feels forced.
Luke 6:27-28
27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, 28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
(KJV)
Here Jesus pairs loving with doing good and blessing, and he pairs cursing with prayer. When someone speaks against you, this passage gives you a set of replies to choose from. Pick one response to rehearse before your next difficult conversation.
Matthew 5:46-47
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others ? do not even the publicans so?
(KJV)
Jesus points out that loving only those who love you is ordinary. Notice where your kindness stops, and ask God to widen it to include the person who has been hardest on you this week.
Verses for a Heart That Wants to Hold a Grudge
When someone has hurt you badly, the urge to get even can feel righteous. These passages address that urge by reminding you that vengeance belongs to God and that his kindness leads people toward repentance.
Romans 12:19
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
(KJV)
Paul tells believers to leave vengeance to God. Setting down the job of making someone pay is a real act of trust. Each time the old anger returns, say aloud that the outcome is in God’s hands and not yours.
Romans 12:20-21
20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
(KJV)
Paul moves from restraint to active kindness, such as feeding a hungry enemy. Ask yourself what small, practical good you could do for this person, like sending a note or offering a meal, without expecting anything back.
Proverbs 25:21-22
21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: 22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.
(KJV)
This proverb describes kindness to an enemy as a way of heaping coals on their head, a picture of conviction rather than cruelty. Write down one concrete kindness you can offer this week and leave the result to God.
Verses for Praying When Reconciliation Feels Impossible
Some enemies never apologize, and some relationships cannot be restored. These passages focus on what you can always do, which is to entrust your heart and your prayers to the Lord.
1 Peter 2:23
Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously…
(KJV)
Peter describes Jesus entrusting himself to the one who judges justly while suffering unjustly. When you are mistreated, you can follow that example by handing the matter to God rather than answering in kind.
Psalm 37:5-6
5 Commit thy way unto the LORD ; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
(KJV)
The psalmist urges the reader to commit their way to the Lord and wait patiently. Use this passage as a prayer of surrender when you feel the pull to defend your reputation at another person’s expense.
Romans 12:18
If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
(KJV)
Paul qualifies the command with the words “if it be possible.” Peace depends partly on others, so your task is to do your part faithfully. Identify one step you can take toward peace today and take it without waiting for them to move first.
Verses for Remembering God’s Mercy Toward You
Loving an enemy becomes more possible when you remember how God has dealt with you. These verses ground the command in the grace you have received.
Ephesians 4:32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
(KJV)
Paul links kindness and forgiveness to the way God forgave you in Christ. Before you speak to someone who has wronged you, recall a specific mercy you once needed, and let that memory soften your tone.
Colossians 3:13
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
(KJV)
Paul asks believers to bear with one another and forgive as the Lord forgave them. Forgiveness is a choice you can renew each time the offense comes back to mind, so practice naming the wrong, releasing it, and asking God to help you keep releasing it.
Matthew 6:14-15
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
(KJV)
Jesus ties our forgiveness of others to the forgiveness we receive from the Father. This passage is sobering, so approach it prayerfully and ask God to show you any offense you are still holding onto.
Romans 5:8
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
(KJV)
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us, which means God’s love was not a reward for good behavior. Remember that you were once an enemy of God, and let that truth shape how you see the person who is hard to love today.
Luke 23:34
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
(KJV)
From the cross, Jesus prayed for those who crucified him. Few words show the command to love enemies more clearly. Use this prayer as a model when you need to pray for someone who has caused you real pain.
How to Use These Verses
Begin by choosing one verse rather than reading the whole list at once. Write it on a card or in a note on your phone, and read it when you wake up and again before you face the person who troubles you. Repetition helps a hard command settle into your heart.
When you pray these verses, speak them back to God in your own words. Ask him to make you willing to bless the person who hurt you, even if your feelings lag behind. Revisit the same passage over several weeks, and notice how God gradually changes your attitude toward the one you once resented.
A Short Prayer for loving your enemies
Lord, you know the people I find hardest to love, and you know the wounds they have left in me. I confess that I want justice more than I want to pray for them. Teach me to trust you with what I cannot repair. Give me a willing heart to bless and to do good, even when it costs me pride. Remind me of the mercy you have shown me, and let that mercy flow through me to others. Help me take one small step of peace today, and hold my heart steady as I take it. Amen.
