Matthew 5:44

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν, Ἀγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑμῶν, εὐλογειτε τοὺς καταρωμένους ὑμᾶς, καλῶς ποιεῖτε τοὺς μισοῦντας ὑμᾶς, καὶ προσεύχεσθε ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐπηρεαζόντων ὑμᾶς, καὶ διωκόντων ὑμᾶς·

Transliteration

Egō de legō to-you, Agapate the echthrous of-you, eulogeite the katarōmenous you, kalōs poieite to-the misountas you, and proseuchesthe for the epēreazontōn you, and diōkontōn you;

Grammar Details

• *Egō*: nominative personal pronoun - I
• *de*: postpositive conjunction - but/and
• *legō*: present active indicative, 1st person singular - I say/tell
• *Agapate*: present active imperative, 2nd person plural - love!
• *echthrous*: accusative masculine plural - enemies
• *eulogeite*: present active imperative, 2nd person plural - bless!
• *katarōmenous*: present middle/passive participle, accusative masculine plural - cursing
• *kalōs*: adverb - well/good
• *poieite*: present active imperative, 2nd person plural - do!
• *misountas*: present active participle, accusative masculine plural - hating
• *proseuchesthe*: present middle/passive imperative, 2nd person plural - pray!
• *epēreazontōn*: present active participle, genitive masculine plural - mistreating/insulting
• *diōkontōn*: present active participle, genitive masculine plural - persecuting

Word Meanings

• *Egō*: I/myself
• *legō*: say/tell/speak
• *Agapate*: love (agape - selfless, sacrificial love)
• *echthrous*: enemies/foes/opponents
• *eulogeite*: bless/speak well of
• *katarōmenous*: cursing/pronouncing evil against
• *kalōs*: well/good/nobly
• *poieite*: do/perform/act toward
• *misountas*: hating/detesting
• *proseuchesthe*: pray/petition
• *epēreazontōn*: mistreating/insulting/abusing
• *diōkontōn*: persecuting/pursuing/harassing

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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;

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you;

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  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;

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  but{G1161} I{G1473} say{G3004} unto you,{G5213} love{G25} your{G5209} enemies,{G2190} and pray{G4336} for{G5228} them that persecute{G1377} you;{G5209}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  But{G1161} I{G1473} say{G3004}{(G5719)} unto you{G5213}, Love{G25}{(G5720)} your{G5216} enemies{G2190}, bless{G2127}{(G5720)} them that curse{G2672}{(G5740)} you{G5209}, do{G4160}{(G5720)} good{G2573} to them that hate{G3404}{(G5723)} you{G5209}, and{G2532} pray{G4336}{(G5737)} for{G5228} them which{G3588} despitefully use{G1908}{(G5723)} you{G5209}, and{G2532} persecute{G1377}{(G5723)} you{G5209};

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  But I saye vnto you love youre enimies. Blesse the that coursse you. Do good to them that hate you. Praye for them which doo you wronge and persecute you

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  But I saye vnto you: loue youre enemies: Blesse the that cursse you: Do good to the that hate you: Praye for the which do you wronge and persecute you,

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  But I say vnto you, Loue your enemies: blesse them that curse you: doe good to them that hate you, and pray for them which hurt you, and persecute you,

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  But I saye vnto you, loue your enemies, blesse them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for the which hurt you, and persecute you:

• Authorized 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;›

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  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,

• American Standard Version (1901)

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

• American Standard Version (1901)

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

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

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

• World English Bible (2000)

  But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you,

Referenced Verses

• Luke 6:27-28 : 27 But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you.
• Rom 12:14 : 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
• 1 Pet 3:9 : 9 Do not repay evil for evil or insult for insult, but on the contrary, give a blessing, because to this you were called, so that you may inherit a blessing.
• Rom 12:20-21 : 20 If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
• Luke 23:34 : 34 And Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.' Then they divided His garments by casting lots.
• Prov 25:21-22 : 21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. 22 By doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.
• 1 Pet 2:23 : 23 When He was reviled, He did not revile in return. When He suffered, He did not threaten, but entrusted Himself to the One who judges justly.
• Acts 7:60 : 60 Then he fell to his knees and cried out, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them.' When he had said this, he fell asleep.
• Luke 6:34-35 : 34 If you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend without expecting anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
• 1 Cor 4:12-13 : 12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are insulted, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it. 13 When we are slandered, we respond gently. We have become like the scum of the earth, the refuse of all, even until now.
• 1 Cor 13:4-8 : 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
• Exod 23:4-5 : 4 If you come across your enemy's ox or donkey wandering off, you must certainly return it to him. 5 If you see the donkey of someone who hates you collapsing under its load, and you would refrain from helping, you must surely help with it.
• 2 Kgs 6:22 : 22 Elisha answered, "Do not kill them. Would you kill those you have captured with your sword or bow? Set food and water before them so they can eat and drink and then return to their master."
• Ps 7:4 : 4 O Lord, my God, if I have done this, if there is injustice in my hands,
• Ps 35:13-14 : 13 But when they were ill, I wore sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. My prayer returned to me unanswered. 14 I behaved as if they were my friend or brother; I mourned as one mourning for a mother, bowed down in sorrow.
• 2 Chr 28:9-9 : 9 But a prophet of the LORD named Oded was there. He went out to meet the army as they arrived in Samaria and said to them, "Because the LORD, the God of your ancestors, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hands. But you have slain them in a rage that has reached up to heaven. 10 And now you intend to enslave the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem. But aren’t you also guilty of sins against the LORD your God? 11 Now listen to me! Send back your captives whom you have taken from your relatives, for the LORD’s fierce anger is against you. 12 Then some of the leaders of Ephraim—Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Hezekiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai—stood up against those returning from the battle. 13 They said to them, "You must not bring the captives here, for we are already guilty before the LORD. Adding these captives will only increase our sins and guilt before God, for our guilt is already great, and His fierce anger is against Israel." 14 So the armed men released the captives and the plunder in the presence of the officials and the entire assembly. 15 The men who were designated by name took charge of the captives. They clothed all the naked among them using the plunder, giving them clothes and sandals, food and drink, and anointed them. They led all those who were weak on donkeys, brought them to their relatives in Jericho, the city of palm trees, and then returned to Samaria.