56 Bible Verses about enemies, of believers
Most Relevant Verses
If the world hates you, you know that it has first hated me. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world--that is why the world hates you.
I have given them thy Message; and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world, even as I do not belong to the world.
Yes, and all who aim at living a religious life in union with Christ Jesus will have to suffer persecution;
I need hardly say that no one among you must suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a criminal, or for interfering in matters which do not concern Christians. But, if a man suffers as a Christian, do not let him be ashamed of it; let him bring honour to God even though he bears that name.
Then the King will say to those on his right 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, enter upon possession of the Kingdom prepared for you ever since the beginning of the world. For, when I was hungry, you gave me food; when I was thirsty, you gave me drink; when I was a stranger, you took me to your homes; When I was naked, you clothed me; when I fell ill, you visited me; and when I was in prison, you came to me.'read more.
Then the Righteous will answer 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you? Or thirsty, and give you a drink? When did we see you a stranger, and take you to our homes? Or naked, and clothe you? When did we see you ill, or in prison, and come to you?' And the King will reply 'I tell you, as often as you did it to one of these my Brothers, however lowly, you did it to me.'
And, if any one puts a snare in the way of one of these lowly ones who believe in me, it would be far better for him if he had been thrown into the sea with a great millstone round his neck.
Jesus said to his disciples: "It is inevitable that there should be snares; yet alas for him who is answerable for them!
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him-- "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" "Who are you, Lord?" he asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," the voice answered;
And you will be hated by every one on account of my Name. Yet the man that endures to the end shall be saved.
And you will be hated by every one on account of my Name. Yet the man that endures to the end shall be saved.
But they will do all this to you, because you believe in my Name, for they do not know him who sent me.
Do not imagine that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring, not peace, but the sword. For I have come to set--'a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'
Do you think that I am here to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but to cause division. For from this time, if there are five people in a house, they will be divided, three against two, and two against three. 'Father will be opposed to son and son to father, mother to daughter and daughter to mother, mother-in-law to her daughter-in- law and daughter-in-law to her mother-in-law.'"
Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; and children will turn against their parents, and cause them to be put to death;
Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; and children will turn against their parents, and cause them to be put to death;
So they called the Apostles in, and ordered them not to speak or teach in the Name of Jesus.
"We gave you strict orders," he said, "not to teach in this Name. Yet you have actually flooded Jerusalem with your teaching, and you want to make us responsible for the death of this man."
But Saul began to devastate the Church; he entered house after house, dragged out men and women alike, and threw them into prison.
Meanwhile Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, went to the High Priest, And asked him to give him letters to the Jewish congregations at Damascus, authorizing him, if he found there any supporters of the Cause, whether men or women, to have them put in chains and brought to Jerusalem.
But there were false prophets also in the nation, just as there will be false teachers among you, men who will secretly introduce ruinous divisions, disowning even the Lord who bought them, and bringing speedy Ruin upon themselves.
They will expel you from their Synagogues; indeed the time is coming when any one who kills you will think that he is making an offering to God.
"Look," he exclaimed, "I see Heaven open and the Son of Man standing at God's right hand!" At this, with a loud shout, they stopped their ears and all rushed upon him, forced him outside the city, And began to stone him, the witnesses laying their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.read more.
And they stoned Stephen, while he cried to the Lord: "Lord Jesus! receive my spirit!" Falling on his knees, he called out loudly: "Lord! do not charge them with this sin;" and with these words he fell asleep.
It was at that time that King Herod began to ill-treat some of the members of the Church. He had James, the brother of John, beheaded;
I myself, it is true, once thought it my duty to oppose in every way the Name of Jesus of Nazareth; And I actually did so at Jerusalem. Acting on the authority of the Chief Priests, I myself threw many of the People of Christ into prison, and, when it was proposed to put them to death, I gave my vote for it.
When the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been killed for the sake of God's Message and for the testimony which they had borne.
I, however, say to you--Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, That you may become Sons of your Father who is in Heaven; for he causes his sun to rise upon bad and good alike, and sends rain upon the righteous and upon the unrighteous.
But to you who hear I say--Love your enemies, show kindness to those who hate you, Bless those who curse you, pray for those who insult you. When a man gives one of you a blow on the cheek, offer the other cheek as well; and, when any one takes away your cloak, do not keep back your coat either.
[Then Jesus said: "Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing."] His clothes they divided among them by casting lots.
And they stoned Stephen, while he cried to the Lord: "Lord Jesus! receive my spirit!" Falling on his knees, he called out loudly: "Lord! do not charge them with this sin;" and with these words he fell asleep.
never returning evil for evil, or abuse for abuse, but, on the contrary, blessing. It was to this that you were called--to obtain a blessing!
And forgive us our wrong-doings, as we have forgiven those who have wronged us; And take us not into temptation, but deliver us from Evil.' For, if you forgive others their offences, your heavenly Father will forgive you also;read more.
But, if you do not forgive others their offences, not even your Father will forgive your offences.
And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive every one who wrongs us; and take us not into temptation.'"
When they had reached the place called 'The Skull,' there they crucified Jesus and the criminals, one on the right, and one on the left. [Then Jesus said: "Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing."] His clothes they divided among them by casting lots.
Rather--'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him to drink. By doing this you will heap coals of fire upon his head.'
Just then a Student of the Law came forward to test Jesus further. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do if I am to 'gain Immortal Life'?" "What is said in the Law?" answered Jesus. "What do you read there?" His reply was--"'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thou dost thyself.'"read more.
"You have answered right," said Jesus; "do that, and you shall live." But the man, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus: "And who is my neighbor?" To which Jesus replied: "A man was once going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him of everything, and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. As it chanced, a priest was going down by that road. He saw the man, but passed by on the opposite side. A Levite, too, did the same; he came up to the spot, but, when he saw the man, passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan, traveling that way, came upon the man, and, when he saw him, he was moved with compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, dressing them with oil and wine, and then put him on his own mule, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out four shillings and gave them to the inn-keeper. 'Take care of him,' he said, 'and whatever more you may spend I will myself repay you on my way back.' Now which, do you think, of these three men," asked Jesus, "proved himself a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers' hands?" "The one that took pity on him," was the answer; on which Jesus said: "Go and do the same yourself."
Exercise self-control, be watchful. Your adversary, the Devil, like a roaring lion, is prowling about, eager to devour you.
But the Lord came to my help and strengthened me, in order that, through me, the proclamation should be made so widely that all the Gentiles should hear it; and I was rescued 'out of the Lion's mouth.' The Lord will rescue me from all evil, and bring me safe into his Heavenly Kingdom. All glory to him for ever and ever! Amen.
Stand firm against him, strong in your faith; knowing, as you do, that the very sufferings which you are undergoing are being endured to the full by your Brotherhood throughout the world.
The weapons for our warfare are not earthly, but, under God, are powerful enough to pull down strongholds.
For the future, find strength in your union with the Lord, and in the power which comes from his might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you may be able to stand your ground against the stratagems of the Devil. For ours is no struggle against enemies of flesh and blood, but against all the various Powers of Evil that hold sway in the Darkness around us, against the Spirits of Wickedness on high.read more.
Therefore take up the full armor of God, that, when the evil day comes, you may be able to withstand the attack, and, having fought to the end, still to stand your ground. Stand your ground, then, 'with truth for your belt,' and 'with righteousness for your breast-plate,' And with the readiness to serve the Good News of Peace as shoes for your feet. At every onslaught take up faith for your shield; for with it you will be able to extinguish all the flaming darts of the Evil One. And receive 'the helmet of Salvation,' and 'the sword of the Spirit'--which is the Message of God--always with prayer and supplication. Pray in spirit at all times. Be intent upon this, with unwearying perseverance and supplication for all Christ's People- -
Therefore I advise young widows to marry, bear children, and attend to their homes, and so avoid giving the enemy an opportunity for scandal. There are some who have already left us, to follow Satan.
I have run the great Race; I have finished the Course; I have kept the Faith.
Therefore submit to God; but resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.
I do not ask thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from Evil.
And do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; rather be afraid of him who is able to destroy both soul and body in the Pit. Are not two sparrows sold for a half-penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's knowledge. While as for you, the very hairs of your head are numbered.read more.
Do not, therefore, be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.
And has raised up for us the Strength of our Salvation In the House of his servant David--
But I prayed for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. And you, when you have returned to me, are to strengthen your Brothers."
And now the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just Judge, will give me on 'That Day'--and not only to me, but to all who have loved his Appearing.
The last enemy to be overthrown is death;
and has now been made apparent through the Appearing of our Saviour, Christ Jesus; who has made an end of Death, and has brought Life and Immortality to light by that Good News,
Then Death and the Lord of the Place of Death were hurled into the lake of fire. This is the Second Death--the lake of fire;
and he will wipe away all tears from their eyes. There will be no more death, nor will there be any more grief or crying or pain. The old order has passed away.'
