Matthew 5:43 Meaning and Explanation
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Jesus repeats a saying that paired love of neighbour with hatred of enemies, and is about to overturn its second half entirely.
The Context of Matthew 5:43
On the mountainside, Jesus gives the last of His contrasts, and the most demanding. He quotes a familiar pairing, then in the next verse calls His people to love their enemies, holding up a love as wide as God's own.
What Does Matthew 5:43 Mean?
The first half of this saying comes straight from the law: 'Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.' But the second half, 'hate thine enemy,' is found nowhere in the Scriptures. It was a human addition, the natural narrowing of love down to our own circle, the assumption that those outside it are fair to despise. People had stretched a command to love into a permission to hate, drawing a line and keeping mercy on one side of it.
Jesus erases the line. In the verse that follows He says, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, pray for those who hurt you, because that is how the Father loves, sending sun and rain on the just and the unjust alike. This is the family likeness of God, and Jesus carries it all the way to the cross, where He loved the very ones who put Him there. He invites us into that same wide-open love.
Matthew 5:43 in the Original Language
agapao (ἀγαπάω), 'love' -- to love with deliberate goodwill, a love that seeks another's good regardless of return.
How to Apply Matthew 5:43 Today
Loving those who are kind to us is easy; Jesus widens the circle to include even those who wrong us. We cannot do this on our own strength, yet the One who loved His enemies from the cross gives us His own heart, and He prays for us as we learn to love.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 5:43
What does Matthew 5:43 mean?
Jesus repeats a saying that paired love of neighbour with hatred of enemies, and is about to overturn its second half entirely.
What is the context of Matthew 5:43?
On the mountainside, Jesus gives the last of His contrasts, and the most demanding. He quotes a familiar pairing, then in the next verse calls His people to love their enemies, holding up a love as wide as God's own.
How can I apply Matthew 5:43 today?
Loving those who are kind to us is easy; Jesus widens the circle to include even those who wrong us. We cannot do this on our own strength, yet the One who loved His enemies from the cross gives us His own heart, and He prays for us as we learn to love.