Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The instruction to "bless and do not curse them" isn't just about biting your tongue; it’s a call to actively wish well for those who are actively harming you. This isn't about suppressing anger, but about cultivating a heart that desires God's goodness even for your enemies, an attitude that deeply contrasts with the world's way of responding to hurt.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is shifting from how believers should interact with each other to how they should engage with the outside world, even those who oppose them. This verse follows instructions on mutual love and hospitality, and immediately precedes advice on humility and living in harmony. It's a radical call to respond to hostility with goodwill, a directive that directly echoes Jesus' teachings in the Gospels and sets believers apart from the world's typical reactions.
We often want to retaliate when someone hurts us. But God's Word calls us to something radically different.
Paul's instruction here is direct: "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them." This isn't just about refraining from speaking ill; it's a call to actively wish well and pray for the good of those who are actively harming us.
A Radical Counter-Cultural Call
This command flies in the face of our natural instincts. When we're wronged, especially repeatedly ('persecute'), our first thought is often self-protection or even revenge. But Paul, echoing Jesus' teachings, directs believers to bless. This means speaking well of them, praying for their well-being, and seeking their good, even when they are actively trying to cause us harm.
The Depth of 'Bless'
The Greek word for 'bless' here implies speaking well, praising, or invoking divine favor. It's the opposite of cursing, which invokes harm or misfortune. Paul isn't asking for a superficial 'blessing' – he's calling for a deep, internal disposition of goodwill, even for enemies. This radical kindness is a hallmark of God's own character and is meant to set believers apart.
Why would God ask us to do something that feels so unnatural, even impossible?
This command isn't about condoning injustice or pretending harm doesn't hurt. It's about recognizing a higher spiritual reality and the transformative power of God's love.
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Reflecting God's Heart
God Himself is our ultimate example. He shows kindness and patience even to those who rebel against Him. By blessing our persecutors, we begin to reflect God's own compassionate heart. It's a way of demonstrating that our hope and identity are not rooted in human approval or safety, but in Him.
Overcoming the 'Us vs. Them' Mentality
Persecution often creates a strong 'us vs. them' mentality. Paul's command shatters this divide. It calls us to see even our enemies as people for whom Christ died, people who might be brought to repentance and salvation through our Christ-like response. It’s a profound act of spiritual warfare that aims for reconciliation, not retaliation.
Understand the original words
eulogeō · Greek Verb
To speak well of or invoke divine favor upon someone. Biblically, it involves desiring and praying for the spiritual and physical well-being of others, even one's enemies.
diōkō · Greek Verb/Participle
Those who actively pursue, harass, or cause harm to others because of their faith or identification with Christ.
kataraomai · Greek Verb
To invoke divine judgment or harm upon someone. Scripture strictly forbids this, commanding followers of Christ to respond to evil with godly love instead.
While Romans was written before the major Neronian persecution, the early church constantly faced social opposition and private hostility, making Paul's call to bless persecutors a radical, counter-cultural directive rooted in Jesus' own teachings.
c. AD 50-52
Paul writes 1 Corinthians
In this earlier letter, Paul references Jesus' teachings on loving enemies, showing these principles were already circulating in the early church.
c. AD 55-58— this verse
Paul writes Romans
Paul pens this letter to the church in Rome, likely from Corinth or Ephesus, offering foundational teaching on Christian living. The church in Rome, though not under intense imperial persecution yet, likely faced social ostracism and private hostility.
c. AD 60-62
Nero's reign intensifies
Growing tensions between Christians and Roman society under Emperor Nero laid the groundwork for future, more severe persecutions.
AD 64
Great Fire of Rome
Nero blamed Christians for the Great Fire of Rome, initiating the first empire-wide persecution of Christians, which involved brutal torture and execution.
c. AD 65-67
Paul's imprisonment and writing
During his Roman imprisonment, Paul likely wrote letters such as Philippians, reinforcing the importance of enduring hardship and maintaining Christlike attitudes even amidst suffering.
This passage directly echoes Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, commanding His followers to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them, underscoring the radical nature of this command.
Luke 6:28Luke's Gospel also records Jesus' instruction to bless those who curse you, providing another direct link to the foundational teachings of Jesus that Paul is expanding upon in Romans.
1 Peter 3:9Peter urges believers not to repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but to respond with a blessing, reinforcing the same principle of benevolent response to adversity found in Romans 12:14.
Proverbs 25:21-22This Old Testament proverb speaks to the power of kindness in overcoming hostility, suggesting that blessing an enemy is not only a Christian command but a divinely effective strategy for reconciliation.
Luke 23:34Jesus' prayer from the cross, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,' serves as the ultimate example of blessing those who are actively persecuting Him, providing the perfect model for believers.
ellicottRomans 12:14: "Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not."
(14) Bless them which persecute you. —Apparently with allusion to Matthew 5:44 . It was probably just about the time that St. Paul was writing this Epistle, or at most a year or two later, that the series of compositions which ultimately took the shape of our present Gospels began. It is not, however, necessary to suppose that St. Paul had actually seen one of these. The record of our Lord’s teaching was no doubt at first pre…
bengelRomans 12:14: "Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not."
Romans 12:14 . Διώκοντας , persecuting ) for the sake of Christ.— καὶ μὴ καταρᾶσθε , curse not ) not even in thought.
The instruction to "bless and do not curse them" isn't just about biting your tongue; it’s a call to actively wish well for those who are actively harming you. This isn't about suppressing anger, but about cultivating a heart that desires God's goodness even for your enemies, an attitude that deeply contrasts with the world's way of responding to hurt.
Paul is shifting from how believers should interact with each other to how they should engage with the outside world, even those who oppose them. This verse follows instructions on mutual love and hospitality, and immediately precedes advice on humility and living in harmony. It's a radical call to respond to hostility with goodwill, a directive that directly echoes Jesus' teachings in the Gospels and sets believers apart from the world's typical reactions.
Paul is shifting from how believers should interact with each other to how they should engage with the outside world, even those who oppose them. This verse follows instructions on mutual love and hospitality, and immediately precedes advice on humility and living in harmony. It's a radical call to respond to hostility with goodwill, a directive that directly echoes Jesus' teachings in the Gospels and sets believers apart from the world's typical reactions.
"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them." — The instruction to "bless and do not curse them" isn't just about biting your tongue; it’s a call to actively wish well for those who are actively harming you. This isn't about suppressing anger, but…
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Last reviewed October 2026