bible verses about enemies

Bible Verses About Enemies: 12

Bible verses about enemies: 12 Scriptures on foes, hostility, and God who rescues.

Illustrated portrait of Christopher McAllister

By Christopher McAllister

Founder of theBibleand.Love

Published September 30, 20265 min readPsalm 23:5 (NIV)

Two people meet on a path and take each other's hands, a cracked jar set aside nearby.

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies."

— Psalm 23:5 (NIV)

People who search bible verses about enemies want Scripture for foes, hostility, and opposition — not only the agape command of loving your enemies. This page is a numbered list of twelve passages with the NIV text and a short note on each. Related lists: Bible verses about loving your enemies, Bible verses about forgiveness, Bible verses about anger, Bible verses about jealousy, Bible verses about peace, Bible verses about courage, and Bible verse of the day. Enemies here means echthros — hostility and opposition — distinct from the love-your-enemies command list alone.

Word study (lead theme). In Greek, "enemy" is often ἐχθρός echthros (Strong's G2190; Bible Hub G2190) — hated, hostile, or an adversary. Scripture treats enemies as real opposition — and God as the One who rescues, prepares a table, and still calls his people beyond revenge.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 5 presses the harder call that belongs with enemy-language: love your enemies and pray for persecutors — the opposite of hate (Bible Hub commentaries on Matthew 5:44; Bible Hub MHC Matthew 5; Blue Letter Bible, Matthew Henry on Matthew 5). On Romans 12 he marks feeding a hungry enemy and overcoming evil with good (Bible Hub commentaries on Romans 12:20; Bible Hub MHC Romans 12; Blue Letter Bible, Matthew Henry on Romans 12). (Those classic love-your-enemies texts live on the loving-your-enemies page; this list centers foes, rescue, and hostility passages.)

12 Bible verses about enemies

  1. Psalm 23:5. "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows." Enemies do not cancel God's hospitality — the table is set where foes can see. See Bible verses about peace.

  2. Psalm 27:2. "When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall." Hostility advances; stumbling is God's answer — not your panic. See Bible verses about courage.

  3. Psalm 18:17. "He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me." Some enemies are too strong for you — rescue is from the Lord. See Bible verses about courage.

  4. Psalm 59:1. "Deliver me from my enemies, O God; be my fortress against those who are attacking me." Prayer names enemies without pretending they are friends. See Bible verses about fear.

  5. Micah 7:8. "Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light." Fallen is not finished — the Lord is light when an enemy gloats. See Bible verses about hope.

  6. Matthew 10:36. "A man's enemies will be the members of his own household." Opposition can sit at the same table — enmity is not only outside the door. See Bible verses about anger.

  7. Romans 5:10. "For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!" We were enemies of God first — reconciliation started there. See Bible verses about forgiveness.

  8. Proverbs 16:7. "When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone's way, he causes their enemies to make peace with them." Peace with enemies can be God's gift, not only your strategy. See Bible verses about peace.

  9. Deuteronomy 20:4. "For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory." God goes with his people against enemies — courage is presence, not bravado. See Bible verses about courage.

  10. Psalm 110:1. "The Lord says to my lord: 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.'" Enemies become a footstool under the Lord's timing — not yours alone. See Bible verses about jesus.

  11. James 4:4. "You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God." Enmity can be a chosen allegiance — world-friendship that opposes God. See Bible verses about jealousy.

  12. Psalm 3:1. "Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!" Scripture lets you count foes out loud before God — lament is allowed. See Bible verses about fear.

How to use these verses

Pick one verse for a named foe, a household conflict, or a night when opposition feels stronger than you — not twelve as a revenge plan. If you need rescue language, start with Psalm 18:17. If you need the love-your-enemies command, open Bible verses about loving your enemies. If you need release of a debt, open Bible verses about forgiveness. For a daily verse, open Bible verse of the day.

Questions people ask

What is a good Bible verse about enemies?

Psalm 23:5 (table in the presence of enemies), Psalm 18:17 (rescued from a powerful enemy), and Romans 5:10 (reconciled while enemies) are clear starting places.

How do Bible verses about enemies differ from loving your enemies?

Loving-your-enemies pages center the agape command toward opponents. An enemies page centers echthros — hostility, foes, and God's rescue — then cross-links the love command. See Bible verses about loving your enemies.

What does echthros mean?

Strong's G2190 echthros is an enemy, adversary, or one who is hostile — hated or hating.

Does naming enemies mean I should hate them?

Scripture names foes honestly and still presses prayer, mercy, and peace where God gives it. Pair this list with Bible verses about loving your enemies and Bible verses about forgiveness.

Where can I read more about forgiveness, anger, and peace?

Start with Bible verses about forgiveness, then Bible verses about anger, Bible verses about peace, and Bible verses about courage.

Sources

A man and a woman take each other's hands, a cracked jar set aside.

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