"If you happen to see your enemy's cow or donkey running loose, take it back to him.

If his donkey has fallen under its load, help him get the donkey to its feet again; don't just walk off.

"No," he answered. "Not even soldiers you had captured in combat would you put to death. Give them something to eat and drink, and let them return to their king."

A man named Oded, a prophet of the LORD, lived in the city of Samaria. He met the returning Israelite army with its Judean prisoners as it was about to enter the city, and he said, "The LORD God of your ancestors was angry with Judah and let you defeat them, but now he has heard of the vicious way you slaughtered them.

Listen to me! These prisoners are your brothers and sisters. Let them go, or the LORD will punish you in his anger."

They said, "Don't bring those prisoners here! We have already sinned against the LORD and made him angry enough to punish us. Now you want to do something that will increase our guilt."

and the four men were appointed to provide the prisoners with clothing from the captured loot. They gave them clothes and sandals to wear, gave them enough to eat and drink, and put olive oil on their wounds. Those who were too weak to walk were put on donkeys, and all the prisoners were taken back to Judean territory at Jericho, the city of palm trees. Then the Israelites returned home to Samaria.

(SEE 7:3)

But when they were sick, I dressed in mourning; I deprived myself of food; I prayed with my head bowed low,

as I would pray for a friend or a brother. I went around bent over in mourning, as one who mourns for his mother.

If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them a drink.

You will make them burn with shame, and the LORD will reward you.

"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you.

And if you lend only to those from whom you hope to get it back, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount!

No! Love your enemies and do good to them; lend and expect nothing back. You will then have a great reward, and you will be children of the Most High God. For he is good to the ungrateful and the wicked.

Jesus said, "Forgive them, Father! They don't know what they are doing." They divided his clothes among themselves by throwing dice.

He knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord! Do not remember this sin against them!" He said this and died.

Ask God to bless those who persecute you---yes, ask him to bless, not to curse.

Instead, as the scripture says: "If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them a drink; for by doing this you will make them burn with shame."

Do not let evil defeat you; instead, conquer evil with good.

we wear ourselves out with hard work. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure;

when we are insulted, we answer back with kind words. We are no more than this world's garbage; we are the scum of the earth to this very moment!

Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud;

love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth.

Love is eternal. There are inspired messages, but they are temporary; there are gifts of speaking in strange tongues, but they will cease; there is knowledge, but it will pass.

When he was insulted, he did not answer back with an insult; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but placed his hopes in God, the righteous Judge.

Do not pay back evil with evil or cursing with cursing; instead, pay back with a blessing, because a blessing is what God promised to give you when he called you.