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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
Bless them which persecute you; i.e. pray for them, and wish well to them. This is borrowed from Mat_5:44 Luk_6:28: see the like in 1Pe_3:9. This is commended to us by the example of Christ himself, Isa_53:12 Luk_23:34 1Pe_2:23; of Stephen, Act_7:60; of Paul, and the primitive Christians, 1Co_4:12.
Bless, and curse not: his doubling the exhortation shows the difficulty of the duty; it is contrary to corrupt nature: and it denotes the constancy of it; we must persevere therein. When he saith, curse not, he means, wish no evil to your enemies.
Objection. The prophets and apostles went contrary to this: see 2Ki_2:24 Psa_69:22,23 Ac 8:20 13:10,11 23:3.
Answer. These did it by a special vocation and instinct of the Spirit.