---
title: Matthew 5:43
url: https://jw-apologetics.app/verses/matthew-5-43/
markdown: https://jw-apologetics.app/verses/matthew-5-43.md
type: verse
perspective: Protestant (historic Nicene) response to Jehovah's Witness teaching
reference: Matthew 5:43
testament: NT
section: Gospels
index: https://jw-apologetics.app/llms.txt
---

# Matthew 5:43

## Text (Berean Standard Bible)

> You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘Hate your enemy.’

## NWT Wording of the Key Phrase

- NWT (2013 revision): "You heard that it was said: 'You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'"

## JW Usage

JWs read Matthew 5:43 as setting up Jesus' radical love-of-enemy command — but in practice, the categorical "worldly people are controlled by Satan" framing narrows enemy-love to evangelistic contact rather than genuine friendship across organisational boundaries.

## Protestant Usage

Verse 43 introduces the saying Jesus is about to overturn — "love your neighbour and hate your enemy". The verses that follow (44-48) define the Father's love as common grace extended beyond the in- group: he sends rain on the just AND the unjust. The whole pericope rules out the categorical "Satan blesses worldly people" reflex — Jesus explicitly attributes worldly flourishing (sun, rain) to the Father's even-handed kindness, not to satanic counterfeit. Use this verse as the gateway into Matthew 5:44-48 when the Witness reclassifies non-Witness flourishing as suspect.

## Arguments Using This Verse

- [James Defines Pure Religion — and It Isn't Preaching](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/james127-pure-religion.md) — James 1:27 / Matthew 5:46-47 / Galatians 6:10 [Practice]
- ['Satan Also Blesses' — Common Grace vs Demonic Conspiracy](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/satan-blesses-worldly-success.md) — Matthew 5:45 — He sends rain on the just and the unjust [Epistemology]