Romans 12:14

Romans 12:14 Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not.

'Call down blessings on your persecutors--blessings, not curses' (NEB) (Luke 6:28; Luke 23:34; Acts 7:60). 'To curse does not mean to use ordinary profanity; it is. call for calamity to befall. person.' (Whiteside p. 253) Pray for their salvation, instead of their damnation! We don't need to 'call down curses' upon the enemies of Christ, for their own sins already condemn them. Evil is coming upon our persecutors, there is no need to call it down. (Matthew 25:41; 2 Thessalonians 1:7). Our desire should be for the salvation of all. (1 Timothy 2:4; Acts 26:29)

'bless' -i.e. pray for them (Matthew 5:44)

'Don't tell me we can't live that way. Tell me we don't; tell me we won't; but don't tell me we can't...Rees cuts to the bone when he parodies: "I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please, not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep..just enough to equal. cup of warm milk or. snooze in the sunshine.. don't want enough of him to make me love. black man...I want ecstasy, not transformation;. want the warmth of the womb, not. new birth.. want. pound of the Eternal in. paper sack.. would like to buy $3 worth of God please."' (McGuiggan p. 371)