Passage

Love beyond those who love you

Source and translation

World English Bible, Protestant Edition · Public domain · en

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⁴⁸Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Matthew 5:48World English Bible, Protestant Edition

The scene

The instruction to be perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect closes a passage about loving enemies.

To understand

The surrounding speech asks what is gained by loving only those who return the love or greeting only one's own people. It points to the Father's sun and rain reaching both the just and the unjust.

A question

What does the command to be perfect ask you to consider when read with this discussion of love?