Payback ∙

Payback ∙

Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do. – 1 Peter 3:9

Matthew 5:38-41

You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” But I say, do not resist an evil person!

If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. If you are sued in court, and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles.

The Negative Connotation of Payback

The term “Payback” often has a negative connotation, evoking ideas of retribution, revenge, or getting even. When we experience wrongs, the natural human instinct is to retaliate, giving back injury for injury. This urge seems deeply rooted in human nature, as if it were embedded in our very DNA. However, for children of the King, this is not the way we are called to live.

The Law of Retaliation in the Old Testament

The Old Testament introduced the “Law of Retaliation,” or Lex Talionis, which is often misunderstood and misinterpreted. This principle is outlined in Exodus 21:23-25: “But if there is further injury, the punishment must match the injury: a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot, a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, a bruise for a bruise.”

This law was not intended to promote revenge but to ensure justice. Its purpose was to maintain fairness and prevent punishments that were too harsh or unfair. According to the law of Moses, the punishment was meant to match the crime, forming a system of proportional justice. This principle also protected against the abuse of power by individuals of higher status, wealth, or authority, who might otherwise seek excessive revenge.

The Misuse of Retaliation

Unfortunately, for those who lived outside the law or disobeyed it, retaliation often became harsh and unfair. A notable example of this is found in the story of Lamech. In Genesis 4:23-24: “One day, Lamech said . . . I have killed a man who attacked me, a young man who wounded me. If someone who kills Cain is punished seven times, then the one who kills me will be punished seventy-seven times!”

Here, Lamech boasts about his excessive, disproportional response to an injury, illustrating how a lack of restraint can lead to escalating cycles of violence and revenge.

A More Excellent Way

The following quote is attributed to Abraham Lincoln, although variations appear in older sources as well. “The best way to get rid of an enemy is to turn him into a friend.” It asserts that reconciliation and understanding are more powerful than conflict.

The essence of the quote is that resolving hostility through empathy and respect not only removes an opponent but also creates an ally. It embodies a philosophy rooted in diplomacy, moral strength, and emotional intelligence, emphasizing that peace built through kindness lasts longer than victory achieved through force. It highlights a deep principle of reconciliation and transformation. It underlines the power of grace, kindness, compassion, and understanding to dissolve hostility and turn it into friendship. Instead of continuing cycles of revenge or hatred, this approach aims to build bridges and promote peace.

In one anecdote, when someone urged Lincoln to be harsher and “destroy” his enemies, he is said to have replied, “Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?”

This idea aligns with Romans 12:20-21, which states, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads. Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.”

REFLECT & PRAY

Children of the King are called to rise above the natural human impulse for retaliation. This perspective reflects the transformative power of grace and forgiveness, which replaces the desire for payback with a commitment to reconciliation and blessing.

Father, I want to be like the Lord Jesus Christ. Encourage me not to seek my own revenge or payback, but to bless those responsible.

INSIGHT

Responding to Evil with Good

The Lord Jesus Christ redefined the meaning of justice and raised the standard for His followers to an extraordinary level. In Matthew 5:38-39, He said: “You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.”

This teaching challenges the natural human inclination toward retaliation and introduces a radical call to respond to wrongdoing with grace and restraint. Simply reflecting on this teaching may evoke a pang of ambivalent feeling deep inside. While the Old Testament law of retaliation ensured proportional justice, Jesus calls His followers to transcend this principle, embodying forgiveness and peace.

Living at Peace with Others

Children of the King are called to pursue peace whenever possible. As stated in Hebrews 12:14, “Insofar as it is possible, we are called to live at peace with everyone.” And also, Romans 12:17 “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men.”

This does not mean passively accepting wickedness but rather standing up against evil with righteousness. As Mounce explains, “Wickedness is to be opposed, and righteousness lauded.”

Mounce further emphasizes that “our most powerful weapon against evil is the good. To respond to evil with evil is not to overcome it but to add to it. Believers are called upon to live victoriously in a hostile world by continuing to live as Jesus lived. Right will inevitably prevail against wrong. God is on his throne, and though all is not right in this world, he is the one who will avenge the wicked and reward the righteous.”

The Call to Bless, Not Retaliate

1 Peter 3:9 reinforces this principle: “Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it.”

Children of the King are strongly advised not to repay evil with evil or insult with insult. This teaching, while remarkable, reflects the high standard set by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Peter and Paul, along with other New Testament writers, echo this divine expectation.

Understanding the Language of Retaliation

The Greek word translated as “payback,” “repay,” or “return” is apodidomi, which means “to give back, return, or recompense based on what a person deserves.” It conveys the idea of “responding to someone’s actions with a corresponding reaction, whether as a reward or punishment.”

Similarly, the Greek word for “insult” or “cursing” is loidoria. Loidoria connotes “harsh, reproachful, or slanderous speech.” It refers to “verbal abuse intended to harm someone’s reputation, reviling, slander, or speaking in a highly insulting manner.” Alternative translations clarify this teaching: “If people do evil to you, you should not do evil to them, or if people curse you, you should not curse them.” Another way to express this is, “Do not retaliate against people who do evil by doing evil to them, and do not retaliate against those who curse you by cursing them” (UBS).

Responding with Blessing

Instead of retaliating, believers are called to respond with a blessing. This means asking God to bless those who harm or curse them, or as UBS puts it, “Ask God to be good to them.” The idea can also be expressed as “Pay back with good” (Phillips) or “Speaking well of those who curse.” Believers are exhorted to intercede for their persecutors and ask for God’s blessings upon them.

Christ’s Example of Forgiveness

The Lord Jesus Christ did not merely teach these lofty standards; He lived them out. His life serves as the ultimate model of responding to mistreatment with grace and love. In Luke 6:35, He taught His followers to love their enemies, and in His final moments, He demonstrated this teaching in action.

Luke 23:34 records His words on the cross: “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

This profound act of forgiveness exemplifies the seemingly impossible standard He set for His followers. It is a call to rise above human instincts and reflect the character of God.

The Power to Live Like Christ

How can children of the King live up to such a high standard? Paul addresses this question in Philippians 3:10, where he expresses his desire to know Christ and emulate Him: “I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death.”

Paul’s words emphasize the source of strength for living out Christ’s teachings. It is through God’s power, available to children of the King, that they can choose to respond to evil with good, to bless instead of curse, and to forgive rather than retaliate. This transformative power allows believers to reflect Christ’s love and grace in a broken and hostile world.

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© Dr. H 2026