For our Enemies

The Eleventh Prayer:

For our Enemies

Forgive all our enemies, those who can still be helped, as well as all the abominable and evil antagonists who do not know what they are doing, who are still hating us so very much and [46] and wishing evil upon us -- continually deriding, forcing and persecuting, lying and deceiving, and also judging and damning the innocent, etc.

Concerning all of these whom you still want to convert, and whom you want to bring to grace: forgive them their sins and misdeeds, since they do not yet know what they are doing, nor are they aware of the violence they have done to us -- or might still do, before their conversion.

We ask this for the sake of your holy name: Do not hold this against them for our sakes, but convert them and us together, according to your holy will, as soon as it may please you.

(From: Prayer Book for Earnest Christians, A spiritually rich Anabaptist resource, translated and edited by Leonard Gross, pp. 44-45)