Proverbs 17:13
11 An evil person seeks only rebellion, and so a cruel messenger will be sent against him. 12 It is better for a person to meet a mother bear being robbed of her cubs than to encounter a fool in his folly. 13 As for the one who repays evil for good, evil will not leave his house. 14 Starting a quarrel is like letting out water; abandon strife before it breaks out! 15 The one who acquits the guilty and the one who condemns the innocent—both of them are an abomination to the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 5:15
13 and to esteem them most highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the undisciplined, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient toward all. 15 See that no one pays back evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all. 16 Always rejoice, 17 constantly pray,
Notes and References
"... the author's use of the phrase 'do not repay evil for evil' does not indicate that it is original with him, but already has the character of a common tradition. In each instance it is brought forth in stereotype fashion as if it is a well-known proverb: a God-fearing man does not repay evil for evil. Therefore we need not suppose that the New Testament paraenetic tradition was directly dependent on Joseph and Asenath. But we may say with confidence that the saying behind 1 Thessalonians 5:15, Romans 12:17 and 1 Peter 3:9 was taken over from previously existing Jewish paraenetic tradition. Johannes Thomas suggests reasonably that the tradition stems ultimately from Proverbs 17:13 and represents a further development of the principle developed there ..."
Piper, John "Love Your Enemies": Jesus' Love Command in the Synoptic Gospels and in the Early Christian Paraenesis: A History of the Tradition and Interpretation of its Uses (p. 39) Cambridge University Press, 1979