Romans 12:17
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Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Recompense--"Recompensing," &c.--(See on Rom 12:14). Provide--"Providing" things honest--"honorable" in the sight of all men--The idea (which is from Pro 3:4) is the care which Christians should take so to demean themselves as to command the respect of all men.
Open source ↗The apostle, having at large cleared and confirmed the prime fundamental doctrines of Christianity, comes in the next place to press the principal duties. We mistake our religion if we look upon it only as a system of notions and a guide to speculation. No, it is a practical religion, that tends to the right ordering of the conversation. It is designed not only to inform our judgments, but to reform our hearts and lives. From the method of the apostle's writing in this, as in some other of the epistles (as from the management of the principal ministers of state in Christ's kingdom) the stewards of the mysteries of God may take direction how to divide the word of truth: not to press duty abstracted from privilege, nor privilege abstracted from duty; but let both go together, with a complicated design, they will greatly promote and befriend each other. The duties are drawn from the privileges, by way of inference. The foundation of Christian practice must be laid in Christian knowledge and faith. We must first understand how we receive Christ Jesus the Lord, and then we shall know the better how to walk in him. There is a great deal of duty prescribed in this chapter. The exhortations are short and pithy, briefly summing up what is good, and what the Lord our God in Christ requires of us. It is an abridgment of the Christian directory, an excellent collection of rules for the right ordering of the conversation, as becomes the gospel. It is joined to the foregoing discourse by the word "therefore." It is the practical application of doctrinal truths that is the life of preaching. He had been discoursing at large of justification by faith, and of the riches of free grace, and the pledges and assurances we have of the glory that is to be revealed. Hence carnal libertines wou…
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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Do not say, “I will avenge this evil!” Wait on the LORD, and He will save you.
Make sure that no one repays evil for evil. Always pursue what is good for one another and for all people.
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
But I tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also;
Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”
keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ.
Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.
Do not allow what you consider good, then, to be spoken of as evil.
Abstain from every form of evil.
Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time.