Paul, apostle of Jesus Christ, now turning from the doctrinal and redemptive-historical argument of Romans 1-11 to the practical outworking of God's mercies in the life of the church.
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Romans 12
Living Sacrifices, Renewed Minds, Humble Service, and Love Without Hypocrisy
Because of God's mercies, believers offer their whole lives to God as living sacrifices, becoming a renewed, humble, gifted, loving, peace-seeking people who overcome evil with good.
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Chapter Summary
Because of God's mercies, believers offer their whole lives to God as living sacrifices, becoming a renewed, humble, gifted, loving, peace-seeking people who overcome evil with good.
Overview
Romans 12 argues that God's mercy creates a new kind of worshiping community. Believers respond to mercy with embodied sacrifice, resist the age through renewed minds, serve humbly as members of one body, exercise gifts according to grace, love without hypocrisy, endure suffering, pursue peace, renounce vengeance, and overcome evil through active good.
Context
The Roman believers, a mixed Jewish-Gentile church needing shared worshipful identity, humble body-life, renewed thinking, sincere love, and a distinctly Christian ethic amid social pressure and hostility.
Romans 12 follows the doxological climax of Romans 11:33-36. Because all things are from God, through God, and for God, believers must offer their whole embodied lives back to God in worship.
Because of God's mercies, believers offer their whole lives to God as living sacrifices, becoming a renewed, humble, gifted, loving, peace-seeking people who overcome evil with good.
Paul, apostle of Jesus Christ, now turning from the doctrinal and redemptive-historical argument of Romans 1-11 to the practical outworking of God's mercies in the life of the church.
The Roman believers, a mixed Jewish-Gentile church needing shared worshipful identity, humble body-life, renewed thinking, sincere love, and a distinctly Christian ethic amid social pressure and hostility.
Romans 12 follows the doxological climax of Romans 11:33-36. Because all things are from God, through God, and for God, believers must offer their whole embodied lives back to God in worship.
Social Pressure
- Believers in Rome faced pressures from the age around them, social hierarchy, honor competition, ethnic division, persecution, and the temptation to repay evil with evil. Paul gives a community ethic shaped by mercy, humility, love, peace, and non-retaliation.
In a Roman world marked by patronage, status-seeking, public honor, household hierarchy, vengeance codes, and religious sacrifices, Paul calls the church to embodied living sacrifice, humble mutual belonging, sincere love, hospitality, and enemy-directed goodness.
Romans 12 begins the main exhortation section of Romans. It shows that justification by faith, union with Christ, life in the Spirit, and mercy toward Jews and Gentiles produce a transformed people who worship God with their bodies and embody gospel-shaped love.
Chapter Movement
Paul moves from whole-life sacrifice in response to God's mercies, to renewed minds resisting the age, to humble service in the one body, to varied gifts exercised by grace, to sincere love within the church, to endurance and hospitality, and finally to blessing persecutors, refusing vengeance, and overcoming evil with good.
Discourse Insight
Theological exposition and fulfillment
Romans 12 clarifies that the gospel does not end with forgiven individuals but produces a worshiping, renewed, humble, gifted, loving, peaceable people. God's mercies in Christ create embodied worship, renewed minds, mutual belonging, sincere love, patient hope, prayerful endurance, hospitality, and enemy-love. Christian obedience is not self-salvation; it is the mercy-shaped life of those who belong to God.
Structural Flow
Paul grounds Christian obedience in God's mercies rather than bare command or self-generated moralism.
Believers resist conformity to the present age by being transformed through renewed thinking.
Grace produces humility rather than inflated self-importance.
The church is one body in Christ with many members who belong to one another.
Grace gives varied gifts that must be exercised according to their purpose and with faithful posture.
The renewed community is marked by sincere love, moral clarity, honor, zeal, hope, endurance, prayer, generosity, and hospitality.
The community blesses persecutors, enters others' joys and sorrows, lives harmoniously, and rejects conceit.
Believers refuse retaliation, pursue peace, entrust vengeance to God, and actively do good to enemies.
Chapter Outline
- 12:1: The mercies of God call believers to embodied worship that is living, holy, and pleasing to God.
- 12:2: Believers resist conformity to this age by inward transformation and discernment of God's will.
- 12:3: Grace forbids proud self-exaltation and trains believers in sober self-assessment.
- 12:4-5: Believers are many members with different functions, yet one body in Christ and mutually belonging to one another.
- 12:6-8: Prophecy, service, teaching, encouragement, giving, leading, and mercy must be practiced according to grace.
- 12:9-13: Christian love rejects evil, clings to good, honors others, serves fervently, endures affliction, prays faithfully, gives generously, and practices hospitality.
- 12:14-16: Believers bless persecutors, share joy and grief, live in harmony, reject pride, and associate with the lowly.
- 12:17-21: Believers refuse revenge, pursue peace, leave vengeance to God, care for enemies, and conquer evil through good.
Theological Argument
Romans 12 argues that God's mercy creates a new kind of worshiping community. Believers respond to mercy with embodied sacrifice, resist the age through renewed minds, serve humbly as members of one body, exercise gifts according to grace, love without hypocrisy, endure suffering, pursue peace, renounce vengeance, and overcome evil through active good.
The chapter moves from worship to transformation, from transformation to humility, from humility to body-life, from body-life to gifts, from gifts to love, and from love to enemy-directed goodness.
- 1.God's mercies are the ground of Christian obedience.
- 2.Believers must offer their bodies to God as living sacrifices.
- 3.This embodied offering is holy and pleasing to God.
- 4.Such offering is true and proper worship.
- 5.Believers must not be conformed to the present age.
- 6.Believers must be transformed by the renewing of the mind.
- 7.Renewed minds discern God's good, pleasing, and perfect will.
- 8.Grace forbids inflated self-thinking.
- 9.Believers must think with sober judgment according to the faith God has distributed.
- 10.The church is like one body with many members and different functions.
- 11.In Christ, believers form one body and belong to one another.
- 12.Grace gives differing gifts.
- 13.Gifts must be exercised according to the grace given.
- 14.Love must be sincere rather than hypocritical.
- 15.Believers must hate evil and cling to good.
- 16.Believers must be devoted to one another and honor others above themselves.
- 17.Believers must keep spiritual fervor while serving the Lord.
- 18.Believers must be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.
- 19.Believers must share with needy saints and pursue hospitality.
- 20.Believers must bless persecutors rather than curse them.
- 21.Believers must enter the joys and sorrows of others.
- 22.Believers must live in harmony and reject pride and conceit.
- 23.Believers must not repay evil for evil.
- 24.Believers must seek what is honorable before all.
- 25.As far as possible, believers must live at peace with everyone.
- 26.Believers must not avenge themselves because vengeance belongs to God.
- 27.Believers must do good to enemies in concrete acts of provision.
- 28.Believers must not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.
Theological Focus
- Mercies of God
- Embodied worship
- Living sacrifice
- Holiness
- Renewal of the mind
- Nonconformity to the age
- Transformation
- Discernment of God's will
- Humility
- Sober judgment
- One body in Christ
- Mutual belonging
- Grace Gifts
- Sincere love
- Moral discernment
- Brotherly devotion
- Honor
- Spiritual zeal
- Hope
- Patience in affliction
- Faithful prayer
- Generosity
- Hospitality
- Blessing persecutors
- Harmony
- Humility toward the lowly
- Non Retaliation
- Peace
- Leaving vengeance to God
- Enemy Love
- Overcoming evil with good
- Mercy as the Ground of Obedience
- Whole-Life Worship
- Living Sacrifice
- Nonconformity to the Age
- Renewed Mind
- Humility Under Grace
- One Body in Christ
- Varied Gifts by Grace
- Sincere Love
- Moral Clarity
- Hopeful Endurance
- Generosity and Hospitality
- Blessing Under Persecution
- Humble Solidarity
- Non Retaliation
- Peaceable Witness
- Vengeance Belongs to God
- Overcoming Evil with Good
- Mercy
- Worship
- Sanctification
- Renewal of the Mind
- Church as Body
- Spiritual Gifts
- Love
- Prayer
- Divine Justice
- Enemy Love
Theological Themes
Paul does not ground Christian obedience in guilt or self-improvement but in the mercies of God revealed in the gospel.
Worship is not confined to ritual or speech; believers present their bodies to God as living sacrifices.
The Christian life is sacrificial yet alive, offered to God in holiness and daily service.
Believers must not be pressed into the mold of this age's values, ambitions, pride, vengeance, and desires.
Transformation occurs through the renewal of the mind, enabling discernment of God's will.
Grace produces sober self-judgment rather than pride, rivalry, or self-importance.
The church is one body with many members, and each believer belongs to the others.
Spiritual gifts differ according to grace and are given for faithful service rather than self-display.
Christian love must be without hypocrisy, morally discerning, devoted, honoring, and active.
Love does not blur good and evil; it hates evil and clings to what is good.
The Christian community is joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.
Mercy-shaped believers share with needy saints and actively pursue hospitality.
The gospel forms people who bless persecutors rather than curse them.
Believers rejoice and mourn with others, live in harmony, and associate with the lowly.
Believers do not repay evil with evil or take vengeance into their own hands.
As far as it depends on them, believers pursue peace with everyone.
The refusal to avenge rests on trust that God is the righteous judge.
Christian victory over evil is not imitation of evil's methods but active good toward enemies.
Covenant Significance
Romans 12 shows the covenant people of God living as a mercy-formed community. After God's saving mercies toward Jews and Gentiles in Romans 1-11, believers now offer sacrificial worship not through temple animals but through embodied lives. The community becomes a holy, renewed, mutually belonging body in Christ whose love, holiness, hospitality, and enemy-love reflect the new covenant transformation promised in Scripture.
Old Testament Connections
- God's mercies create a worshiping people who offer their bodies to Him.
- Sacrificial language is transformed into whole-life obedience in Christ.
- The people of God resist the present age through renewed minds.
- The one body in Christ fulfills a unified Jew-Gentile community shaped by grace.
- Gifts are given by grace for service within the body, not hierarchy or boasting.
- The community ethic fulfills the law's love command as gospel-shaped life.
- Hospitality and care for the saints embody covenant family obligations.
- Blessing persecutors and feeding enemies echo the righteous conduct of God's holy people.
- Non-retaliation rests on God's covenant justice: vengeance belongs to the Lord.
- Overcoming evil with good reflects the mercy God has shown to former enemies.
- Leviticus 19:18
- Deuteronomy 32:35
- Proverbs 3:7
- Proverbs 25:21-22
- Psalm 34:14
- Psalm 51:16-17
- Isaiah 1:16-17
- Isaiah 57:15
- Micah 6:8
Canonical Connections
Romans 12 reframes sacrificial worship as whole-life embodied offering to God.
The call to renewed thinking aligns with biblical wisdom's concern for discernment and rejection of self-conceit.
Romans 12's body metaphor connects with Paul's wider teaching on the church as a unified body with diverse members.
Spiritual gifts are grace-given functions for serving the body, not personal status markers.
Romans 12 anticipates Romans 13's summary that love fulfills the law.
Hospitality and sharing with God's people continue biblical patterns of covenant family care.
Paul's command reflects Jesus' teaching on blessing enemies and praying for persecutors.
The command to pursue peace echoes wisdom and psalmic instruction.
Believers refuse personal vengeance because Scripture assigns vengeance to God.
Paul cites Proverbs to command concrete goodness toward enemies.
The Christian ethic conquers evil through good rather than retaliation.
Cross References
Clarifies how the passage points to the gospel of Christ.
Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are various kinds of service, and the same Lord. There are various kinds of workings, but the same God, who works all things in all.
Clarifies how the passage points to the gospel of Christ.
When he was cursed, he didn’t curse back. When he suffered, he didn’t threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously.
Clarifies how the passage points to the gospel of Christ.
As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms. If anyone speaks, let it be as it were the very words of God. If anyone serves, let it be as of the strength which...
Clarifies how the passage points to the gospel of Christ.
If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth.
Clarifies how the passage points to the gospel of Christ.
that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in...
Clarifies how the passage points to the gospel of Christ.
But to each one of us, the grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Therefore he says, “When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to people.” Now this, “He ascended”, what is it but that he...
Clarifies how the passage points to the gospel of Christ.
“But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him who takes away your cloak,...
Clarifies how the passage points to the gospel of Christ.
But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,
Clarifies how the passage points to the gospel of Christ.
Also, do not present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
Shows Old Testament grounding that frames or supports this passage.
Vengeance is mine, and recompense, at the time when their foot slides; for the day of their calamity is at hand. Their doom rushes at them.”
Shows Old Testament grounding that frames or supports this passage.
He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
Shows Old Testament grounding that frames or supports this passage.
Pride goes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall.
Shows Old Testament grounding that frames or supports this passage.
Don’t say, “I will pay back evil.” Wait for Yahweh, and he will save you.
Shows Old Testament grounding that frames or supports this passage.
If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you will heap coals of fire on his head, and Yahweh will reward you.
Shows Old Testament grounding that frames or supports this passage.
Shows Old Testament grounding that frames or supports this passage.
Provides immediate literary context around the same argument flow.
Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out! “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has first given to...
Provides immediate literary context around the same argument flow.
Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,...
Provides immediate literary context around the same argument flow.
Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,...
Provides immediate literary context around the same argument flow.
For I say through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith. For even as we...
Provides immediate literary context around the same argument flow.
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil. Cling to that which is good. In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate to one another; in honor preferring one another; not lagging in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving...
Provides immediate literary context around the same argument flow.
Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever...
Develops the same theological theme in another location.
Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices...
Develops the same theological theme in another location.
But we all, with unveiled face seeing the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.
Develops the same theological theme in another location.
doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself; each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.
Develops the same theological theme in another location.
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil. Cling to that which is good. In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate to one another; in honor preferring one another; not lagging in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving...
Develops the same theological theme in another location.
But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we will be saved from God’s wrath through him. For if while we were enemies, we were...
Develops the same theological theme in another location.
We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.
Develops the same theological theme in another location.
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death....
Develops the same theological theme in another location.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God. For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself testifies with...
Gospel Clarity
Romans 12 clarifies that the gospel does not end with forgiven individuals but produces a worshiping, renewed, humble, gifted, loving, peaceable people. God's mercies in Christ create embodied worship, renewed minds, mutual belonging, sincere love, patient hope, prayerful endurance, hospitality, and enemy-love. Christian obedience is not self-salvation; it is the mercy-shaped life of those who belong to God.
Gospel Guardrails
- Christian obedience is grounded in God's mercies.
- Believers offer their bodies as living sacrifices.
- Whole-life worship is holy and pleasing to God.
- Believers resist conformity to the age.
- Transformation happens through renewed minds.
- Renewed minds discern God's will.
- Grace creates sober humility.
- Believers are one body in Christ.
- Members belong to one another.
- Gifts differ according to grace.
- Gifts are used for faithful service.
- Love must be sincere.
- Love hates evil and clings to good.
- The church honors, serves, hopes, endures, prays, gives, and welcomes.
- Believers bless persecutors.
- Believers refuse retaliation.
- Believers entrust vengeance to God.
- Believers do good to enemies.
- Evil is overcome with good.
- Do not detach Romans 12 commands from Romans 1-11 mercies.
- Do not turn living sacrifice into self-atonement · Christ's mercy grounds the offering.
- Do not reduce worship to church services while withholding the body from obedience.
- Do not define transformation by external behavior alone · the mind must be renewed.
- Do not confuse humility with passivity · gifts must be used faithfully.
- Do not use gifts for personal platform or superiority.
- Do not call love sincere if it tolerates evil or releases what is good.
- Do not preach peace as cowardice or revenge as justice.
- Do not take vengeance from God's hands into Your own.
- Do not overcome evil with evil methods. The gospel way is overcoming evil with good.
Gospel Cross References
Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are various kinds of service, and the same Lord. There are various kinds of workings, but the same God, who works all things in all.
When he was cursed, he didn’t curse back. When he suffered, he didn’t threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously.
As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms. If anyone speaks, let it be as it were the very words of God. If anyone serves, let it be as of the strength which...
If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth.
that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in...
But to each one of us, the grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Therefore he says, “When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to people.” Now this, “He ascended”, what is it but that he...
“But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him who takes away your cloak,...
But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,
Also, do not present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
Primary Emphasis
Romans 12 presents the life of believers as the practical outworking of union with Christ and God's mercies in Christ. Believers are one body in Christ, serve the Lord, and embody a cruciform pattern of love that blesses persecutors and overcomes evil with good. The chapter does not present Christ by extended title or narrative, but it assumes the gospel work already expounded: Christ's mercy now forms a Christlike people whose embodied worship, humility, service, and enemy-love reflect the Lord they serve.
Chapter Contribution
Romans 12 argues that God's mercy creates a new kind of worshiping community. Believers respond to mercy with embodied sacrifice, resist the age through renewed minds, serve humbly as members of one body, exercise gifts according to grace, love without hypocrisy, endure suffering, pursue peace, renounce vengeance, and overcome evil through active good.
Doctrines in This Chapter
Love is sincere devotion expressed in concrete action.
Renewed minds enable believers to approve what pleases God.
God alone holds rightful authority to execute vengeance.
Ethical living flows from mercy already received.
Gifts are exercised as stewardship of divine grace.
Right self-assessment guards against pride and division.
Goodness empowered by grace defeats cycles of retaliation.
Believers endure affliction through hope and prayer.
Believers grow in holiness through renewed minds and obedient lives.
Gifts are graciously distributed for service and edification.
Believers are spiritually united in one body under Christ.
True worship encompasses all of life offered to God.
Doctrinal Weight
God's mercies are the foundation and motivation for Christian obedience.
True and proper worship includes presenting the body to God as a living, holy, pleasing sacrifice.
Believers are transformed by the renewing of the mind and live out God's will in embodied obedience.
The Christian life offered to God is holy and pleasing, marked by hatred of evil and clinging to good.
Transformation requires renewed thinking that resists the pattern of this age and discerns God's will.
Believers are one body in Christ, many members with different functions, mutually belonging to one another.
Gifts differ according to grace and must be exercised faithfully for service.
Grace produces sober judgment and forbids inflated self-thinking.
Christian love is sincere, morally discerning, devoted, honoring, generous, hospitable, and enemy-facing.
Believers are called to be faithful in prayer, especially amid hope and affliction.
Believers actively pursue hospitality and share with the Lord's people in need.
Believers pursue peace with everyone as far as it depends on them.
Believers refuse vengeance because vengeance belongs to God, the righteous judge.
Believers overcome evil by doing good to enemies rather than retaliating.
Reading Lenses
Theological exposition and fulfillment
- Romans 12 clarifies that the gospel does not end with forgiven individuals but produces a worshiping, renewed, humble, gifted, loving, peaceable people. God's mercies in Christ create embodied worship, renewed minds, mutual belonging, sincere love, patient hope, prayerful endurance, hospitality, and enemy-love. Christian obedience is not self-salvation; it is the mercy-shaped life of those who belong to God.
Key Greek Terms
Form in passage Present · Active · Indicative · 1st Person · Singular What is this?
Sense to appeal; urge; exhort; encourage
Definition Paul urges believers in view of God's mercies.
References Romans 12:1
Lexicon to appeal; urge; exhort; encourage
Why it matters The exhortation is pastoral, grounded in gospel mercy rather than bare command.
Form in passage Genitive · Plural · Masculine What is this?
Sense mercies; compassions; acts of pity
Definition God's mercies are the basis of Paul's appeal.
References Romans 12:1
Lexicon mercies; compassions; acts of pity
Why it matters Christian obedience flows from God's saving compassion displayed in the gospel.
Form in passage Aorist · Active · Infinitive What is this?
Sense to present; offer; place at another's disposal
Definition Believers are to present their bodies to God.
References Romans 12:1
Lexicon to present; offer; place at another's disposal
Why it matters The whole embodied person belongs to God as worship.
Sense bodies; embodied persons
Definition Believers offer their bodies as living sacrifices.
Lexicon bodies; embodied persons
Why it matters Paul's worship ethic is embodied, practical, and whole-life.
Form in passage Accusative · Singular · Feminine What is this?
Sense sacrifice; offering
Definition The believer's body is offered as a living sacrifice.
References Romans 12:1
Lexicon sacrifice; offering
Why it matters Sacrificial worship is reframed around the believer's living obedience to God.
Form in passage Present · Active · Participle · Singular What is this?
Sense living; alive
Definition The sacrifice believers offer is living.
References Romans 12:1
Lexicon living; alive
Why it matters Christian sacrifice is not death to earn atonement but life offered because mercy has been received.
Form in passage Accusative · Singular · Feminine What is this?
Sense holy; set apart; consecrated
Definition The living sacrifice is holy to God.
References Romans 12:1
Lexicon holy; set apart; consecrated
Why it matters Mercy produces consecrated life rather than casual spirituality.
Form in passage Accusative · Singular · Feminine What is this?
Sense pleasing; acceptable
Definition The offered life is pleasing to God.
References Romans 12:1
Lexicon pleasing; acceptable
Why it matters God receives mercy-grounded embodied obedience as acceptable worship.
Form in passage Accusative · Singular · Feminine What is this?
Sense worship; service; priestly service
Definition Offering the body is true and proper worship.
References Romans 12:1
Lexicon worship; service; priestly service
Why it matters Worship includes whole-life service rendered to God.
Form in passage Accusative · Singular · Feminine What is this?
Sense reasonable; rational; spiritual; fitting
Definition The believer's embodied worship is fitting and rational in view of God's mercies.
References Romans 12:1
Lexicon reasonable; rational; spiritual; fitting
Why it matters Paul frames Christian worship as the appropriate response of a renewed mind and surrendered body.
Sense to conform; be shaped according to a pattern
Definition Believers must not be conformed to this age.
References Romans 12:2
Lexicon to conform; be shaped according to a pattern
Why it matters The surrounding age presses believers into its mold, which must be resisted.
Form in passage Dative · Singular · Masculine What is this?
Sense age; present world-order; era
Definition Believers must not conform to this age.
References Romans 12:2
Lexicon age; present world-order; era
Why it matters Paul contrasts the present age's pattern with God's renewed will.
Sense to transform; change in form
Definition Believers are to be transformed by renewed minds.
References Romans 12:2
Lexicon to transform; change in form
Why it matters Christian formation is deep inner change, not mere external adjustment.
Form in passage Dative · Singular · Feminine What is this?
Sense renewal; making new again
Definition Transformation comes through the renewing of the mind.
References Romans 12:2
Lexicon renewal; making new again
Why it matters The renewed mind is the means of resisting the age and discerning God's will.
Form in passage Genitive · Singular · Masculine What is this?
Sense mind; understanding; faculty of perception and judgment
Definition The mind must be renewed.
References Romans 12:2
Lexicon mind; understanding; faculty of perception and judgment
Why it matters Christian obedience requires transformed perception, judgment, and desire.
Form in passage Present · Active · Infinitive What is this?
Sense to test; approve; discern after examination
Definition Renewed believers discern and approve God's will.
References Romans 12:2
Lexicon to test; approve; discern after examination
Why it matters Transformation produces practical discernment, not vague spirituality.
Form in passage Nominative · Singular · Neuter What is this?
Sense will; desire; purpose
Definition Believers discern God's good, pleasing, and perfect will.
References Romans 12:2
Lexicon will; desire; purpose
Why it matters The renewed life seeks God's will rather than the age's pattern.
Form in passage Genitive · Singular · Feminine What is this?
Sense grace; gift; unearned favor
Definition Paul exhorts by grace and says gifts differ according to grace.
References Romans 12:3, 12:6
Lexicon grace; gift; unearned favor
Why it matters Grace governs both apostolic authority and the church's varied service.
Form in passage Present · Active · Infinitive What is this?
Sense to think too highly; be arrogant
Definition Believers must not think more highly of themselves than they ought.
References Romans 12:3
Lexicon to think too highly; be arrogant
Why it matters Grace destroys self-exaltation and status competition.
Form in passage Present · Active · Infinitive What is this?
Sense to think soberly; be sound-minded
Definition Believers must think with sober judgment.
References Romans 12:3
Lexicon to think soberly; be sound-minded
Why it matters Humility is accurate grace-shaped judgment, not self-hatred or pride.
Form in passage Accusative · Singular · Neuter What is this?
Sense measure; apportioned amount
Definition God has distributed a measure of faith.
References Romans 12:3
Lexicon measure; apportioned amount
Why it matters Believers receive their place and function from God, not self-invention.
Sense faith; trust; faithfulness; apportioned trust-response
Definition God has distributed a measure of faith.
References Romans 12:3
Lexicon faith; trust; faithfulness; apportioned trust-response
Why it matters Faith humbles self-assessment and anchors service in God's provision.
Form in passage Dative · Singular · Neuter What is this?
Sense body; unified organism
Definition The church is one body in Christ with many members.
References Romans 12:4-5
Lexicon body; unified organism
Why it matters The body metaphor teaches unity, diversity, interdependence, and function.
Form in passage Nominative · Plural · Neuter What is this?
Sense members; parts of a body
Definition Believers are members of one another.
References Romans 12:4-5
Lexicon members; parts of a body
Why it matters Christians belong to one another and are not isolated spiritual individuals.
Form in passage Accusative · Singular · Feminine What is this?
Sense function; action; practice
Definition Members do not all have the same function.
References Romans 12:4
Lexicon function; action; practice
Why it matters Difference in function is part of God's body design, not a threat to unity.
Form in passage Dative · Singular · Masculine What is this?
Sense in Christ; united to Christ; belonging to Christ
Definition Believers form one body in Christ.
References Romans 12:5
Lexicon in Christ; united to Christ; belonging to Christ
Why it matters Church unity is grounded in union with Christ, not personality, ethnicity, or preference.
Form in passage Accusative · Plural · Neuter What is this?
Sense grace-gifts; gifts given by grace
Definition Believers have different gifts according to grace.
References Romans 12:6
Lexicon grace-gifts; gifts given by grace
Why it matters Gifts are grace-provisions for service, not grounds for boasting.
Form in passage Accusative · Singular · Feminine What is this?
Sense prophecy; Spirit-enabled proclamation according to God's revealed truth
Definition Prophecy must be exercised according to faith.
References Romans 12:6
Lexicon prophecy; Spirit-enabled proclamation according to God's revealed truth
Why it matters Speech-gifts must align with faith and serve the body under grace.
Form in passage Accusative · Singular · Feminine What is this?
Sense service; ministry; practical aid
Definition Those with service should serve.
References Romans 12:7
Lexicon service; ministry; practical aid
Why it matters Practical ministry is a grace-gift and must be valued as body-building service.
Sense to teach; instruct
Definition The one who teaches should give himself to teaching.
References Romans 12:7
Lexicon to teach; instruct
Why it matters Teaching is a grace-gift for forming the body in truth.
Cross-language bridge 1 link · View in lexicon
Form in passage Present · Active · Participle · Singular What is this?
Sense to exhort; encourage; comfort; urge
Definition The one who encourages should encourage.
References Romans 12:8
Lexicon to exhort; encourage; comfort; urge
Why it matters Exhortation strengthens obedience, hope, and perseverance within the body.
Form in passage Present · Active · Participle · Singular What is this?
Sense to share; give; impart
Definition The one who gives should do so generously.
References Romans 12:8
Lexicon to share; give; impart
Why it matters Giving is grace-shaped sharing, not reluctant loss.
Form in passage Dative · Singular · Feminine What is this?
Sense simplicity; sincerity; generosity
Definition Giving is to be done with generosity or sincerity.
References Romans 12:8
Lexicon simplicity; sincerity; generosity
Why it matters The manner of giving matters because gifts must reflect grace.
Form in passage Present · Middle · Participle · Singular What is this?
Sense to lead; govern; care for; stand before
Definition The one who leads should lead diligently.
References Romans 12:8
Lexicon to lead; govern; care for; stand before
Why it matters Leadership is a grace-gift requiring diligence, not status-seeking.
Form in passage Dative · Singular · Feminine What is this?
Sense diligence; earnestness; zeal
Definition Leaders must lead with diligence.
References Romans 12:8, 12:11
Lexicon diligence; earnestness; zeal
Why it matters Grace does not produce carelessness but earnest responsibility.
Sense to show mercy; have compassion
Definition The one who shows mercy should do so cheerfully.
References Romans 12:8
Lexicon to show mercy; have compassion
Why it matters Mercy ministry must reflect the glad compassion of God.
Form in passage Dative · Singular · Feminine What is this?
Sense cheerfulness; gladness
Definition Mercy must be shown cheerfully.
References Romans 12:8
Lexicon cheerfulness; gladness
Why it matters The spirit of mercy matters because grudging mercy distorts God's compassion.
Form in passage Nominative · Singular · Feminine What is this?
Sense love; self-giving covenantal love
Definition Love must be sincere.
References Romans 12:9
Lexicon love; self-giving covenantal love
Why it matters Love is the moral atmosphere of mercy-shaped community.
Form in passage Nominative · Singular · Feminine What is this?
Sense unhypocritical; sincere; genuine
Definition Love must be without hypocrisy.
References Romans 12:9
Lexicon unhypocritical; sincere; genuine
Why it matters Christian love must be genuine, not performative or manipulative.
Form in passage Present · Active · Participle · Plural What is this?
Sense to abhor; detest strongly
Definition Believers must hate what is evil.
References Romans 12:9
Lexicon to abhor; detest strongly
Why it matters Sincere love requires moral revulsion toward evil.
Form in passage Accusative · Singular · Neuter What is this?
Sense evil; wicked; harmful
Definition Believers must hate evil and not repay evil for evil.
References Romans 12:9, 12:17, 12:21
Lexicon evil; wicked; harmful
Why it matters Romans 12 requires both moral rejection of evil and refusal to imitate evil.
Sense to cling; join closely; hold fast
Definition Believers must cling to what is good.
References Romans 12:9
Lexicon to cling; join closely; hold fast
Why it matters The renewed life holds tightly to goodness rather than merely avoiding evil.
Form in passage Dative · Singular · Neuter What is this?
Sense good; morally good; beneficial
Definition Believers cling to good and overcome evil with good.
References Romans 12:9, 12:21
Lexicon good; morally good; beneficial
Why it matters Goodness is active, persistent, and victorious over evil.
Form in passage Dative · Singular · Feminine What is this?
Sense brotherly love; family affection
Definition Believers are to be devoted to one another in brotherly love.
References Romans 12:10
Lexicon brotherly love; family affection
Why it matters The church is a family of mutual affection, not a religious crowd.
Form in passage Dative · Singular · Feminine What is this?
Sense honor; value; respect
Definition Believers must honor one another above themselves.
References Romans 12:10
Lexicon honor; value; respect
Why it matters The gospel overturns status competition by making believers eager to honor others.
Form in passage Present · Active · Participle · Plural What is this?
Sense to boil; be fervent
Definition Believers are to be fervent in spirit.
References Romans 12:11
Lexicon to boil; be fervent
Why it matters Christian service should not be spiritually cold or sluggish.
Form in passage Present · Active · Participle · Plural What is this?
Sense to serve as a slave; serve devotedly
Definition Believers are to serve the Lord.
References Romans 12:11
Lexicon to serve as a slave; serve devotedly
Why it matters The renewed life is devoted service to Christ as Lord.
Form in passage Dative · Singular · Feminine What is this?
Sense hope; confident expectation
Definition Believers are joyful in hope.
References Romans 12:12
Lexicon hope; confident expectation
Why it matters Christian joy is anchored in future hope, not immediate ease.
Cross-language bridge 1 link · View in lexicon
Form in passage Present · Active · Participle · Plural What is this?
Sense to endure; remain under; persevere
Definition Believers are patient in affliction.
References Romans 12:12
Lexicon to endure; remain under; persevere
Why it matters Hope-shaped Christians endure pressure without abandoning faithfulness.
Form in passage Dative · Singular · Feminine What is this?
Sense affliction; tribulation; pressure
Definition Believers are patient in affliction.
References Romans 12:12
Lexicon affliction; tribulation; pressure
Why it matters The renewed life includes endurance under suffering.
Form in passage Dative · Singular · Feminine What is this?
Sense prayer; address to God
Definition Believers are faithful in prayer.
References Romans 12:12
Lexicon prayer; address to God
Why it matters Prayer sustains hope, endurance, service, and love.
Form in passage Present · Active · Participle · Plural What is this?
Sense to share; participate; contribute
Definition Believers share with the Lord's people in need.
References Romans 12:13
Lexicon to share; participate; contribute
Why it matters Christian fellowship includes material generosity toward needy saints.
Form in passage Dative · Plural · Feminine What is this?
Sense need; necessity
Definition Believers share with saints in need.
References Romans 12:13
Lexicon need; necessity
Why it matters The church's love becomes concrete in meeting real needs.
Sense hospitality; love of strangers
Definition Believers are to pursue hospitality.
References Romans 12:13
Lexicon hospitality; love of strangers
Why it matters Hospitality opens Christian life, home, and resources to others.
Form in passage Present · Active · Participle · Plural What is this?
Sense to pursue; chase; seek earnestly
Definition Believers pursue hospitality.
References Romans 12:13
Lexicon to pursue; chase; seek earnestly
Why it matters Hospitality is active and intentional, not passive convenience.
Form in passage Present · Active · Imperative · 2nd Person · Plural What is this?
Sense to bless; speak well of; invoke blessing
Definition Believers bless those who persecute them.
References Romans 12:14
Lexicon to bless; speak well of; invoke blessing
Why it matters The gospel forms speech and desire toward enemies.
Form in passage Present · Active · Participle · Plural What is this?
Sense to persecute; pursue hostilely
Definition Believers bless those who persecute them.
References Romans 12:14
Lexicon to persecute; pursue hostilely
Why it matters Christian love extends even toward hostile pursuers.
Form in passage Present · Active · Infinitive What is this?
Sense to rejoice; be glad
Definition Believers rejoice with those who rejoice.
References Romans 12:15
Lexicon to rejoice; be glad
Why it matters Love enters the joy of others without envy.
Form in passage Present · Active · Infinitive What is this?
Sense to weep; mourn
Definition Believers mourn with those who mourn.
References Romans 12:15
Lexicon to weep; mourn
Why it matters Love enters the grief of others without distance or superiority.
Form in passage Present · Active · Participle · Plural What is this?
Sense to think the same; live in harmony
Definition Believers are to live in harmony with one another.
References Romans 12:16
Lexicon to think the same; live in harmony
Why it matters Renewed minds create shared humility and unity.
Form in passage Dative · Plural · Masculine What is this?
Sense lowly; humble; of low status
Definition Believers associate with the lowly.
References Romans 12:16
Lexicon lowly; humble; of low status
Why it matters The gospel overturns status pride and social climbing.
Form in passage Nominative · Plural · Masculine What is this?
Sense wise in one's own eyes; conceited
Definition Believers must not be conceited.
References Romans 12:16
Lexicon wise in one's own eyes; conceited
Why it matters Renewed thinking rejects self-exalting wisdom.
Form in passage Present · Active · Participle · Plural What is this?
Sense to repay; give back; recompense
Definition Believers must not repay evil for evil.
References Romans 12:17
Lexicon to repay; give back; recompense
Why it matters Christians must not mirror evil in response to evil.
Form in passage Accusative · Plural · Neuter What is this?
Sense good; honorable; noble
Definition Believers must be careful to do what is honorable before everyone.
References Romans 12:17
Lexicon good; honorable; noble
Why it matters Christian witness includes public moral integrity.
Form in passage Present · Active · Participle · Plural What is this?
Sense to live in peace; be peaceable
Definition As far as possible, believers live at peace with everyone.
References Romans 12:18
Lexicon to live in peace; be peaceable
Why it matters The mercy-shaped life pursues peace without controlling others' responses.
Form in passage Present · Active · Participle · Plural What is this?
Sense to avenge; exact justice; retaliate
Definition Believers must not avenge themselves.
References Romans 12:19
Lexicon to avenge; exact justice; retaliate
Why it matters Vengeance is not the believer's responsibility but God's prerogative.
Form in passage Dative · Singular · Feminine What is this?
Sense wrath; righteous anger; judgment
Definition Believers leave room for God's wrath.
References Romans 12:19
Lexicon wrath; righteous anger; judgment
Why it matters Non-retaliation rests on confidence in God's righteous judgment.
Form in passage Nominative · Singular · Feminine What is this?
Sense vengeance; justice; punishment
Definition Vengeance belongs to the Lord.
References Romans 12:19
Lexicon vengeance; justice; punishment
Why it matters Believers can release revenge because God will judge rightly.
Form in passage Nominative · Singular · Masculine What is this?
Sense enemy; hostile person
Definition Believers feed hungry enemies and give drink to thirsty enemies.
References Romans 12:20
Lexicon enemy; hostile person
Why it matters Christian love acts for the good of hostile people.
Form in passage Present · Passive · Imperative · 2nd Person · Singular What is this?
Sense to conquer; overcome; prevail
Definition Believers must not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.
References Romans 12:21
Lexicon to conquer; overcome; prevail
Why it matters The final command defines Christian victory as goodness that refuses evil's methods.
Lexicon data: MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML (CC0) · Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (CC BY 4.0) · Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon (CC BY 4.0) · STEPBible Data (CC BY 4.0) · Full details
Discourse Connectives (18)
grounds / explanation 4inference / conclusion 1strong contrast / correction 6conditional clause 3continuation or mild contrast 3additive / emphatic 1
| v.1 | οὖνthereforeinference / conclusionAsk: what has Paul argued up to this point? 'Therefore' is the payoff. |
| v.2 | καὶAndadditive / emphaticClause-initial καί in Paul often links equal-weight clauses that should be read together.ἀλλὰbutstrong contrast / correctionAsk: what is being set aside? What is being asserted instead? |
| v.3 | γὰρforgrounds / explanationAsk: what claim is this 'for' grounding? That claim is the main point.ἀλλὰbutstrong contrast / correctionAsk: what is being set aside? What is being asserted instead? |
| v.4 | γὰρforgrounds / explanationAsk: what claim is this 'for' grounding? That claim is the main point.δὲnowcontinuation or mild contrastNote where δέ appears in a μέν...δέ pair — that structure is a deliberate contrast. |
| v.5 | δὲandcontinuation or mild contrastNote where δέ appears in a μέν...δέ pair — that structure is a deliberate contrast. |
| v.6 | δὲhowevercontinuation or mild contrastNote where δέ appears in a μέν...δέ pair — that structure is a deliberate contrast. |
| v.16 | ἀλλὰbutstrong contrast / correctionAsk: what is being set aside? What is being asserted instead? |
| v.18 | εἰifconditional clauseAsk whether Paul treats the 'if' as assumed true (1st class) or merely hypothetical. |
| v.19 | ἀλλὰinsteadstrong contrast / correctionAsk: what is being set aside? What is being asserted instead?γάρ·for:grounds / explanationAsk: what claim is this 'for' grounding? That claim is the main point. |
| v.20 | ἀλλ᾽On the contrarystrong contrast / correctionAsk: what is being set aside? What is being asserted instead?ἐὰνIfconditional (subjunctive / open)ἐάν + subjunctive signals an open condition: 'if (as may be the case)...'ἐὰνifconditional (subjunctive / open)ἐάν + subjunctive signals an open condition: 'if (as may be the case)...'γὰρforgrounds / explanationAsk: what claim is this 'for' grounding? That claim is the main point. |
| v.21 | ἀλλὰbutstrong contrast / correctionAsk: what is being set aside? What is being asserted instead? |
Discourse data: STEPBible TAGNT (CC BY 4.0)
Verb Aspect (60 main verbs)
completed 1ongoing 6prospective 2resultant 1imperative 10subjunctive 2infinitive 8participle 30
| v.1 | Παρακαλῶparakaléōurgepresent active indicativeongoingPresent indicative — ongoing, habitual, or general truthπαραστῆσαιparístēmipresentaorist active infinitiveinfinitiveInfinitive — verbal noun or complementary verbζῶσανzáōlivingpresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting action |
| v.2 | συσχηματίζεσθεsyschēmatízōconformedpresent middle imperativeimperativeImperative mood — command or exhortationμεταμορφοῦσθεmetamorphóōtransformedpresent passive imperativeimperativeImperative mood — command or exhortationδοκιμάζεινdokimázōdiscernpresent active infinitiveinfinitiveInfinitive — verbal noun or complementary verb |
| v.3 | Λέγωlégōsaypresent active indicativeongoingPresent indicative — ongoing, habitual, or general truthδοθείσηςdídōmigivenaorist passive participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting actionὑπερφρονεῖνhyperphronéōthink ~ morehighlypresent active infinitiveinfinitiveInfinitive — verbal noun or complementary verbδεῖdéōoughtpresent active indicativeongoingPresent indicative — ongoing, habitual, or general truthφρονεῖνphronéōthinkpresent active infinitiveinfinitiveInfinitive — verbal noun or complementary verbφρονεῖνphronéōthinkpresent active infinitiveinfinitiveInfinitive — verbal noun or complementary verbσωφρονεῖνsōphronéōsober judgmentpresent active infinitiveinfinitiveInfinitive — verbal noun or complementary verbἐμέρισενmerízōassignedaorist active indicativecompletedAorist indicative — punctiliar or completed action |
| v.4 | ἔχομενéchōhavepresent active indicativeongoingPresent indicative — ongoing, habitual, or general truthἔχειéchōhavepresent active indicativeongoingPresent indicative — ongoing, habitual, or general truth |
| v.6 | ἔχοντεςéchōhavepresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting actionδοθεῖσανdídōmigivenaorist passive participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting action |
| v.7 | διδάσκωνdidáskōteachespresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting action |
| v.8 | παρακαλῶνparakaléōexhortspresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting actionμεταδιδοὺςmetadídōmigivespresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting actionπροϊστάμενοςproḯstēmileadspresent middle participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting actionἐλεῶνeleéōshows mercypresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting action |
| v.9 | ἀποστυγοῦντεςabhorpresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting actionκολλώμενοιkolláōclingpresent passive participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting action |
| v.10 | προηγούμενοιproēgéomaioutdopresent middle participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting action |
| v.11 | ζέοντεςzéōferventpresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting actionδουλεύοντεςdouleúōservingpresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting action |
| v.12 | χαίροντεςchaírōrejoicepresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting actionὑπομένοντεςhypoménōpatientpresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting actionπροσκαρτεροῦντεςproskarteréōdevotedpresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting action |
| v.13 | κοινωνοῦντεςkoinōnéōshare withpresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting actionδιώκοντεςdiṓkōstrangerspresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting action |
| v.14 | εὐλογεῖτεeulogéōblesspresent active imperativeimperativeImperative mood — command or exhortationδιώκονταςdiṓkōpersecutepresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting actionεὐλογεῖτεeulogéōblesspresent active imperativeimperativeImperative mood — command or exhortationκαταρᾶσθεkataráomaicursepresent middle imperativeimperativeImperative mood — command or exhortation |
| v.15 | χαίρεινchaírōrejoicepresent active infinitiveinfinitiveInfinitive — verbal noun or complementary verbχαιρόντωνchaírōrejoicepresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting actionκλαίεινklaíōweeppresent active infinitiveinfinitiveInfinitive — verbal noun or complementary verbκλαιόντωνklaíōweeppresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting action |
| v.16 | φρονοῦντεςphronéōlive in harmonypresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting actionφρονοῦντεςphronéōthinkpresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting actionσυναπαγόμενοιsynapágōassociate withpresent passive participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting action |
| v.17 | ἀποδιδόντεςrepaypresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting actionπρονοούμενοιpronoéōtake thoughtpresent middle participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting action |
| v.18 | εἰρηνεύοντεςeirēneúōlive peaceablypresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting action |
| v.19 | ἐκδικοῦντεςekdikéōavengepresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting actionδότεdídōmileaveaorist active imperativeimperativeImperative mood — command or exhortationγέγραπταιgráphōwrittenperfect passive indicativeresultantPerfect indicative — completed action with present resultἀνταποδώσωrepayfuture active indicativeprospectiveFuture indicative — anticipated or promised actionλέγειlégōsayspresent active indicativeongoingPresent indicative — ongoing, habitual, or general truth |
| v.20 | πεινᾷpeináōhungrypresent active subjunctivesubjunctiveSubjunctive mood — conditional, purpose, or contingentψώμιζεpsōmízōfeedpresent active imperativeimperativeImperative mood — command or exhortationδιψᾷdipsáōthirstypresent active subjunctivesubjunctiveSubjunctive mood — conditional, purpose, or contingentπότιζεpotízōgive ~ todrinkpresent active imperativeimperativeImperative mood — command or exhortationποιῶνpoiéōdoingpresent active participleparticipleParticiple — verbal adjective, supporting actionσωρεύσειςsōreúōheapfuture active indicativeprospectiveFuture indicative — anticipated or promised action |
| v.21 | νικῶnikáōovercomepresent passive imperativeimperativeImperative mood — command or exhortationνίκαnikáōovercomepresent active imperativeimperativeImperative mood — command or exhortation |
Verb forms indicate aspect — not interpretive weight. Consult context before drawing conclusions about emphasis.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Word Pictures (Robertson)
A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain
Formation Focus
To show that the mercies of God create a transformed people whose worship includes the body, mind, gifts, relationships, suffering, enemies, and public conduct.
To move believers from doctrinal reception into embodied obedience, humble church life, sincere love, peaceful witness, and active enemy-love.
Humility, discernment, holy offering, renewed thinking, mutual belonging, faithful service, sincere love, endurance, prayerfulness, generosity, hospitality, peaceableness, and non-retaliatory goodness.
Practice Response
- Begin each day by naming specific mercies of God from Romans 1-11.
- Present Your body to God in prayer, naming speech, eyes, hands, habits, energy, and desires.
- Identify one pattern of this age currently shaping Your thinking.
- Replace one conforming habit with a mind-renewing habit in Scripture and prayer.
- Ask where You are thinking too highly of Yourself and repent specifically.
- Name Your function in the body and one way to serve this week.
- Exercise one grace-gift quietly and faithfully without seeking recognition.
- Practice love without hypocrisy by doing one hidden act of good.
- Hate evil concretely by refusing one tolerated compromise.
- Cling to good by taking one obedient step You have delayed.
- Honor another believer above Yourself in speech or action.
- Share with a saint in need or pursue hospitality intentionally.
- Bless someone who has criticized, opposed, or hurt You.
- Refuse one act of retaliation in speech, text, silence, or imagination.
- Entrust vengeance to God by praying Deuteronomy 32:35 honestly.
- Do tangible good to someone difficult or hostile.
- End the day asking: Did evil shape me today, or did good overcome evil through me?
Warnings and Misreadings
- Romans 12 warns against conformity to the age, pride, misuse of gifts, hypocritical love, moral compromise, spiritual laziness, prayerlessness, arrogance toward the lowly, retaliation, vengeance, and being overcome by evil.
- Romans 12 begins a moralistic section disconnected from doctrine. - Paul grounds the entire chapter in the mercies of God unfolded in Romans 1-11. The imperatives flow from the gospel.
- Offering the body as a living sacrifice means only private spiritual devotion. - Paul applies embodied sacrifice to mind renewal, church service, love, hospitality, persecution response, peace, and enemy-care.
- Nonconformity means mere external separation from culture. - Paul emphasizes transformation by the renewing of the mind, producing discernment of God's will and a new way of life.
- Humility means denying gifts or usefulness. - Paul calls for sober judgment, not false humility. Believers must use their gifts faithfully according to grace.
- One body means all believers have identical roles. - Paul says the body has many members with different functions and different gifts.
- Love means approving everything. - Sincere love hates evil and clings to what is good.
- Christian peace means avoiding truth or justice at all costs. - Paul says as far as it depends on believers, they must live at peace. Peace is pursued without repaying evil or taking vengeance, but it does not deny God's justice.
- Leaving vengeance to God means ignoring evil. - Believers refuse personal revenge because vengeance belongs to God. They actively respond with good and entrust judgment to Him.
- Feeding enemies is weakness. - Paul presents enemy-care as the way to overcome evil with good.
- Overcoming evil means using evil's methods for good ends. - Paul commands believers not to be overcome by evil but to overcome evil with good, rejecting evil methods.
Discipleship Questions
- Am I obeying in view of God's mercies or trying to produce obedience by guilt and self-pressure?
- What part of my embodied life have I withheld from God as worship?
- Where am I being conformed to the pattern of this age?
- What habits are renewing or deforming my mind?
- How do I discern God's will: through renewed thinking or through pressure, impulse, and imitation?
- Where am I thinking more highly of myself than I ought?
- Do I understand myself as belonging to the body, or do I operate as a detached individual?
- Am I using my gifts for service or self-importance?
- Is my love sincere, or is it performative?
- Do I hate evil while clinging to good, or do I excuse what Scripture calls evil?
- Do I honor others above myself in practical ways?
- Am I spiritually fervent or spiritually sluggish?
- Am I joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer?
- Who among the saints has need that I can help meet?
- Do I pursue hospitality or merely practice it when convenient?
- How do I respond to those who oppose or mistreat me?
- Do I repay evil with evil in speech, attitude, silence, or action?
- Have I taken vengeance into my own hands instead of entrusting justice to God?
- What good can I do toward someone who has acted as an enemy?
- Am I being overcome by evil, or am I overcoming evil with good?
Pastoral Applications
- Romans 12 should be preached as gospel application, not disconnected morality. The appeal rests on God's mercies and flows from worship.
- Worship must be taught as whole-life bodily offering, not merely singing, attendance, or religious feeling.
- Discipleship must include mind-renewal, resistance to the age, humility, body-life, gifted service, and practical love.
- A healthy church requires sober self-judgment, mutual belonging, and members using gifts according to grace rather than rivalry.
- Leaders must lead diligently, reject pride, honor others, and cultivate a body where gifts are used without status competition.
- Romans 12 speaks directly to pride, bitterness, retaliation, prayerlessness, spiritual weariness, social isolation, and enemy resentment.
- Believers must not repay evil for evil. They must pursue peace as far as possible while entrusting vengeance to God.
- Hospitality is not optional friendliness but an active pursuit flowing from sincere love and care for the saints.
- The church must bless persecutors and refuse to let hostility shape its tone, speech, and conduct.
- Christian ethics must reject both moral compromise and retaliatory hardness. Love hates evil, clings to good, and overcomes evil with good.
- Rejoicing with those who rejoice and mourning with those who mourn builds a church culture of shared life rather than isolated attendance.
- Enemy-love and non-retaliation are public gospel witness, showing that the church belongs to a different kingdom-shaped pattern.
Pastoral Trajectories
God's mercies summon believers to offer their whole lives as worship.
The church must resist the age by renewed minds and transformed lives.
Grace trains believers to think accurately and humbly about themselves.
Believers do not live as isolated Christians but as members of one body in Christ.
Grace-gifts are not trophies but tools for faithful service.
The renewed community practices love that is genuine, morally clear, and active.
Believers are called away from spiritual laziness into zealous service to the Lord.
Hope, patience, and prayer sustain believers under suffering.
Mercy opens homes, resources, and lives to others.
Believers answer persecution with blessing and evil with good.
The church refuses revenge because God is the righteous judge.
Evil is not conquered by imitation but by the persistent practice of good.
Motifs in This Chapter
Trace servant identity, obedient mission, and suffering service across Scripture.
Study holiness as divine character, covenant identity, and sanctified life across Scripture.
Trace the Spirit's presence, empowerment, renewal, and mission-bearing work across Scripture.
Study temple presence, worship, corruption, judgment, and renewal across Scripture.
The Biblical World
Chapter At A Glance
Paul moves from whole-life sacrifice in response to God's mercies, to renewed minds resisting the age, to humble service in the one body, to varied gifts exercised by grace, to sincere love within the church, to endurance and hospitality, and finally to blessing persecutors, refusing vengeance, and overcoming evil with good.
Romans 12 shows the covenant people of God living as a mercy-formed community. After God's saving mercies toward Jews and Gentiles in Romans 1-11, believers now offer sacrificial worship not through temple animals but through embodied lives. The community becomes a holy, renewed, mutually belonging body in Christ whose love, holiness, hospitality, and enemy-love reflect the new covenant transformation promised in Scripture.
Romans 12 clarifies that the gospel does not end with forgiven individuals but produces a worshiping, renewed, humble, gifted, loving, peaceable people. God's mercies in Christ create embodied worship, renewed minds, mutual belonging, sincere love, patient hope, prayerful endurance, hospitality, and enemy-love. Christian obedience is not self-salvation; it is the mercy-shaped life of those who belong to God.
Humility, discernment, holy offering, renewed thinking, mutual belonging, faithful service, sincere love, endurance, prayerfulness, generosity, hospitality, peaceableness, and non-retaliatory goodness.
Focus Points
- Mercies of God
- Embodied worship
- Living sacrifice
- Holiness
- Renewal of the mind
- Nonconformity to the age
- Transformation
- Discernment of God's will
- Humility
- Sober judgment
- One body in Christ
- Mutual belonging
- Grace-gifts
- Sincere love
- Moral discernment
- Brotherly devotion
- Honor
- Spiritual zeal
- Hope
- Patience in affliction
- Faithful prayer
- Generosity
- Hospitality
- Blessing persecutors
- Harmony
- Humility toward the lowly
- Non-retaliation
- Peace
- Leaving vengeance to God
- Enemy-love
- Overcoming evil with good
- Mercy as the Ground of Obedience
- Whole-Life Worship
- Renewed Mind
- Humility Under Grace
- Varied Gifts by Grace
- Moral Clarity
- Hopeful Endurance
- Generosity and Hospitality
- Blessing Under Persecution
- Humble Solidarity
- Peaceable Witness
- Vengeance Belongs to God
- Mercy
- Worship
- Sanctification
- Church as Body
- Spiritual Gifts
- Love
- Prayer
- Divine Justice
Cross References
“ ‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of Your people; but You shall love Your neighbor as Yourself. I am Yahweh.
Love command background
Vengeance is mine, and recompense, at the time when their foot slides; for the day of their calamity is at hand. Their doom rushes at them.”
Vengeance belongs to God
Don’t be wise in Your own eyes. Fear Yahweh, and depart from evil.
Reject conceit
If Your enemy is hungry, give Him food to eat. If He is thirsty, give Him water to drink; for You will heap coals of fire on His head, and Yahweh will reward You.
Enemy-care
Depart from evil, and do good. Seek peace, and pursue it.
Seek peace
For You don’t delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it. You have no pleasure in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. O God, You will not despise a broken and contrite heart.
True sacrifice
Wash Yourselves. Make Yourself clean. Put away the evil of Your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil. Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow.”
Worship and ethics
He has shown You, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of You, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Your God?
Humble covenant conduct
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell You, don’t resist Him who is evil; but whoever strikes You on Your right cheek, turn to Him the other also. If anyone sues You to take away Your coat, let Him have Your cloak also.
Enemy-love
“But I tell You who hear: love Your enemies, do good to those who hate You, bless those who curse You, and pray for those who mistreat You. To Him who strikes You on the cheek, offer also the other; and from Him who takes away Your cloak, don’t withhold Your coat also.
Good to enemies
A new commandment I give to You, that You love one another. Just as I have loved You, You also love one another. By this everyone will know that You are my disciples, if You have love for one another.”
Love as discipleship marker
Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past tracing out! “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?” “Or who has first given to Him, and it will be repaid to Him again?”
Immediate doxological foundation
Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for He who loves His neighbor has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love Your neighbor as Yourself.”...
Love fulfills the law
For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.
Body and gifts
If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don’t have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be...
Love and gifts
For You, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use Your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall love Your neighbor as Yourself.” But if You bite and devour one another, be careful that You don’t consume one another.
Spirit-shaped love and goodness
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg You to walk worthily of the calling with which You were called, with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love, being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
One body and service
That You put away, as concerning Your former way of life, the old man that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit, and that You be renewed in the spirit of Your mind, and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.
Renewed mind
And have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of His Creator, where there can’t be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, or free person; but Christ is all, and in all. Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility,...
Renewal and community virtues
Let brotherly love continue. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for in doing so, some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those who are in bonds, as bound with them, and those who are ill-treated, since You are also in the body.
Hospitality and care
For You were called to this, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving You an example, that You should follow His steps, who didn’t sin, “neither was deceit found in His mouth.” When He was cursed, He didn’t curse back. When He suffered, He didn’t threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously.
Christlike non-retaliation
Not rendering evil for evil, or insult for insult; but instead blessing, knowing that You were called to this, that You may inherit a blessing.
Blessing instead of retaliation
Passages
Chapter opening: Romans 12:1-2
Therefore (ουν). This inferential participle gathers up all the great argument of chapters 1-11 . Now Paul turns to exhortation (παρακαλω), "I beseech you." By the mercies (δια των οικτιρμων). "By means of the mercies of God" as shown in his argument and in our lives. See 2Co 1:3 for "the Father of mercies." To present (παραστησα). First aorist active infinitive of παριστημ, for which verb see 6:13 , a technical term for offering a sacrifice (Josephus, Ant .
IV. 6, 4), though not in the O. T. Used of presenting the child Jesus in the temple ( Lu 2:22 ), of the Christian presenting himself ( Ro 6:13 ), of God presenting the saved ( Eph 5:27 ), of Christ presenting the church ( Col 1:28 ). Bodies (σωματα). So literally as in 6:13 , 19 ; 2Co 5:10 and in contrast with νους (mind) in verse 2 . A living sacrifice (θυσιαν ζωσαν).
In contrast with the Levitical sacrifices of slain animals. Cf. 6:8 , 11 , 13 . Not a propitiatory sacrifice, but one of praise. Acceptable (ευαρεστον). "Well-pleasing." See on 2Co 5:9 . Which is your reasonable service (την λογικην υμων λατρειαν). "Your rational (spiritual) service (worship)." For λατρεια, see on 9:4 . Λογικος is from λογος, reason. The phrase means here "worship rendered by the reason (or soul)."
Old word, in N. T. only here and 1Pe 2:2 το λογικον γαλα (not logical milk, but the milk nourishing the soul).
Be not fashioned (μη συνσχηματιζεσθε). Present passive imperative with μη, stop being fashioned or do not have the habit of being fashioned. Late Greek verb συσχηματιζω, to conform to another's pattern ( 1Co 7:31 ; Php 2:7 f. ). In N. T. only here and 1Pe 1:14 . According to this world (τω αιων τουτω). Associative instrumental case. Do not take this age as your fashion plate.
Be ye transformed (μεταμορφουσθε). Present passive imperative of μεταμορφοω, another late verb, to transfigure as in Mt 17:2 ( Mr 9:2 ); 2Co 3:18 , which see. On the distinction between σχημα and μορφη, see Php 2:7 . There must be a radical change in the inner man for one to live rightly in this evil age, "by the renewing of your mind" (τη ανακαινωσε του νοος).
Instrumental case. The new birth, the new mind, the new (καινος) man. That ye may prove (εις το δοκιμαζειν). Infinitive of purpose with εις το, "to test" what is God's will, "the good and acceptable and perfect" (το αγαθον κα ευαρεστον κα τελειον).
Not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think (μη υπερφρονειν παρ' ο δε φρονειν). Indirect negative command after λεγω (I say). Play on the two infinitives φρονειν, to think, and υπερφρονειν (old verb from υπερφρων, over-proud, here only in N. T.) to "over-think" with παρ' ο (beyond what) added. Then another play on φρονειν and σωφρονειν (old verb from σωφρων, sober-minded), to be in one's right mind ( Mr 5:15 ; 2Co 5:13 ).
Self-conceit is here treated as a species of insanity. A measure of faith (μετρον πιστεως). Accusative case, the object of the verb εμερισεν. Each has his gift from God ( 1Co 3:5 ; 4:7 ). There is no occasion for undue pride. To each man (εκαστω). Emphatic position before ως (as) and emphasizes the diversity.
The same office (την αυτην πραξιν). Mode of acting or function. Cf. Ac 19:18 ; Ro 8:13 .
And severally (το δε καθ' εις). A difficult late idiom where the preposition καθ' (κατα) is treated adverbially with no effect on the nominative case εις like υπερ εγω ( 2Co 11:23 ). So εις καθ' εις ( Mr 14:19 ) and in Modern Greek καθεις as a distributive pronoun. But we have καθ' ενα in 1Co 14:31 . The use of the neuter article here το with καθ' εις is probably the accusative of general reference, "as to each one."
Differing (διαφορα). Old adjective from διαφερω, to differ, to vary. So Heb 9:10 . According to the proportion of our faith (κατα την αναλογιαν της πιστεως). The same use of πιστις (faith) as in verse 3 "the measure of faith." Old word. αναλογια (our word "analogy") from αναλογος (analogous, conformable, proportional). Here alone in N. T. The verb προφητευωμεν (present active volitive subjunctive, let us prophesy) must be supplied with which εχοντες agrees.
The context calls for the subjective meaning of "faith" rather than the objective and outward standard though πιστις does occur in that sense ( Ga 1:23 ; 3:23 ).
Let us give ourselves . There is no verb in the Greek. We must supply δÂωμεν εαυτους or some such phrase. Or he that teacheth (ειτε ο διδασκων). Here the construction changes and no longer do we have the accusative case like διακονιαν (general word for Christian service of all kinds including ministers and deacons) as the object of εχοντες, but the nominative articular participle.
A new verb must be supplied of which ο διδασκων is the subject as with the succeeding participles through verse 8 . Perhaps in each instance the verb is to be repeated from the participle like διδασκετω here (let him teach) or a general term ποιειτω (let him do it) can be used for all of them as seems necessary before "with liberality" in verse 8 (εν απλοτητ, in simplicity, for which word, see Mt 6:22 ; 2Co 8:2 ; 9:11 , 13 ).
He that ruleth (ο προισταμενος). "The one standing in front" for which see 1Th 5:12 . With diligence (εν σπουδη). "In haste" as if in earnest ( Mr 6:25 ; 2Co 7:11 f. , 8:8 , 16 ), from σπευδω, to hasten. Again verse 11 . With cheerfulness (εν ιλαροτητ). Late word, only here in N. T. , from ιλαρος ( 2Co 9:7 ) cheerful, hilarious.
Without hypocrisy (ανυποκριτος). Late double compound adjective for which see 2Co 6:6 . Hypocritical or pretended love is no love at all as Paul describes αγαπη in 1Co 13 . Abhor (αποστυγουντες). Old verb with intensive (απο) dislike, only here in N. T. The present active participle is here employed in the sense of the present active indicative as sometimes happens with the independent participle (Robertson, Grammar , pp.
1132ff.) This same idiom appears with κολλωμενο (cleaving) for which verb see on 1Co 6:17 , with προηγουμενο (preferring) in verse 10 (old verb here only in N. T.) , and with the participles in verses 11-13 and again in verses 16-18 . One can supply εστε if he prefers.
In love of the brethren (τη φιλαδελφια). Late word for brotherly love for which see 1Th 4:9 . Tenderly affectioned (φιλοστοργο). Old compound adjective from φιλος and στοργη (mutual love of parents and children), here alone in N.T.
Slothful (οκνηρο). Old adjective from οκνεω, to hesitate, to be slow. Slow and "poky" as in Mt 25:26 .
Patient in tribulation (τη θλιψε υπομενοντες). So soon this virtue became a mark of the Christians.
Communicating (κοινωνουντες). "Contributing." From κοινωνεω for which see 2Co 9:13 . Paul had raised a great collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem. Given to hospitality (την φιλοξενιαν διωκοντες). "Pursuing (as if in a chase or hunt) hospitality" (φιλοξενια, old word from φιλοξενος, fond of strangers, φιλος and ξενος as in 1Ti 3:2 ). In N.T. only here and Heb 13:2 . See 2Co 3:1 . They were to pursue (διωκω) hospitality as their enemies pursued (διωκοντας) them.
And curse not (κα μη καταρασθε). Present middle imperative with μη. Like Mt 5:44 in spirit, not a quotation, but a reminiscence of the words of Jesus. The negative addition gives emphasis. See Lu 6:28 for the old verb καταραομα from καταρα (curse).
Rejoice (χαιρειν). Present active infinitive of χαιρω, absolute or independent use of the infinitive as if a finite verb as occurs sometimes (Robertson, Grammar , pp. 1092ff.). Literally here, "Rejoicing with rejoicing people, weeping with weeping people."
Be of the same mind (το αυτο φρονουντες). Absolute or independent use of the participle again as with all the participles through verse 18 , "thinking the same thing." Set not your mind on high things (μη τα υψηλα φρονουντες). "Not thinking the high things" (υψηλος from υψος, height). Cf. 1Co 13:5 . Condescend to things that are lowly (τοις ταπεινοις συναπαγομενο).
"Be carried away with (borne along with) the lowly things" (in contrast with τα υψηλα, though the associative instrumental case may be masculine, "with lowly men." See Ga 2:13 ; 2 Peter 3:17 for the only other N. T. examples of this old verb. Be not wise (μη γινεσθε φρονιμο). "Do not have the habit of becoming (γινεσθε) wise in your own conceits" (παρ' εαυτοις, beside yourselves).
Note the imperative in the midst of infinitives and participles.
Render to no man (μηδεν αποδιδοντες). "Giving back to no man." Independent participle again. Evil for evil (κακον αντ κακου). Directly opposite to the law of retaliation of the Pharisees as in Mt 5:39 ; 1Th 5:15 ; 1Co 13:5 f . Take thought of (προνοουμενο). "Taking thought beforehand." Old word. See 2Co 8:21 .
As much as in you lieth (το εξ υμων). Accusative of general reference, "so far as what proceeds from you" ("the from you part"). See το κατ' εμε in 1:15 . This phrase explains "if it be possible" (ε δυνατον). "All your part is to be peace" (Alford). For "be at peace" (ειρηνευοντες) see 2Co 13:11 .
Avenge not (μη εκδικουντες). Independent participle again of late verb εκδικεω from εκδικος, exacting justice ( 13:4 ). See already Lu 18:5 ; 2Co 10:6 . But give place unto wrath (αλλα δοτε τοπον τη οργη). Second aorist active imperative of διδωμ, to give. "Give room for the (note article as in 5:9 ; 1Th 2:16 ) wrath" of God instead of taking vengeance in your own hands.
See Eph 4:27 for διδοτε τοπον. Paul quotes De 32:35 (the Hebrew rather than the LXX). So have Heb 10:30 and the Targum of Onkelos, but the relation between them and Paul we cannot tell. Socrates and Epictetus condemned personal vindictiveness as Paul does here. I will recompense (ανταποδωσω). Future active of the double compound verb quoted also in 11:35 .
Feed him (ψωμιζε αυτον). Quotation from LXX text of Pr 25:21 f . Present active imperative of verb from ψωμος, a morsel, and so to feed crumbs to babies, then to feed in general. In N. T. only here and 1Co 13:3 . Thou shalt heap (σωρευσεις). Future active of old verb σωρευω from σωρος, a heap. In N. T. only here and 2Ti 3:6 . Coals of fire (ανθρακας πυρος). That is, burning or live coals.
Anthrax (our "anthracite") is an old word, only here in N. T. It is a metaphor for keen anguish. The Arabs have a proverb "coals in the heart," "fire in the liver." Such kindness may lead to repentance also.
Be not overcome of evil (μη νικω υπο του κακου). Present passive imperative of νικαω, to conquer. "Stop being conquered by the evil (thing or man)," But overcome evil with good (αλλα νικα εν τω αγαθω το κακον). "But keep on conquering the evil in the good." Drown the evil in the good. Seneca: Vincit malos pertinax bonitas .