Focused Passage

Romans 12:9-21

Living Sacrifices, Renewed Minds, Humble Service, and Love Without Hypocrisy

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.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

9 Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good.

10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.

11 Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, persistent in prayer.

13 Share with the saints who are in need. Practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.

16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited.

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.

18 If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone.

19 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.”

20 On the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 9

Original words

- G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular Love ἀγάπη G26 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular must be sincere ἀνυπόκριτος G505 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular Detest ἀποστυγοῦντες G655 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural what [is] τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular evil πονηρόν G4190 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular cling to κολλώμενοι G2853 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural what [is] τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular good ἀγαθῷ G18 Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular
Verse 10

Original words

Be devoted φιλόστοργοι G5387 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural to εἰς G1519 Preposition one another ἀλλήλους G240 Personal / Reciprocal Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Plural - τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular in brotherly love φιλαδελφίᾳ G5360 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular Outdo yourselves προηγούμενοι G4285 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural - τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular in honoring τιμῇ G5092 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular one another ἀλλήλους G240 Personal / Reciprocal Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Verse 11

Original words

Do not let μὴ G3361 Adverb [your] τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular zeal σπουδῇ G4710 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular subside ὀκνηροί G3636 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural keep your spiritual fervor ζέοντες G2204 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural . . . τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular . . . πνεύματι G4151 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular serving δουλεύοντες G1398 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural the τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular Lord Κυρίῳ G2962 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Verse 12

Original words

Be joyful χαίροντες G5463 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural - τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular in hope ἐλπίδι G1680 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular patient ὑπομένοντες G5278 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural - τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular in affliction θλίψει G2347 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular persistent προσκαρτεροῦντες G4342 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural - τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular in prayer προσευχῇ G4335 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Verse 13

Original words

Share with κοινωνοῦντες G2841 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural saints ἁγίων G40 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural who [are] ταῖς G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Plural in need χρείαις G5532 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural Practice διώκοντες G1377 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular hospitality φιλοξενίαν G5381 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 14

Original words

Bless Εὐλογεῖτε G2127 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural those who τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural persecute διώκοντας G1377 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural you ὑμᾶς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural Bless εὐλογεῖτε G2127 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction {do} not μὴ G3361 Adverb curse καταρᾶσθε G2672 Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Verse 15

Original words

Rejoice χαίρειν G5463 Verb - Present Infinitive Active with μετὰ G3326 Preposition those who rejoice χαιρόντων G5463 Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural weep κλαίειν G2799 Verb - Present Infinitive Active with μετὰ G3326 Preposition those who weep κλαιόντων G2799 Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural
Verse 16

Original words

Live in harmony φρονοῦντες G5426 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural . . . τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular . . . αὐτὸ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Neuter 3rd Person Singular with εἰς G1519 Preposition one another ἀλλήλους G240 Personal / Reciprocal Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Plural vvv μὴ G3361 Adverb Do not be proud φρονοῦντες G5426 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural . . . τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural . . . ὑψηλὰ G5308 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural but ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction associate συναπαγόμενοι G4879 Verb - Present Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural with the τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Plural lowly ταπεινοῖς G5011 Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural {Do} not μὴ G3361 Adverb be γίνεσθε G1096 Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural conceited φρόνιμοι G5429 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural . . . παρ’ G3844 Preposition . . . ἑαυτοῖς G1438 Reflexive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Verse 17

Original words

Do not repay anyone ἀποδιδόντες G591 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural . . . μηδενὶ G3367 Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular evil κακὸν G2556 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular for ἀντὶ G473 Preposition evil κακοῦ G2556 Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular Carefully consider προνοούμενοι G4306 Verb - Present Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Plural what is right καλὰ G2570 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural in the eyes of ἐνώπιον G1799 Preposition everybody πάντων G3956 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural . . . ἀνθρώπων G444 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Verse 18

Original words

If [it is] εἰ G1487 Conjunction possible δυνατόν G1415 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular - τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular on ἐξ G1537 Preposition your [part] ὑμῶν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural live at peace εἰρηνεύοντες G1514 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural with μετὰ G3326 Preposition everyone πάντων G3956 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural . . . ἀνθρώπων G444 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Verse 19

Original words

{Do} not μὴ G3361 Adverb avenge ἐκδικοῦντες G1556 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural yourselves ἑαυτοὺς G1438 Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural beloved ἀγαπητοί G27 Adjective - Vocative Masculine Plural but ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction leave δότε G1325 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural room τόπον G5117 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular - τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular for [God’s] wrath ὀργῇ G3709 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular For γάρ G1063 Conjunction it is written γέγραπται G1125 Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular Vengeance [is] ἐκδίκησις G1557 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular Mine Ἐμοὶ G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular I ἐγὼ G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular will repay ἀνταποδώσω G467 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular says λέγει G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular [the] Lord Κύριος G2962 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • Deuteronomy 32:35 (see also LXX)
Verse 20

Original words

On the contrary Ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction If Ἐὰν G1437 Conjunction your σου G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular enemy ἐχθρός G2190 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular is hungry πεινᾷ G3983 Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular feed ψώμιζε G5595 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular him αὐτόν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular if ἐὰν G1437 Conjunction he is thirsty διψᾷ G1372 Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular vvv αὐτόν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular give him a drink πότιζε G4222 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular For γὰρ G1063 Conjunction in so doing ποιῶν G4160 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular . . . τοῦτο G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular you will heap σωρεύσεις G4987 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular burning πυρὸς G4442 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular coals ἄνθρακας G440 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural on ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition his αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular head κεφαλὴν G2776 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular

BSB notes

  • Proverbs 25:21–22 (see also LXX)
Verse 21

Original words

{Do} not Μὴ G3361 Adverb be overcome νικῶ G3528 Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Singular by ὑπὸ G5259 Preposition - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Singular evil κακοῦ G2556 Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular but ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction overcome νίκα G3528 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular - τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular evil κακόν G2556 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular with ἐν G1722 Preposition - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular good ἀγαθῷ G18 Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.