Romans 13:8

Romans 13:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
• New International Version (NIV)Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.

Context of Romans 13:8

6For this same reason you pay taxes, for civil authorities are God’s servants, devoting themselves to governance. 7Pay to all what is due: tax to whom tax is due, customs to whom customs, respect to whom respect, honor to whom honor. Owe nothing to anyone except to love and seek the best for one another; for he who [unselfishly] loves his neighbor has fulfilled the [essence of the] law [relating to one’s fellowman]. 9The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,” and any other commandment are summed up in this statement: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10Love does no wrong to a neighbor [it never hurts anyone]. Therefore [unselfish] love is the fulfillment of the Law.

Romans 13:8 word by word

μηδενὶ μηδὲν ὀφείλετε εἰ μὴ τὸ ἀλλήλους ἀγαπᾶν· ὁ γὰρ ἀγαπῶν τὸν ἕτερον νόμον πεπλήρωκεν·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Oweὀφείλωopheilō opheileō · to oweG3784
• no manμηδείςmēdeis mēdemia mēden · nothingG3367
• butεἰei · if: notG1487
• butμήmē · notG3361
• to loveὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• to loveἀγαπάωagapaō · to loveG25
• one anotherἀλλήλωνallēlōn · one anotherG240
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• anotherἕτεροςheteros · otherG2087
• hath fulfilledπληρόωplēroō · to fulfillG4137
• the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551

Cross-references for Romans 13:8

• Romans 13:7Pay to all what is due: tax to whom tax is due, customs to whom customs, respect to whom respect, honor to whom honor.
• Deuteronomy 24:14“You shall not take advantage of a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether [he is] one of your countrymen or one of the strangers (resident aliens, foreigners) who is in your land inside your cities.
• Proverbs 3:27Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due [its rightful recipients], When it is in your power to do it.
• Matthew 7:12“So then, in everything treat others the same way you want them to treat you, for this is [the essence of] the Law and the [writings of the] Prophets.
• Matthew 22:39The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others].’
• Romans 13:10Love does no wrong to a neighbor [it never hurts anyone]. Therefore [unselfish] love is the fulfillment of the Law.
• Galatians 5:14For the whole Law [concerning human relationships] is fulfilled in one precept, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, you shall have an unselfish concern for others and do things for their benefit].”
• Colossians 3:14Beyond all these things put on and wrap yourselves in [unselfish] love, which is the perfect bond of unity [for everything is bound together in agreement when each one seeks the best for others].
• 1 Timothy 1:5But the goal of our instruction is love [which springs] from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
• James 2:8If, however, you are [really] fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, if you have an unselfish concern for others and do things for their benefit]” you are doing well.

Commentaries on Romans 13:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Owe no man any thing, but to love one another - In the preceding verses the apostle has been showing the duty, reverence, and obedience, which all Christians, from the highest to the lowest, owe to the civil magistrate; whether he be emperor, king, proconsul, or other state officer; here he shows them their duty to each other: but this is widely different from that which they owe to the civil government: to the first they owe subjection, reverence…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Owe no man anything - Be not “in debt” to anyone. In the previous verse the apostle had been discoursing of the duty which we owe to magistrates. He had particularly enjoined on Christians to pay to “them” their just dues. From this command to discharge fully this obligation, the transition was natural to the subject of debts “in general,” and to an injunction not to be indebted to “any one.” This law is enjoined in this place: (1)Because it is a part of…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-10Verses 8-10 Christians must avoid useless expense, and be careful not to contract any debts they have not the power to discharge. They are also to stand aloof from all venturesome speculations and rash engagements, and whatever may expose them to the danger of not rendering to all their due. Do not keep in any one's debt. Give every one his own. Do not spend that on yourselves, which you owe to others. But many who are very sensible of the trouble, think…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8The idea of obligation connects 13:1–7 and 13:8–10. Christians should “pay everyone what you owe him” (13:7). At the same time, Christians always owe love to their neighbors. Be indebted to no one: Debt is not wrong, but Christians should avoid it. If a Christian does incur debt, it should be repaid promptly. This allows the believer to remain free to serve others in love (see Proverbs 22:7). to one another in love: Christians are called to love all…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. Owe no man anything, but to love one another--"Acquit yourselves of all obligations except love, which is a debt that must remain ever due" [Hodge]. for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law--for the law itself is but love in manifold action, regarded as matter of duty.Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 13:8

• Commandments
• Debt
• Decalogue
• Love

In the dictionaries

• Chamber
• Chambering
• Comprehend
• Custom
• Fear
• Near
• Owe
• Sword
• Terror
• Bible, the

Commentaries on Romans 13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings