EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Romans 12:19
19My friends, if someone has done bad things to you, do not try to punish them yourselves. Instead, let God be angry and punish them. This is what is written in the Bible: ‘The Lord God says, “When people do something wrong, I am the one who will punish them. I will pay them back.” ’
Romans 12:19 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
- New International Version (NIV)Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
Context of Romans 12:19
17If someone has done bad things against you, do not do bad things back to them. Try to live in a good way so that people will respect you. They will see that you do good things. 18If it is possible, try always to be friends with other people. My friends, if someone has done bad things to you, do not try to punish them yourselves. Instead, let God be angry and punish them. This is what is written in the Bible: ‘The Lord God says, “When people do something wrong, I am the one who will punish them. I will pay them back.” ’ 20But the Bible also says this: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. If you help your enemy, he will become ashamed. He will be sorry because of what he did to you.’ 21Do not let evil things win against you! Instead, do good things. Then you will win against the evil things that people do.
Read all of Romans 12Romans 12:19 word by word
μὴ ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδικοῦντες, ἀγαπητοί, ἀλλὰ δότε τόπον τῇ ὀργῇ· γέγραπται γάρ· ἐμοὶ ἐκδίκησις, ἐγὼ ἀνταποδώσω, λέγει κύριος.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Dearly belovedἀγαπητόςagapētos · belovedG27
- avengeἐκδικέωekdikeō · to avengeG1556
- notμήmē · notG3361
- yourselvesἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- giveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
- placeτόποςtopos · placeG5117
- unto wrathὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- unto wrathὀργήorgē · wrathG3709
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- it is writtenγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
- Vengeanceἐκδίκησιςekdikēsis · vengeanceG1557
- mineἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- will repayἀνταποδίδωμιantapodidōmi · to repayG467
- saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
Cross-references for Romans 12:19
- Romans 12:14Ask God to bless people who cause trouble for you. Yes, ask him to be kind to them. Do not ask him to do bad things to them.
- Leviticus 19:18You must not try to punish a person who has done something wrong against you. You must not continue to hate a person like that. Instead, you must love other people as much you love yourself. I am the Lord.
- 1 Samuel 25:26I know this as surely as the Lord lives and as surely as you live: The Lord has stopped you from killing anyone today. You could have done that, but he has not let you do it. I pray that God will punish all your enemies in the same way that he will punish Nabal.
- Proverbs 24:1728. Do not shout with joy when your enemy falls down. Do not be happy when his foot slips.
- Ezekiel 25:12The Almighty Lord says this: Edom's people were cruel to Judah's people when they wanted to punish them. They are guilty because of what they did to Judah's people.
- Matthew 5:39But what I tell you is this. If somebody does something bad to you, do not do anything against him. Somebody may slap you on one side of your face. Then you should also let him slap the other side of your face.
- Luke 6:27Jesus then said, ‘I say this to you who are listening carefully to me: Love the people who want to hurt you. Do good things to people that hate you.
- Luke 9:55Jesus turned round. ‘No!’ he said, ‘Do not do that. That would be wrong.’
- Romans 13:4Rulers are God's servants. They help you to do good things. But if you do bad things, then you should be afraid of them. They really do have authority to punish people. On God's behalf they punish people who do bad things.
- Deuteronomy 32:35When the right time comes, I will punish them as they deserve. They will suddenly fall and great trouble will quickly destroy them.’
- Psalms 94:1Lord, you are the God who punishes guilty people. God, show your power to punish people as they deserve!
- Nahum 1:2God is angry with the people in Nineveh. The Lord loves his people. But he is very angry with his enemies. He is so angry with them that he must punish them. He will be angry until he has killed his enemies.
- Hebrews 10:30We know God and his message. And God said this: ‘I am the one who will punish people for their sins. I will give them the punishment that they ought to receive.’ God also said this: ‘The Lord will judge his people.’
Commentaries on Romans 12:19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves - Ye are the children of God, and he loves you; and because he loves you he will permit nothing to be done to you that he will not turn to your advantage. Never take the execution of the law into your own hands; rather suffer injuries. The Son of man is come, not to destroy men's lives, but to save: be of the same spirit. When he was reviled, he reviled not again. It is the part of a noble mind to bear up under…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19Dearly beloved - This expression of tenderness was especially appropriate in an exhortation to peace. It reminded them of the affection and friendship which ought to subsist among them as brethren. Avenge not yourselves - To “avenge” is to take satisfaction for an injury by inflicting punishment on the offender. To take such satisfaction for injuries done to society, is lawful and proper for a magistrate; Romans 13:4. And to take satisfaction for injuries…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-21Verses 17-21 Since men became enemies to God, they have been very ready to be enemies one to another. And those that embrace religion, must expect to meet with enemies in a world whose smiles seldom agree with Christ's. Recompense to no man evil for evil. That is a brutish recompence, befitting only animals, which are not conscious of any being above them, or of any existence hereafter. And not only do, but study and take care to do, that which is amiable…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-21The many instructions in these verses are not arranged in a strict or orderly pattern. The main theme, stated at the beginning, is sincere love. Paul explains how believers should show love to people inside the church (12:10, 13, 15–16). He also explains how they should show love to people outside the church (12:14, 17–21).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-2119-21. avenge not, &c.--(See on Ro 12:14). but rather give place unto wrath--This is usually taken to mean, "but give room or space for wrath to spend itself." But as the context shows that the injunction is to leave vengeance to God, "wrath" here seems to mean, not the offense, which we are tempted to avenge, but the avenging wrath of God (see 2Ch 24:18), which we are enjoined to await, or give room for. (So the best interpreters).Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 12:19
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Romans 12
- 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
EasyEnglish Bible 2018 — Copyright © MissionAssist 2018
Commentaries