English Standard Version
Romans 12:20
20To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head."
Romans 12:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
- New International Version (NIV)On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”
Context of Romans 12:20
18If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Read all of Romans 12Romans 12:20 word by word
ἀλλ᾽ ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου, ψώμιζε αὐτόν· ἐὰν διψᾷ, πότιζε αὐτόν· τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- ifἐάνean · ifG1437
- thineσύsu · youG4771
- enemyἐχθρόςechthros · enemyG2190
- hungerπεινάωpeinaō · to hungerG3983
- feedψωμίζωpsōmizō · to feed/dole outG5595
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- he thirstδιψάωdipsaō · to thirstG1372
- giveποτίζωpotizō · to waterG4222
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- in soοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- doingποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
- thou shalt heapσωρεύωsōreuō · to pile upG4987
- coalsἄνθραξanthrax · charcoalG440
- of fireπῦρpur · fireG4442
- onἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- headκεφαλήkephalē · headG2776
Cross-references for Romans 12:20
- Exodus 23:4"If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him.
- 1 Samuel 24:16As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" And Saul lifted up his voice and wept.
- 1 Samuel 26:21Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and have made a great mistake."
- Proverbs 25:21If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
- Matthew 5:44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
- Psalms 120:4A warrior's sharp arrows, with glowing coals of the broom tree!
- Psalms 140:10Let burning coals fall upon them! Let them be cast into fire, into miry pits, no more to rise!
Commentaries on Romans 12:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20If thine enemy hunger, feed him - Do not withhold from any man the offices of mercy and kindness; you have been God's enemy, and yet God fed, clothed, and preserved you alive: do to your enemy as God has done to you. If your enemy be hungry, feed him; if he be thirsty, give him drink: so has God dealt with you. And has not a sense of his goodness and long-suffering towards you been a means of melting down your heart into penitential compunction…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Therefore, if thine enemy hunger - This verse is taken almost literally from Proverbs 25:21-22. Hunger and thirst here are put for want in general. If thine enemy is needy in any way, do him good, and supply his needs. This is, in spirit, the same as the command of the Lord Jesus Matthew 5:44, “Do good to them that hate you,” etc. In so doing - It does not mean that we are to do this “for the sake” of heaping coals of fire on him, but that this will be…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. 20-21A simple act of Christian kindness can often bring a hostile person to repentance before God and restore fellowship between people.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 12:20
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries