King James Version
Romans 12:9
9Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
Romans 12:9 in other versions
- New International Version (NIV)Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.
Context of Romans 12:9
7Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 8Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 11Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
Read all of Romans 12Romans 12:9 word by word
Ἡ ἀγάπη ἀνυπόκριτος. ἀποστυγοῦντες τὸ πονηρόν, κολλώμενοι τῷ ἀγαθῷ·Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Romans 12:9
- 2 Samuel 20:9And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.
- Psalms 55:21The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.
- Proverbs 26:25When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.
- Ezekiel 33:31And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.
- Matthew 26:49And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.
- John 12:6This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
- 2 Corinthians 6:6By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
- 2 Corinthians 8:8I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:3For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:
- 1 Timothy 1:5Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
- James 2:15If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
- 1 Peter 1:22Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
- 1 Peter 4:8And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
- 1 John 3:18My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
- Psalms 34:14Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
- Psalms 36:4He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.
Commentaries on Romans 12:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Let love be without dissimulation - ̔ · Have no hypocritical love; let not your love wear a mask; make no empty professions. Love God and your neighbor; and, by obedience to the one and acts of benevolence to the other, show that your love is sincere. Abhor that which is evil - · Hate sin as you would hate that hell to which it leads. signifies to hate or detest with horror; the preposition greatly strengthens the meaning. , Styx, was a feigned river in…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Let love - The apostle proceeds to specify the duties of Christians in general, that they might secure the beauty and order of the church. The first which he specifies is love. This word here evidently refers to benevolence, or to good-will toward all mankind. In Romans 12:10 he specifies the duty of brotherly love; and there can be no doubt that he here refers to the benevolence which we ought to cherish toward all people. A similar distinction is found…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-16Verses 9-16 The professed love of Christians to each other should be sincere, free from deceit, and unmeaning and deceitful compliments. Depending on Divine grace, they must detest and dread all evil, and love and delight in whatever is kind and useful. We must not only do that which is good, but we must cleave to it. All our duty towards one another is summed up in one word, love. This denotes the love of parents to their children; which is more tender…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. 99. Let love be without dissimulation--"Let your love be unfeigned" (as in 2Co 6:6; 1Pe 2:22; and see 1Jo 3:18). Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good--What a lofty tone of moral principle and feeling is here inculcated! It is not, Abstain from the one, and do the other; nor, Turn away from the one, and draw to the other; but, Abhor the one, and cling, with deepest sympathy, to the other.Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 12:9
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
King James Version — Public Domain except in the United Kingdom (Crown rights)
Commentaries