New Living Translation
Romans 12:19
19Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.
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
17Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. 20Instead, “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.” 21Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
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 12:14Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.
- Leviticus 19:18“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
- 1 Samuel 25:26“Now, my lord, as surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, since the Lord has kept you from murdering and taking vengeance into your own hands, let all your enemies and those who try to harm you be as cursed as Nabal is.
- Proverbs 24:17Don’t rejoice when your enemies fall; don’t be happy when they stumble.
- Ezekiel 25:12“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The people of Edom have sinned greatly by avenging themselves against the people of Judah.
- Matthew 5:39But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.
- Luke 6:27“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you.
- Luke 9:55But Jesus turned and rebuked them.
- Romans 13:4The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong.
- Deuteronomy 32:35I will take revenge; I will pay them back. In due time their feet will slip. Their day of disaster will arrive, and their destiny will overtake them.’
- Psalms 94:1O Lord, the God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, let your glorious justice shine forth!
- Nahum 1:2The Lord is a jealous God, filled with vengeance and rage. He takes revenge on all who oppose him and continues to rage against his enemies!
- Hebrews 10:30For we know the one who said, “I will take revenge. I will pay them back.” He also said, “The Lord will judge his own 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
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