New Living Translation
Romans 12:9
9Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.
Romans 12:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
- 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.
Context of Romans 12:9
7If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 11Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.
Read all of Romans 12Romans 12:9 word by word
Ἡ ἀγάπη ἀνυπόκριτος. ἀποστυγοῦντες τὸ πονηρόν, κολλώμενοι τῷ ἀγαθῷ·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Romans 12:9
- 2 Samuel 20:9“How are you, my cousin?” Joab said and took him by the beard with his right hand as though to kiss him.
- Psalms 55:21His words are as smooth as butter, but in his heart is war. His words are as soothing as lotion, but underneath are daggers!
- Proverbs 26:25They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them. Their hearts are full of many evils.
- Ezekiel 33:31So my people come pretending to be sincere and sit before you. They listen to your words, but they have no intention of doing what you say. Their mouths are full of lustful words, and their hearts seek only after money.
- Matthew 26:49So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss.
- John 12:6Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself.
- 2 Corinthians 6:6We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love.
- 2 Corinthians 8:8I am not commanding you to do this. But I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:3So you can see we were not preaching with any deceit or impure motives or trickery.
- 1 Timothy 1:5The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith.
- James 2:15Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing,
- 1 Peter 1:22You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.
- 1 Peter 4:8Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.
- 1 John 3:18Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.
- Psalms 34:14Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
- Psalms 36:4They lie awake at night, hatching sinful plots. Their actions are never good. They make no attempt to turn from 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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
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