Romans 12:14

12:14 The exhortations in this verse closely resemble two sayings of Jesus (Matt 5:44; Luke 6:27-28). Although Paul does not introduce the commands as a quotation, he is almost certainly alluding to these sayings of Christ. Perhaps the words were so well known that he did not need to specify the source. The teaching of Rom 12–13 has many parallels with the teaching of Jesus.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Rom 12:14. Διώκοντας, persecuting) for the sake of Christ.—καὶ μὴ καταρᾶσθε, curse not) not even in thought.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Rom_12:14. Τοὺς διώκ. ὑμ.] who persecute you (in any respect whatever). The saying of Christ, Mat_5:44, was perhaps known to the apostle and here came to his recollection, without his having read however, as Reiche here again assumes (comp. on Rom_2:19), the Gospels.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Rom 12:14 . εὐλογεῖτε τοὺς διώκοντας , εὐλ . κ . μὴ καταρᾶσθε : not a quotation of Mat 5:44 , but probably a reminiscence of the same saying of Jesus. The change in construction from participle to imperative, the participle being resumed in the next sentence, suggests that the form of the sentence was given to Paul i.e. , he was consciously using borrowed words without modifying them to suit the sentence he had begun on his own account. It may be that when Paul said διώκοντες in Rom 12:13 , the other sense of the word passed through his mind and prompted Rom 12:14 ; but even if we could be sure of this (which we cannot) we should not understand either verse a whit better.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Rom_12:14

Bless them which persecute you; bless, and curse not. The exercise of love, and the discharge of the duties of benevolence, are not to be confined to the saints, or people of God; but the same spirit is to be manifested towards our enemies. The word (εὐλογέω) rendered to bless, signifies both to pray for good to anyone, and to do good. Here, from the context, the former meaning is to be preferred, as it is opposed to cursing, which signifies to imprecate evil on anyone. The command therefore is, that, so far from wishing or praying that evil may overtake our persecutors and enemies, we must sincerely desire and pray for their good. It is not sufficient to avoid returning evil for evil, nor even to banish vindictive feelings; we must be able sincerely to desire their happiness. How hard this is for corrupt human nature, everyone who is acquainted with his own heart well knows. Yet this is the standard of Christian temper and character exhibited in the Scriptures, Mat_5:44. Ardua res est, fateor, et naturae hominis penitus contraria; sed nihil tam arduum, quod non virtute Dei superetur, quae nobis nunquam deerit, modo ne ipsam invocare negligamus. Et quanquam vix unum reperias qui tantos in lege Dei progressus fecerit, ut praeceptum istud impleat; nemo tamen filium Dei jactare se potest, aut Christiani nomine gloriari, qui non animum istum ex parte induerit, et cum affectu adverso quotidie pugnet. Dixi hoc esse difficilius quam remittere vindictam, ubi quis laesus fuerit. Quidam eniu licet manus contineant, neque etiam agentur nocendi libidine, cuperent tamen aliunde hostibus suis accidere cladem vel damnum. Deus autem verbo suo non tantum manus coercet a malcficiis, sed amarulentos quoque affectus in animis domat; neque id modo, sed etiam vult de eorum salute esse sollicitos qui nos injuste vexando sibi exitium accersunt. Calvin.

Charles Hodge — Commentary on Romans (1835), First Corinthians (1857), and Ephesians (1856) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Bless--that is, Call down by prayer a blessing on.

them which persecute you, &c.--This is taken from the Sermon on the Mount (Mat 5:44), which, from the allusions made to it, seems to have been the storehouse of Christian morality among the churches.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 14. Bless them which persecute you] ευλογειτε, Give good words, or pray for them that give you bad words, καταρασθε, who make dire imprecations against you. Bless them, pray for them, and on no account curse them, whatever the provocation may be. Have the loving, forgiving mind that was in your Lord.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

14. Bless them, etc. I wish, once for all, to remind the reader, that he is not scrupulously to seek a precise order as to the precepts here laid down, but must be content to have short precepts, unconnected, though suited to the formation of a holy life, and such as are deduced from the principle the Apostle laid down at the beginning of the chapter.

He will presently give direction respecting the retaliation of the injuries which we may suffer: but here he requires something even more difficult, — that we are not to imprecate evils on our enemies, but to wish and to pray God to render all things prosperous to them, how much soever they may harass and cruelly treat us: and this kindness, the more difficult it is to be practiced, so with the more intense desire we ought to strive for it; for the Lord commands nothing, with respect to which he does not require our obedience; nor is any excuse to be allowed, if we are destitute of that disposition, by which the Lord would have his people to differ from the ungodly and the children of this world.

Arduous is this, I admit, and wholly opposed to the nature of man; but there is nothing too arduous to be overcome by the power of God, which shall never be wanting to us, provided we neglect not to seek for it. And though you can hardly find one who has made such advances in the law of the Lord that he fulfills this precept, yet no one can claim to be the child of God or glory in the name of a Christian, who has not in part attained this mind, and who does not daily resist the opposite disposition.

I have said that this is more difficult than to let go revenge when any one is injured: for though some restrain their hands and are not led away by the passion of doing harm, they yet wish that some calamity or loss would in some way happen to their enemies; and even when they are so pacified that they wish no evil, there is yet hardly one in a hundred who wishes well to him from whom he has received an injury; nay, most men daringly burst forth into imprecations. But God by his word not only restrains our hands from doing evil, but also subdues the bitter feelings within; and not only so, but he would have us to be solicitous for the wellbeing of those who unjustly trouble us and seek our destruction.

Erasmus was mistaken in the meaning of the verb γεῖν to bless; for he did not perceive that it stands opposed to curses and maledictions: for Paul would have God in both instances to be a witness of our patience, and to see that we not only bridle in our prayers the violence of our wrath, but also show by praying for pardon that we grieve at the lot of our enemies when they willfully ruin themselves.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(14) Bless them which persecute you.—Apparently with allusion to Mat_5:44. It was probably just about the time that St. Paul was writing this Epistle, or at most a year or two later, that the series of compositions which ultimately took the shape of our present Gospels began. It is not, however, necessary to suppose that St. Paul had actually seen one of these. The record of our Lord’s teaching was no doubt at first preserved and circulated in the Church orally, and it would be in this form that St. Paul first became acquainted with the precept to which he here seems to allude. There is, perhaps, another reference to the Sermon on the Mount in 1Co_7:10. Such references occur (as we should expect) more frequently in the Epistle of St. James.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14. Bless them which persecute you] According to the Lord’s own express precept; see Luk_6:28. See also His example, Luk_23:34.—The Roman Church was not at this time under special trial of persecution; so we seem to gather from the general tone of this Epistle. But soon the Neronian persecution was to break upon it; and meantime, in one form or another, persecution was always going on, if only on a private scale. Cp. 2Ti_3:12.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Bless them which persecute you,.... It is the lot of God's, people in this world to be persecuted by the men of it, in some shape or another, either by words or deeds; either by reviling and reproaching them, and speaking all manner of evil of them; or by hindering them the free exercise of religious worship, by confiscation of their goods, imprisonment of their persons, by violently torturing their bodies, and taking away their lives; under all which circumstances they are taught to

bless them; that is, to pray for them, that God would show them their evil, give repentance to them, and the remission of their sins; which is the order Christ gave to his disciples, Mat 5:44; and encouraged to an observance of, by his own example, Luk 23:34; and has been followed herein by his disciples and apostles, Act 7:60 Co1 4:12. Moreover, by "blessing" may be meant, giving them good words, mild and soft answers, "not rendering evil for evil, railing for railing", Pe1 3:9; but, on the contrary, blessing, in imitation of Christ, who, "when he was reviled, reviled not again", Pe1 2:23, "bless",

and curse not: to have a mouth full of cursing and bitterness, Rom 3:14, is the character of an unregenerate man, and what by no means suits one who names the name of Christ; for blessing and cursing to proceed out of the same mouth, is as absurd and unnatural, as if it should be supposed that a fountain should send forth sweet water and bitter, or salt and fresh, Jam 3:10. The imprecations upon wicked men, used by David and other good men, are no contradictions to this rule; since they were made under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, and were predictions of God's vengeance, which in righteous judgment should fall on them, and are not to be drawn into an example by us.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

Ver. 14. Bless them] {See Trapp on "Mat 5:44"}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Bless them ... - see the note at Mat 5:44; compare Luk 6:28.

Bless, and curse not - Bless only; or continue to bless, however long or aggravated may be the injury. Do not be provoked to anger, or to cursing, by any injury, persecution, or reviling. This is one of the most severe and difficult duties of the Christian religion; and it is a duty which nothing else but religion will enable people to perform. To curse denotes properly to devote to destruction. Where there is power to do it, it implies the destruction of the object. Thus, the fig-tree that was cursed by the Saviour soon withered away: Mar 11:21. Thus, those whom God curses will be certainly destroyed; Mat 25:41. Where there is not power to do it, to curse implies the invoking of the aid of God to devote to destruction. Hence, it means to imprecate; to implore a curse from God to rest on others; to pray that God would destroy them. In a larger sense still, it means to abuse by reproachful words; to calumniate; or to express oneself in a violent, profane, and outrageous manner. In this passage it seems to have special reference to this.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Bless them which persecute you; i.e. pray for them, and wish well to them. This is borrowed from Mat 5:44; Luk 6:28; see the like in 1Pe 3:9. This is commended to us by the example of Christ himself, Isa 53:12; Luk 23:34; 1Pe 2:23; of Stephen, Act 7:60; of Paul, and the primitive Christians, 1Co 4:12.

Bless, and curse not: his doubling the exhortation shows the difficulty of the duty; it is contrary to corrupt nature: and it denotes the constancy of it; we must persevere therein. When he saith, curse not, he means, wish no evil to your enemies.

Objection. The prophets and apostles went contrary to this: see 2Ki 2:24; Psa 69:22,23; Ac 8:20; 13:10,11; 23:3.

Answer. These did it by a special vocation and instinct of the Spirit.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Curse not - No, not in your heart.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

The apostle having taught us our duty to our friends in the former verse, teacheth us our duty here towards our enemies. Bless them that persecute you: that is, pray for them, and wish well to them, whatever provocation you may have to the contrary.

Learn hence, 1. That good men must make account of, and prepare for, persecution; either the persecution of the tongue, or of the hand, or of both.

Learn, 2. That it is their duty ever to bless, never to curse, their persecutors and opposers; Bless, but curse not.

Where note, That the apootle doubles the exhortation, Bless your persecutors, bless and curse not. This doubling the exhortation, shows both the difficulty of the duty, how contrary it is to corrupt nature; and also the constancy of the duty, we must ever bless, and never curse: always wish well, never any ill, to the worst of men. Take we great heed of giving way to secret wishes of hurt to our enemy. God forbid we should hurt ourselves by sinful passion, because others hurt us by slander and false accusation. We are naturally prone to speak ill of others, and to wish ill to others, with delight; this sin persisted in, shuts out of heaven as well as murder.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14. “Bless them that persecute you, bless and scold not.” You must remember that this chapter is all addressed not simply to Christians, but to the sanctified, beautifully setting forth their attitude and deportment before the world. The word here does not mean to indulge in profanity, but to scold, which is utterly incompatible with the gospel standard of Christian living.

William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not . ["Thus," says Johnson, "did Christ on the cross, and the martyred Stephen." The apostle here drops into the imperative because quoting from the Sermon on the Mount ( Mat_5:44 : Luk_6:28 ). We would expect to find this command classified among duties to persons entirely outside the church, but the apostle's life reminds us that cursings were apt to come from those inside as well as from those without ( 2Co_11:26 ). "This doubling of the exhortation (bless) shows both the difficulty of the duty, how contrary it is to corrupt nature, and also the constancy of the duty, we must ever bless and never curse" (Burkitt). Love must win this battle for our untrue brother's sake.]

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

14–17. Bless them that persecute you. See Matt. 5:44. Thus did Christ on the cross, and the martyred Stephen. He who can obey this precept is a transformed man.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

Be of the same mind toward one another

This is an idiom that means to live in unity. AT: "Agree with one another" or "Live in unity with each other" (See: Idiom)

Do not think in proud ways

"Do not think that you are more important than others"

accept lowly people

"welcome people who do not seem important"

Do not be wise in your own thoughts

"Do not think of yourselves as having more wisdom than everyone else"

translationWords

bless

persecute

curse

joy

proud

lowly

wise

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

14–15:13. The special care for scrupulous brethren and Christian duty towards them.

Rom 12:1-2. The consequence to be drawn from this exposition of the working of GOD’s compassion towards man, in the call of Jews and Gentiles and in His dealing with them, is the duty to offer the whole nature and capacity of a man, in living and consecrated service for GOD’s use, in the way He pleases, as the reasonable work of a man: and this duty requires a refusal to fashion oneself to meet the demands of what is merely temporary and transitory, and a determination to undergo a radical transformation and renewal of mind, so as to test the will of GOD, in all its goodness, acceptance, and perfection, as the determining factor in conduct and character.

14. εὐλογεῖτε κ.τ.λ. Cf. Luk 6:28 (Mat 5:44); 1Co 4:12; 1Pe 3:9. This clause inserted here shows that the order is not systematic.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14.] “The Sermon on the Mount must have been particularly well known; for among the few references in the N. T. Epistles to the direct words of Christ there occur several to it: e.g. 1Co 7:10. Jas 4:9; Jas 5:12 (we may add 4:3; 1:2, 22, 2:5, 13; 5:2, 3, 10). 1Pe 3:9, 1Pe 3:14; 1Pe 4:14.” Tholuck.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14. εὐλογεῖτε τοὺς διώκοντας. The use of the word διώκειν in one sense seems to have suggested its use in another. The resemblance to Mat 5:44 is very close: ‘But I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you.’ Emphasis is added by the repetition of the maxim in a negative form. Cf. Jas 3:9.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Bless [ευλογειτε] . See on blessed, 1Pe 1:3.

Them that persecute [τους διωκοντας] . See on Joh 5:16. It has been suggested that the verb pursuing in ver. 13 may have suggested the persecutors here. Pursue hospitality toward the brethren as the wicked pursue them.

Curse not. Plutarch relates that when a decree was issued that Alcibiades should be solemnly cursed by all the priests and priestesses, one of the latter declared that her holy office obliged her to make prayers, but not execrations (" Alcibiades ").

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.