Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Romans 12:14
Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
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.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 14. Bless them which persecute you] , Give good words, or pray for them that give you bad words, , 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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
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.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
14. Blessthat is, Call downby prayer a blessing on.
them which persecute you,&c.This is taken from the Sermon on the Mount (Mt5:44), which, from the allusions made to it, seems to have beenthe storehouse of Christian morality among the churches.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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, Mt 5:44; and encouraged to an observance of, by his own example, Lu 23:34; and has been followed herein by his disciples and apostles, Ac 7:60 1Co 4:12. Moreover, by “blessing” may be meant, giving them good words, mild and soft answers, “not rendering evil for evil, railing for railing”, 1Pe 3:9; but, on the contrary, blessing, in imitation of Christ, who, “when he was reviled, reviled not again”, 1Pe 2:23: “bless”,
and curse not: to have a mouth full of cursing and bitterness, Ro 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, Jas 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.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And curse not ( ). Present middle imperative with . Like Mt 5:44 in spirit, not a quotation, but a reminiscence of the words of Jesus. The negative addition gives emphasis. See Lu 6:28 for the old verb from (curse).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Bless [] . See on blessed, 1Pe 1:3.
Them that persecute [ ] . 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 “).
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1 ) “Bless them which persecute you,” (eulogeite tous diokontas) “You all bless the ones persecuting you, or being a blessing to or upon them; Even pray for them as commanded of the Lord, Mat 5:44; and practiced by Stephen, Act 7:60. Paul too affirmed this, and his companions in mission work obeyed this Divine injunction of Jesus and exhortation of Paul, 1Co 4:12.
2) “Bless, and curse not,” (eulogeite kai me katarasthe) “You all bless and do not curse your persecutors”; Did not our Lord from the cross pray “Father forgive them, they know not what they do,” know not the gravity or seriousness of their attitudes and actions? 1Pe 2:23; Luk 23:34; Heb 12:3. Not only should one refrain from returning evil for evil, but he is also to show kindness and do good to his persecutor, Pro 25:21-22; Rom 12:20; Exo 23:4-5.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
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.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(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 Lords 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.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘Bless those who persecute you, bless, and curse not.’
The first call is to bless those who persecute us, and not to curse them. The first clause basically repeats the teaching of Jesus, where He said, ‘pray for those who persecute you’ (Mat 5:44; compare Luk 6:28; 1Pe 3:9), where the intention was to have their well-being at heart. The last three words echo the words of James in Jas 3:9-11, ‘out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing — these things ought not to be’. Both can be seen as fulfilling Jesus’ requirement that we love our enemies (Mat 5:44; Luk 6:27; Luk 6:35). Such an attitude towards persecution was unknown in the ancient world. Thus the Christian is to respond to persecution with words of love. He is to accept his persecution as from the hand of God. Indeed he is to rejoice in it knowing that great is his reward in Heaven (Mat 5:11-12).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Commands To Love All (12:14-18).
Having looked at the needs of believers, Paul now turns his attention to the need for those who have experienced the mercies of God to demonstrate love towards all men, including, of course, believers. These injunctions commence with the requirement that we love even our enemies who persecute us (Rom 12:14), and they end with the need to be seen as honourable in the sight of ‘all men’, and with a desire that believers might be at peace with ‘all men’. They thus summarise our responsibility towards all mankind. However, having said that, included among them are injunctions that seemingly have the church in mind (Rom 12:16 would appear mainly to refer to behaviour and attitude to be revealed among believers, even though more widely applicable).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Rom 12:14 . . .] 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.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
Ver. 14. Bless them ] See Trapp on “ Mat 5:44 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
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 Rom 4:3 ; Rom 1:2 ; Rom 1:22 , Rom 2:5 ; Rom 2:13 ; Rom 5:2-3 ; Rom 5:10 ). 1Pe 3:9 ; 1Pe 3:14 ; 1Pe 4:14 .” Tholuck.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Rom 12:14 . , . . : 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 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.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Rom 12:14-21
14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. 18If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 19Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20″But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Rom 12:14 “bless those who persecute you” This is a present active imperative used twice in this verse. We get the English term “eulogy” from this term, “bless” (cf. Mat 5:44; Luk 6:28; 1Co 4:12; Jas 3:9-12; 1Pe 3:9). In P46 (The Chester Beatty Papyri) and manuscript B (Vaticanus), “you” is left out making the statement much more inclusive or to put it another way, a much more general statement. For “persecute” see note at Rom 14:9.
“do not curse” This is a present middle (deponent) imperative with the negative particle, which usually means to stop an act already in process. This refers to calling God’s name in prayer for vengeance (similar to the curses of 1Co 12:3). This does not refer to profanity (cf. Eph 4:29; 1Pe 3:9).
Rom 12:15 “rejoice with those people who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” These two present infinitives are used in the sense of imperatives. Christians are a family. Believers are not in competition, but must treat each other in family love. Because of the context of Rom 12:14-21 it is even possible that this reflects the believer’s response to the unbelieving community using cultural opportunities or circumstances for evangelistic opportunities.
Rom 12:16
NASB, NKJV”Be of the same mind toward one another”
NRSV”Live in harmony with one another”
TEV”Have the same concern for everyone”
NJB”Treat everyone with equal kindness”
This is a present active participle used in the sense of an imperative (cf. Rom 15:5; 2Co 13:11; Php 2:2). Rom 12:16 may be viewed in relation to the conflict between
1. believing Jews and believing Gentiles in the Roman Church (cf. Rom 11:13-24)
2. the age-old conflict between economic classes
3. the differing spiritual gifts
4. generational traditions and personal preferences
“do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly” This is a present active imperative with the negative particle, which usually means to stop an act already in process.
The term “lowly” can be masculine or neuter. If it is neuter then the translation should read “accept humble duties”; if masculine, “associate with poor or humble people.”
“Do not be wise in your own estimation” This is a present middle (deponent) imperative with the negative particle, which usually means stop an act already in process (cf. Pro 3:7; Isa 5:21; 1Co 10:12; Gal 6:3). Believers must not act superior to each other or arrogantly toward the unbelieving community.
Rom 12:17 “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone” This is a present active participle used in the sense of an imperative with the negative particle, which meant stop an act already in process. It is up to God to set things straight, not believers (cf. Pro 20:22; Pro 24:29; Mat 5:38-48; Luk 6:27; 1Th 5:15; 1Pe 3:9).
“Respect what is right in the sight of all men” This is a present middle participle used in the sense of an imperative (cf. 2Co 8:21; 1Th 5:22; and 1Ti 3:7). This may be an allusion to Pro 3:4 in the Septuagint (LXX). Believers live with an eye toward evangelizing unbelievers. We should do nothing that would offend or alienate an unbeliever (cf. 1Co 9:19-23). Even our deepest convictions must be expressed in loving ways.
Rom 12:18 “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men” This is a first class conditional sentence which is assumed to be true from the author’s perspective or for his literary purposes. It is followed in the next clause by a present active participle used in the sense of an imperative. This is not always the believer’s choice, but the grammar implies that it is often possible (cf. Mar 9:50; 2Co 13:11; 1Th 5:13).
Rom 12:19 “Never take your own revenge” This is a present active participle with the negative particle used in the sense of an imperative, which usually means stop an act already in process. God will set it straight one day (cf. Lev 19:18; Deu 32:35; Heb 10:30).
“for it is written” This is a perfect passive indicative, which is a Semitic idiomatic way of referring to inspired Scripture. This idiom of inspiration is paralleled to “as the Lord says” (cf. 1Co 14:21 and 2Co 6:17). This is a quote from Deu 32:35.
Rom 12:20 “But if your enemy” This is a third class conditional sentence which meant potential future action. Enemies will come!
“heap burning coals on his head” This is an allusion to Pro 25:21-22. The theories of interpretation are:
1. This was a cultural idiom possibly from Egypt which meant that kindness is the best way to turn an enemy into a friend. It is still the Christian response to entrenched evil (cf. Mat 5:44).
2. “Burning coals” seem to represent shame at one’s improper actions which are so clearly revealed in light of another’s love and forgiveness (cf. Ambrosiaster, Augustine and Jerome).
3. Origen and Chrysostom said this refers to Christian kindness which causes God to judge even more severely the unrepentant (cf. the Jerome Biblical Commentary, vol. 2, p. 326).
All the above theories are only that. The key is in Paul’s summary statement in Rom 12:21.
Rom 12:21 “Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good” This is a present passive imperative and present active imperative. Our response to unfair treatment will determine and reflect the level of our own inner peace and joy. Bitterness is a spiritual cancer. Believers must give it to God.
“evil” This is either masculine and, therefore, a reference to the evil one (see Special Topic at Rom 16:20), or it could be neuter and refer to evil in general (cf. Rom 12:9; 1Th 5:21-22). This is a common NT ambiguity (cf. Mat 5:37; Mat 6:13; Mat 13:19; Mat 13:28; Joh 17:15; 2Th 3:3; 1Jn 2:13-14; 1Jn 3:12; 1Jn 5:18-19).
It must be remembered that the purpose of these new attitudes and actions is evangelism!
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR Rom 12:9-21
This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.
1. Why are there so many present imperatives with the negative particle in Rom 12:9-21?
2. List all of the commands in these verses separately in a column. They are an awesome list of what practical, daily Christlikeness involves!
3. Why is it so difficult to determine which verses refer to Christians’ treatment of other believers and which refer to their treatment of unbelievers?
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
which = that.
persecute. The Same Greek. word as for “given to”, Rom 12:13.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
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. Jam 4:9; Jam 5:12 (we may add Rom 4:3; Rom 1:2; Rom 1:22, Rom 2:5; Rom 2:13; Rom 5:2-3; Rom 5:10). 1Pe 3:9; 1Pe 3:14; 1Pe 4:14. Tholuck.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Rom 12:14. , persecuting) for the sake of Christ.- , curse not) not even in thought.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Rom 12:14
Rom 12:14
Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not.- The spirit of Christ is to return good for evil. Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you; that ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. (Mat 5:44-45). The Christian must do good for evil-render blessing for cursing. To do him good is to do what will benefit him- help him become a better man. It is not always what will please or gratify him, but what will help him. The Christian should always seek to do good to all. It means that we should deal with man in love and with justice. Tell him in a kind but firm spirit his wrongs, and seek to lead him into the right. This is not difficult to do when we bring ourselves under the true spirit of Christ. God and Jesus, in dealing with men, are our perfect models in these things. [It is the duty of the Christian so to teach and so to live as to commend himself to every mans conscience in the sight of God (2Co 4:2), and thus compel the inward respect of even the wicked for his sincerity and consistency; but a decided, earnest, Christian spirit and life will always evoke some form of opposition from the ungodly world. The radical antagonism of the world to Christ is as real and deep now as when men cried, Crucify him; crucify him! although it may not always and everywhere find the same form of expression.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Rom 12:21, Job 31:29, Job 31:30, Mat 5:44, Luk 6:28, Luk 23:34, Act 7:60, 1Co 4:12, 1Co 4:13, 1Th 5:15, Jam 3:10, 1Pe 2:21-23, 1Pe 3:9
Reciprocal: Lev 19:14 – not curse 1Sa 24:6 – the Lord forbid 1Ki 13:6 – besought Psa 35:13 – when Rom 12:19 – avenge
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
:14
Rom 12:14. Bless is from EULOGEO and means “to invoke [wish for] blessings,” while curse means to wish that some ill fortune will come upon our persecutors.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Rom 12:14. Bless them that persecute you, etc. The saying of Christ, Mat 5:44, was perhaps known to the Apostle and here came to his recollection (Meyer). It is quite unlikely, however, that he had read the gospel of Matthew. The Sermon on the Mount was, doubtless, well known through oral transmission, and there are allusions to it in the Epistles (chap. Rom 2:19; 1Co 7:10; Jas 4:9; Jas 5:12; 1Pe 3:14; 1Pe 4:14). The word rendered persecute is the same as that in the last clause of Rom 12:13; an intentional play on words. Probably the change of form to the imperative shows how difficult a duty this was felt to be. How hard this is for corrupt human nature, every one who is acquainted with his own heart well knows. Yet this is the standard of Christian temper and character exhibited in the Scriptures (Hodge). Hardest of all is the duty when the persecutor is a professed Christian brother.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
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.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
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.]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
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.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Love for all 12:14-21
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Paul repeated Jesus’ instruction here (Mat 5:44; Luk 6:27-28). To persecute means to pursue. Blessing involves both wishing God’s best on people and praying for them.
"The principle of nonretaliation for personal injury permeates the entire New Testament." [Note: Mounce, p. 239.]