Romans

Romans 12:17–21

17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone.

19Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”b

20On the contrary,

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

if he is thirsty, give him a drink.

For in so doing,

you will heap burning coals on his head.”c

21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Footnotes

  • b 12:19 Deuteronomy 32:35|DEU 32:35(see also LXX)
  • c 12:20 Proverbs 25:21–22|PRO 25:21-22(see also LXX)

Read all of Romans 12

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Greek it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Romans 12:17

EnglishGreekSounds likeGrammarWord study
Do not repay anyoneἀποδιδόντεςapodidontesVerb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine PluralG591 I give back, return, sell
evilκακὸνkakonAdjective - Accusative Neuter SingularG2556 bad, evil
forἀντὶantiPrepositionG473 instead of, for
evilκακοῦkakouAdjective - Genitive Neuter SingularG2556 bad, evil
Carefully considerπρονοούμενοιpronooumenoiVerb - Present Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine PluralG4306 I provide for
what is rightκαλὰkalaAdjective - Accusative Neuter PluralG2570 beautiful, good, worthy
in the eyes ofἐνώπιονenōpionPrepositionG1799 before the face of, in the presence of
everybodyπάντωνpantōnAdjective - Genitive Masculine PluralG3956 all, the whole, every kind of

Romans 12:18

EnglishGreekSounds likeGrammarWord study
IfεἰeiConjunctionG1487 if
possibleδυνατόνdynatonAdjective - Nominative Neuter SingularG1415 powerful, able, possible
onἐξexPrepositionG1537 from out, out from among, from
yourὑμῶνhymōnPersonal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person PluralG4771 you
live at peaceεἰρηνεύοντεςeirēneuontesVerb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine PluralG1514 I am peaceful, keep the peace, am at peace
withμετὰmetaPrepositionG3326 with, after
everyoneπάντωνpantōnAdjective - Genitive Masculine PluralG3956 all, the whole, every kind of

Romans 12:19

EnglishGreekSounds likeGrammarWord study
notμὴmēAdverbG3361 not, lest
avengeἐκδικοῦντεςekdikountesVerb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine PluralG1556 I give justice over, defend, avenge, vindicate
yourselvesἑαυτοὺςheautousReflexive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person PluralG1438 himself, herself, itself
belovedἀγαπητοίagapētoiAdjective - Vocative Masculine PluralG27 loved, beloved
butἀλλὰallaConjunctionG235 but, except
leaveδότεdoteVerb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person PluralG1325 I offer, give
roomτόπονtoponNoun - Accusative Masculine SingularG5117 a place
forὀργῇorgēNoun - Dative Feminine SingularG3709 anger, wrath, passion
ForγάρgarConjunctionG1063 for
it is writtenγέγραπταιgegraptaiVerb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person SingularG1125 I write
VengeanceἐκδίκησιςekdikēsisNoun - Nominative Feminine SingularG1557 a defense, vengeance, full punishment
MineἘμοὶEmoiPersonal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person SingularG1473 I
IἐγὼegōPersonal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person SingularG1473 I
will repayἀνταποδώσωantapodōsōVerb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person SingularG467 I give in return
saysλέγειlegeiVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularG3004 I say, speak
LordΚύριοςKyriosNoun - Nominative Masculine SingularG2962 lord, Lord, master, sir

Romans 12:20

EnglishGreekSounds likeGrammarWord study
On the contraryἈλλὰAllaConjunctionG235 but, except
IfἘὰνEanConjunctionG1437 if
yourσουsouPersonal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person SingularG4771 you
enemyἐχθρόςechthrosAdjective - Nominative Masculine SingularG2190 hated, hostile, an enemy
is hungryπεινᾷpeinaVerb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person SingularG3983 I am hungry, needy
feedψώμιζεpsōmizeVerb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person SingularG5595 I feed, dole out
himαὐτόνautonPersonal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person SingularG846 he, she, it, they, them, same
ifἐὰνeanConjunctionG1437 if
he is thirstyδιψᾷdipsaVerb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person SingularG1372 I thirst for, desire earnestly
give him a drinkπότιζεpotizeVerb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person SingularG4222 I cause to drink, give to drink
ForγὰρgarConjunctionG1063 for
in so doingποιῶνpoiōnVerb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularG4160 I do, make
you will heapσωρεύσειςsōreuseisVerb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person SingularG4987 I heap up, load
burningπυρὸςpyrosNoun - Genitive Neuter SingularG4442 fire, trials
coalsἄνθρακαςanthrakasNoun - Accusative Masculine PluralG440 a coal
onἐπὶepiPrepositionG1909 on, to, against, on the basis of, at
hisαὐτοῦautouPersonal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person SingularG846 he, she, it, they, them, same
headκεφαλὴνkephalēnNoun - Accusative Feminine SingularG2776 the head

Romans 12:21

EnglishGreekSounds likeGrammarWord study
notΜὴMēAdverbG3361 not, lest
be overcomeνικῶnikōVerb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person SingularG3528 I conquer, overcome
byὑπὸhypoPrepositionG5259 by, under, about
evilκακοῦkakouAdjective - Genitive Neuter SingularG2556 bad, evil
butἀλλὰallaConjunctionG235 but, except
overcomeνίκαnikaVerb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person SingularG3528 I conquer, overcome
evilκακόνkakonAdjective - Accusative Neuter SingularG2556 bad, evil
withἐνenPrepositionG1722 in, on, among
goodἀγαθῷagathōAdjective - Dative Neuter SingularG18 good

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Romans 12:17 Proverbs 20:22 · 1 Thessalonians 5:15 · 1 Peter 3:9 · Matthew 5:39 · 2 Corinthians 8:20–21 · Philippians 4:8–9 · Romans 12:19 · 1 Peter 3:16 · 1 Peter 2:12 · 1 Thessalonians 5:22 · 1 Corinthians 13:4–5 · Romans 14:16

Romans 12:18 Hebrews 12:14 · Romans 14:19 · Matthew 5:9 · 2 Corinthians 13:11 · James 3:16–18 · Galatians 5:22 · Mark 9:50 · Proverbs 12:20 · 1 Peter 3:11 · 2 Timothy 2:22 · Psalm 34:14 · Romans 14:17

Romans 12:19 Deuteronomy 32:35 · Hebrews 10:30 · Proverbs 24:29 · Proverbs 20:22 · Romans 12:17 · 1 Thessalonians 4:6 · Romans 12:14 · Leviticus 19:18 · Deuteronomy 32:43 · Psalm 94:1–3 · Nahum 1:2–3 · Luke 6:27–29

Romans 12:20 Proverbs 25:21–22 · Matthew 5:44 · Luke 6:27 · Exodus 23:4–5 · 2 Kings 6:22 · 1 Samuel 24:16–19 · 1 Samuel 26:21 · Song of Solomon 8:6–7 · Psalm 140:10 · Psalm 120:4

Romans 12:21 1 Peter 3:9 · Luke 6:27–30 · Proverbs 16:32

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.