Romans

Romans 12:19–21

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 12:19

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
not	μὴ	mē	Adverb	G3361 not, lest
avenge	ἐκδικοῦντες	ekdikountes	Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural	G1556 I give justice over, defend, avenge, vindicate
yourselves	ἑαυτοὺς	heautous	Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural	G1438 himself, herself, itself
beloved	ἀγαπητοί	agapētoi	Adjective - Vocative Masculine Plural	G27 loved, beloved
but	ἀλλὰ	alla	Conjunction	G235 but, except
leave	δότε	dote	Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural	G1325 I offer, give
room	τόπον	topon	Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G5117 a place
for	ὀργῇ	orgē	Noun - Dative Feminine Singular	G3709 anger, wrath, passion
For	γάρ	gar	Conjunction	G1063 for
it is written	γέγραπται	gegraptai	Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular	G1125 I write
Vengeance	ἐκδίκησις	ekdikēsis	Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular	G1557 a defense, vengeance, full punishment
Mine	Ἐμοὶ	Emoi	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular	G1473 I
I	ἐγὼ	egō	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular	G1473 I
will repay	ἀνταποδώσω	antapodōsō	Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G467 I give in return
says	λέγει	legei	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G3004 I say, speak
Lord	Κύριος	Kyrios	Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular	G2962 lord, Lord, master, sir

Romans 12:20

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
On the contrary	Ἀλλὰ	Alla	Conjunction	G235 but, except
If	Ἐὰν	Ean	Conjunction	G1437 if
your	σου	sou	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular	G4771 you
enemy	ἐχθρός	echthros	Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular	G2190 hated, hostile, an enemy
is hungry	πεινᾷ	peina	Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular	G3983 I am hungry, needy
feed	ψώμιζε	psōmize	Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular	G5595 I feed, dole out
him	αὐτόν	auton	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular	G846 he, she, it, they, them, same
if	ἐὰν	ean	Conjunction	G1437 if
he is thirsty	διψᾷ	dipsa	Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular	G1372 I thirst for, desire earnestly
give him a drink	πότιζε	potize	Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular	G4222 I cause to drink, give to drink
For	γὰρ	gar	Conjunction	G1063 for
in so doing	ποιῶν	poiōn	Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular	G4160 I do, make
you will heap	σωρεύσεις	sōreuseis	Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular	G4987 I heap up, load
burning	πυρὸς	pyros	Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular	G4442 fire, trials
coals	ἄνθρακας	anthrakas	Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural	G440 a coal
on	ἐπὶ	epi	Preposition	G1909 on, to, against, on the basis of, at
his	αὐτοῦ	autou	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular	G846 he, she, it, they, them, same
head	κεφαλὴν	kephalēn	Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular	G2776 the head

Romans 12:21

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
not	Μὴ	Mē	Adverb	G3361 not, lest
be overcome	νικῶ	nikō	Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Singular	G3528 I conquer, overcome
by	ὑπὸ	hypo	Preposition	G5259 by, under, about
evil	κακοῦ	kakou	Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular	G2556 bad, evil
but	ἀλλὰ	alla	Conjunction	G235 but, except
overcome	νίκα	nika	Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular	G3528 I conquer, overcome
evil	κακόν	kakon	Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular	G2556 bad, evil
with	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
good	ἀγαθῷ	agathō	Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular	G18 good

Cross-references

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

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.