Romans 12

Romans · Chapter 12

Romans 12:21

1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.3For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.4For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:5So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.6Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;7Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;8Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.9Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.10Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;11Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;12Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;13Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.14Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.15Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.16Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.17Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.18If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.19Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.20Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.21Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

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

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

Romans 12:9-21Love without dissimulation

About Romans 12"By the mercies of God," Paul urges, "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God," and "be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." Each should think soberly, for "we, being many, are one body in Christ," with "gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us." "Let love be without dissimulation," he writes, "Bless them which persecute you," "Recompense to no man evil for evil," "avenge not yourselves," feed your enemy, and "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:1Romans 12:2Romans 12:3Romans 12:5Romans 12:6Romans 12:9Romans 12:14Romans 12:17Romans 12:19Romans 12:20Romans 12:21

Who, where and when in this chapter

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
NotμὴmēG3361
not

μή (mē) μή, subjective negative particle, used where the negation depends on a condition or hypothesis, expressed or understood, as distinct from οὐ, which denies absolutely. μή is used where one thinks a thing is not, as distinct from an absolute negation. As a general rule, οὐ negatives the indic, μή the other moods, incl, ptcp. [In LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,אַל ] I. As a neg. adv., not; 1. with ref. to thought or opinion: Jhn.3:18, Tit.1:11, 2Pe.1:9. 2. In delib. questions, with subjc. (M, Pr., 185): Mrk.12:14, Rom.3:8. …

do be overcomeνικῶnikōG3528
to conquer

νικάω (nikaō) νικἀω, -ῶ (νίκη), [in LXX: Psa.51:4 (זָכָה), Pro.6:25 frequently (חָמַד); in 4Mac ;] to conquer, prevail: absol., of Christ, Rev.3:21 6:2; C. inf., Rev.5:5; of Christians, Rev.2:7, 11 2:17, 26 3:5, 12 3:21 21:7; before ἐκ (RV, come victorious from), Rev.15:2; as law-term (cl.), Rom.3:4 (LXX); with accusative of person(s), Luk.11:22, Rev.11:7 13:7 ([WH], R, mg., om.); of Christ, Jhn.16:33 (τ. κόσμον), Rev.17:14; of Christians, 1Jn.4:4; τ. πονηρόν, 1Jn.2:13-14; αὐτόν (ref. to ὁ κατήγωρ, 1Jn.2:10), Rev.12:11; with accusative of thing(s), τὸν κόσμον, Jhn.16:33, 1Jn.5:4-5; τὸ κακόν, Rom.12:21; pas …

byὑπὸhupoG5259G
by/under: by

ὑπό (hupo) ὑπό (before smooth breathing ὑπ᾽, Mat.8:9b, Luk.7:8b; before rough breathing ὑφ᾽, Rom.3:9; on the neglect of elision in Mt, Lk, ll. witha, Gal.3:22, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., iv), prep. with genitive, dative (not in NT), accusative …

evilκακοῦkakouG2556G
evil/harm: evil

κακός (kakos) κακός, -ή, -όν [in LXX chiefly for רַע ;] 1. in general, opposite to ἀγαθός, καλός, in various senses, bad, mean, base, worthless (cl.). 2. In ethical sense, base, evil, wicked: of persons, Mat.21:41 24:48, Php.3:2, Rev.2:2; διαλογισμοί, Mrk.7:21; ὁμιλίαι, 1Co.15:33; ἐπιθυμία (Pro.12:12), Col.3:5; ἔργον, Rom.13:3; neut., κακόν, τὸ κ., evil: Jhn.18:23, Act.23:9, Rom.7:21 14:20 16:19, 1Co.13:5, Heb.5:14, 1Pe.3:10-11, 3Jn.11; pl., Rom.1:30, 1Co.10:6, 1Ti.6:10, Jas.1:13; κ. (τὸ, τὰ κ.) ποιεῖν (πράσσειν), Mat.27:23, Mrk.15:14, Luk.23:22, Jhn.18:30, Rom.3:8 7:19 13:4, 2Co.13:7, 1Pe.3:12; κατεργάζ …

butἀλλὰallaG0235
but

ἀλλά (alla) ἀλλά (ἀλλ᾽ usually bef. α and υ, often bef. ε and η, rarely bef. ο and ω, never bef. ι; Tdf., Pr., 93 f.; WH, App., 146), adversative particle, stronger than δέ; prop. neuter pl. of ἄλλος, used adverbially, with changed accent; hence prop. otherwise, on the other hand (cf. Rom.3:31); …

do overcomeνίκαnikaG3528
to conquer

νικάω (nikaō) νικἀω, -ῶ (νίκη), [in LXX: Psa.51:4 (זָכָה), Pro.6:25 frequently (חָמַד); in 4Mac ;] to conquer, prevail: absol., of Christ, Rev.3:21 6:2; C. inf., Rev.5:5; of Christians, Rev.2:7, 11 2:17, 26 3:5, 12 3:21 21:7; before ἐκ (RV, come victorious from), Rev.15:2; as law-term (cl.), Rom.3:4 (LXX); with accusative of person(s), Luk.11:22, Rev.11:7 13:7 ([WH], R, mg., om.); of Christ, Jhn.16:33 (τ. κόσμον), Rev.17:14; of Christians, 1Jn.4:4; τ. πονηρόν, 1Jn.2:13-14; αὐτόν (ref. to ὁ κατήγωρ, 1Jn.2:10), Rev.12:11; with accusative of thing(s), τὸν κόσμον, Jhn.16:33, 1Jn.5:4-5; τὸ κακόν, Rom.12:21; pas …

withἐνenG1722
in/on/among

ἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af …

goodἀγαθῷagathōG0018
good

ἀγαθός (agathos) ἀγαθός, -ή, -όν, [in LXX chiefly for טוֹב ;] in general, good, in physical and in moral sense, used of persons, things, acts, conditions, etc., applied to that which is regarded as "perfect in its kind, so as to produce pleasure and satisfaction, . . . that which, in itself good, is also at once for the good and the advantage of him who comes in contact with it" (Cremer, 3): γῆ, Luk.8:8; δένδρον, Mat.7:18; καρδία, Luk.8:15; δόσις, Jas.1:17; μέρις, Luk.10:42; ἔργον (frequently in Pl.), Php.1:6; ἐλπίς, 2Th.2:16; θησαυρός, Mat.12:35; μνεία, 1Th.3:6 (cf. 2Ma.7:20); as subst., τὸ ἀ, that which is …

evil.κακόν.¶kakonG2556G
evil/harm: evil

κακός (kakos) κακός, -ή, -όν [in LXX chiefly for רַע ;] 1. in general, opposite to ἀγαθός, καλός, in various senses, bad, mean, base, worthless (cl.). 2. In ethical sense, base, evil, wicked: of persons, Mat.21:41 24:48, Php.3:2, Rev.2:2; διαλογισμοί, Mrk.7:21; ὁμιλίαι, 1Co.15:33; ἐπιθυμία (Pro.12:12), Col.3:5; ἔργον, Rom.13:3; neut., κακόν, τὸ κ., evil: Jhn.18:23, Act.23:9, Rom.7:21 14:20 16:19, 1Co.13:5, Heb.5:14, 1Pe.3:10-11, 3Jn.11; pl., Rom.1:30, 1Co.10:6, 1Ti.6:10, Jas.1:13; κ. (τὸ, τὰ κ.) ποιεῖν (πράσσειν), Mat.27:23, Mrk.15:14, Luk.23:22, Jhn.18:30, Rom.3:8 7:19 13:4, 2Co.13:7, 1Pe.3:12; κατεργάζ …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.