Romans 12:9

THE MESSAGE

Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Let love be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good.

King James Version (1611)
Let loue bee without dissimulation: abhorre that which is euill, cleaue to that which is good.

King James Version
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

English Standard Version
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.

New American Standard Bible
Love must be free of hypocrisy. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good.

New Century Version
Your love must be real. Hate what is evil, and hold on to what is good.

Amplified Bible
Love is to be sincere and active [the real thing—without guile and hypocrisy]. Hate what is evil [detest all ungodliness, do not tolerate wickedness]; hold on tightly to what is good.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.

Legacy Standard Bible
Let love be without hypocrisy—by abhorring what is evil, clinging to what is good,

Berean Standard Bible
Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good.

Contemporary English Version
Be sincere in your love for others. Hate everything that is evil and hold tight to everything that is good.

Complete Jewish Bible
Don't let love be a mere outward show. Recoil from what is evil, and cling to what is good.

Darby Translation
Let love be unfeigned; abhorring evil; cleaving to good:

Easy-to-Read Version
Your love must be real. Hate what is evil. Do only what is good.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Let loue be without dissimulation. Abhorre that which is euill, and cleaue vnto that which is good.

George Lamsa Translation
Let not your love be deceitful. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

Good News Translation
Love must be completely sincere. Hate what is evil, hold on to what is good.

Lexham English Bible
Love must be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; be attached to what is good,

Literal Translation
Let love be without dissimulation, in horror fleeing from evil, cleaving to the good,

American Standard Version
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

Bible in Basic English
Let love be without deceit. Be haters of what is evil; keep your minds fixed on what is good.

Hebrew Names Version
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil. Cling to that which is good.

International Standard Version
Your love must be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.Psalm 34:14; 36:4; 97:10; Amos 5:15; 1 Timothy 1:5; 1 Peter 1:22;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
And let not your love be guileful; abhor things evil, cleave to the good.

Murdock Translation
Let not your love be guileful: but be haters of evil things, and adherers to good things.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Loue without dissimulation, hatyng euyll, cleauyng to good.

English Revised Version
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

World English Bible
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil. Cling to that which is good.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good.

Weymouth's New Testament
Let your love be perfectly sincere. Regard with horror what is evil; cling to what is right.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Loue with outen feynyng, hatynge yuel, drawynge to good;

Update Bible Version
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

Webster's Bible Translation
[Let] love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

New English Translation
Love must be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good.

New King James Version
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

New Living Translation
Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.

New Life Bible
Be sure your love is true love. Hate what is sinful. Hold on to whatever is good.

New Revised Standard
Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Your love, be without hypocrisy, - loathing that which is wicked, cleaving to that which is good;

Douay-Rheims Bible
Let love be without dissimulation. Hating that which is evil, cleaving to that which is good,

Revised Standard Version
Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good;

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Let love be wt out dissimulacion. Hate that which is evyll and cleave vnto that which is good.

Young's Literal Translation
The love unfeigned: abhorring the evil; cleaving to the good;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Let loue be without dissimulacion. Hate that which is euell: Cleue vnto that which is good.

Mace New Testament (1729)
Let love be without dissimulation. abhor that which is evil, adhere to that which is good.

Simplified Cowboy Version
But above all, don't just pretend like you love others. Really love 'em. Shun all wrongdoing and tie hard and fast to what is good and holy.

Contextual Overview

¹So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. ³ I'm speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him. ⁴In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't. If you preach, just preach God's Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don't take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate; if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face. Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle. Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality. Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody. Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it." Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good. ⁷Place Your Life Before God So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. I'm speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him. In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't. If you preach, just preach God's Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don't take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate; if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face. Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle. Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality. Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody. Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it." Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good. ⁸Place Your Life Before God So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. I'm speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him. In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't. If you preach, just preach God's Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don't take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate; if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face. ⁹Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle. ¹¹Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality. ¹⁴Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody. ¹⁷Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it." ²⁰Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

love: 2 Samuel 20:9, 2 Samuel 20:10, Psalms 55:21, Proverbs 26:25, Ezekiel 33:31, Matthew 26:49, John 12:6, 2 Corinthians 6:6, 2 Corinthians 8:8, 1 Thessalonians 2:3, 1 Timothy 1:5, James 2:15, James 2:16, 1 Peter 1:22, 1 Peter 4:8, 1 John 3:18-20

Abhor: Psalms 34:14, Psalms 36:4, Psalms 45:7, Psalms 97:10, Psalms 101:3, Psalms 119:104, Psalms 119:163, Proverbs 8:13, Amos 5:15, Hebrews 1:9

cleave: Acts 11:23, 1 Thessalonians 5:15, Hebrews 12:14, 1 Peter 3:10, 1 Peter 3:11

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 4:4 - General Deuteronomy 10:20 - cleave Deuteronomy 30:20 - cleave Joshua 6:18 - in any wise Joshua 22:5 - cleave Joshua 23:12 - cleave 1 Samuel 28:2 - Surely 1 Kings 11:2 - Solomon 1 Chronicles 4:10 - that thou Nehemiah 10:29 - clave Proverbs 4:27 - remove Isaiah 1:16 - cease Isaiah 7:15 - know Isaiah 56:2 - keepeth his Micah 3:2 - hate Matthew 19:5 - cleave Romans 7:15 - what I hate 1 Corinthians 13:6 - rejoiceth Galatians 5:22 - love Ephesians 4:15 - speaking the truth Philippians 1:10 - ye Philippians 4:8 - whatsoever Colossians 3:12 - mercies 1 Thessalonians 5:21 - hold 2 Thessalonians 2:12 - but 2 Timothy 2:19 - depart Hebrews 13:1 - General James 3:17 - hypocrisy 1 John 4:21 - General Revelation 2:25 - that

Cross-References

Genesis 12:14
When Abram arrived in Egypt, the Egyptians took one look and saw that his wife was stunningly beautiful. Pharaoh's princes raved over her to Pharaoh. She was taken to live with Pharaoh.

Genesis 13:1
So Abram left Egypt and went back to the Negev, he and his wife and everything he owned, and Lot still with him. By now Abram was very rich, loaded with cattle and silver and gold.

Genesis 13:3
He moved on from the Negev, camping along the way, to Bethel, the place he had first set up his tent between Bethel and Ai and built his first altar. Abram prayed there to God .

Genesis 24:62
Isaac was living in the Negev. He had just come back from a visit to Beer Lahai Roi. In the evening he went out into the field; while meditating he looked up and saw camels coming. When Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac, she got down from her camel and asked the servant, "Who is that man out in the field coming toward us?" "That is my master." She took her veil and covered herself.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Let love be without dissimulation,.... The apostle having given out suitable exhortations to the officers of this church, ministers and deacons, proceeds to stir up to the exercise of grace, and the discharge of such duties as were common to all the members of the church; and begins with "love", which is the cement of saints, and the bond of perfectness, without which all the gifts that men have, the profession they make, and works they do are of no avail, and they themselves nothing. Here it is to be taken, in the largest and most comprehensive sense, for love to God, Christ, the saints, and fellow creatures, and ought, with respect to each, to "be without dissimulation"; or "hypocrisy": love to God should be with all the heart, soul, and mind, otherwise the fear of him, and obedience to him, will be only outward, formal, customary, and hypocritical; love to Christ should be with sincerity, and so it is where it is right, hearty, and genuine; such can appeal to him as the searcher of hearts, that from the heart they love him; and love to one another should be not in word, and in tongue only, but in deed and in truth; yea, the love professed to fellow creatures, ought never to be through fear of men or mercenary views, but honest, upright, and sincere.

Abhor that which is evil; sin, both in its principle and in its actings; it being hateful to God, Father, Son, and Spirit, contrary to the nature, being, and perfections of God, a transgression of his righteous law, exceeding sinful in itself, and pernicious in its effects and consequences; for all which it is to be abhorred by the saints: the word αποστυγουντες, here used, designs the greatest aversation imaginable, a turning away from it, as what is the most loathsome, detestable, and abominable; and such an hatred of it with horror, as of the Stygian lake, or hell itself:

cleave to that which is good; to God, who is originally, infinitely, and immutably good; who is good in his nature, and works, and to all his creatures, and especially his chosen people, and therefore should be cleaved unto; to his will, his ways, and worship; and to Christ the good shepherd of the sheep, the Lamb that is to be followed and cleaved unto, whithersoever he goes; and to the good Spirit of God, after whom we should walk, and not after the flesh; and to the good people of God, assembling with whom should not be forsaken; and to the good Gospel of Christ, and the truths of it, which should be held fast; and to the ordinances of the Gospel, which ought to be constantly attended on; and to every good work, to which we should be ready, careful to maintain, and ever follow, both among ourselves and all men: they should even be glued unto it, as the word here signifies.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Let love - The apostle proceeds to specify the duties of Christians in general, that they might secure the beauty and order of the church. The first which he specifies is love. This word here evidently refers to benevolence, or to good-will toward all mankind. In Romans 12:10 he specifies the duty of brotherly love; and there can be no doubt that he here refers to the benevolence which we ought to cherish toward all people. A similar distinction is found in 2 Peter 1:7, “And to brotherly-kindness add charity,” that is, benevolence, or good will, and kind feelings to others.

Without dissimulation - Without hypocrisy. Let it be sincere and unfeigned. Let it not consist in words or professions only, but let it be manifested in acts of kindness and in deeds of charity; 1 John 3:18; compare 1 Peter 1:22. Genuine benevolence is not what merely professes attachment, but which is evinced by acts of kindness and affection.

Abhor that which is evil - The word “abhor” means to hate; to turn from; to avoid. The word “evil” here has reference to malice, or unkindness, rather than to evil in general. The apostle is exhorting to love, or kindness; and between the direction to love all people, and the particular direction about brotherly love, he places this general direction to abhor what is evil; what is evil in relation to the subject under discussion, that is, malice or unkindness. The word “evil” is not infrequently used in this limited sense to denote some particular or special evil; Matthew 5:37, Matthew 5:39, etc.; compare Psalms 34:14; 2 Timothy 2:19; Psalms 97:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:22.

Cleave to that which is good - The word rendered “cleave” to denotes properly the act of gluing, or uniting firmly by glue. It is then used to denote a very firm adherence to an object; to be firmly united to it. Here it means that Christians should be firmly attached to what is good, and not separate or part from it. The good here referred to is particularly what pertains to benevolence - to all people, and especially to Christians. It should not be occasional only, or irregular; but it should be constant, active, decided.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Romans 12:9. Let love be without dissimulation. — Ἡ αγαπη ανυποκριτος· Have no hypocritical love; let not your love wear a mask; make no empty professions. Love God and your neighbour; and, by obedience to the one and acts of benevolence to the other, show that your love is sincere.

Abhor that which is evil — Αποστυγουντες το πονηρον· Hate sin as you would hate that hell to which it leads. στυγεω signifies to hate or detest with horror; the preposition απο greatly strengthens the meaning. στυξ, Styx, was a feigned river in hell by which the gods were wont to swear, and if any of them falsified this oath he was deprived of his nectar and ambrosia for a hundred years; hence the river was reputed to be hateful, and στυγεω signified to be as hateful as hell. Two MSS. read μισουντες, which signifies hating in the lowest sense of the term. The word in the text is abundantly more expressive, and our translation is both nervous and appropriate.

Cleave to that which is good. — Κολλωμενοι τῳ αγαθῳ· Be CEMENTED or GLUED to that which is good; so the word literally signifies. Have an unalterable attachment to whatever leads to God, and contributes to the welfare of your fellow creatures.