Romans 12:18

New King James Version

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Do the best you can to live in peace with everyone.

Revised Standard Version
If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Yf it be possible howbe it of youre parte have peace with all men.

Hebrew Names Version
If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at shalom with all men.

International Standard Version
If possible, so far as it depends on you, live in peace with all people.Mark 9:50; Romans 14:19; Hebrews 12:14;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people.

New Century Version
Do your best to live in peace with everyone.

Update Bible Version
If it is possible, as much as in you lies, be at peace with all men.

Webster's Bible Translation
If [it is] possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

English Standard Version
If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

World English Bible
If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Weymouth's New Testament
If you can, so far as it depends on you, live at peace with all the world.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
If it may be don, that that is of you, haue ye pees with alle men.

English Revised Version
If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men.

Berean Standard Bible
If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone.

Contemporary English Version
and do your best to live at peace with everyone.

Amplified Bible
If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

American Standard Version
If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men.

Bible in Basic English
As far as it is possible for you be at peace with all men.

Complete Jewish Bible
If possible, and to the extent that it depends on you, live in peace with all people.

Darby Translation
if possible, as far as depends on you, living in peace with all men;

Etheridge Translation
And if possible, as much as is in you, with all men make peace.

Murdock Translation
And if possible, so far as it dependeth on you, live in peace with every man.

King James Version (1611)
If it be possible, as much as lyeth in you, liue peaceably with all men.

New Living Translation
Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

New Life Bible
As much as you can, live in peace with all men.

New Revised Standard
If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

Geneva Bible (1587)
If it bee possible, as much as in you is, haue peace with all men.

George Lamsa Translation
If it be possible, as much as lies in you, live peaceably with all men.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
If possible - so far as dependeth on you, with all men being at peace:

Douay-Rheims Bible
If it be possible, as much as is in you, have peace with all men.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
If it be possible, as much as lyeth in you, lyue peaceably with all men.

Good News Translation
Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody.

Christian Standard Bible®
If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

King James Version
If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Lexham English Bible
If it is possible on your part, be at peace with all people.

Literal Translation
If possible, from you being in peace with all men;

Young's Literal Translation
If possible -- so far as in you -- with all men being in peace;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Yf it be possible (as moch as in you is) haue peace with all men.

Mace New Testament (1729)
do all you can to live peaceably, if it be possible, with all mankind.

New English Translation
If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Get along with everyone better than you think you can.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.

Legacy Standard Bible
if possible, so far as it depends on you, being at peace with all men,

Contextual Overview

¹ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. ³ For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. ⁴ For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, ⁵ so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. ⁶ Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; ⁷ or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; ⁸ he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. ⁹ Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Romans 14:17, Romans 14:19, 2 Samuel 20:19, Psalms 34:14, Psalms 120:5-7, Proverbs 12:20, Matthew 5:5, Matthew 5:9, Mark 9:50, 1 Corinthians 7:15, 2 Corinthians 13:11, Galatians 5:22, Ephesians 4:3, Colossians 3:14, Colossians 3:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:13, 2 Timothy 2:22, Hebrews 12:14, James 3:16-18, 1 Peter 3:11

Reciprocal: Genesis 13:9 - if thou wilt Genesis 21:24 - General Genesis 23:7 - General Genesis 26:30 - General Leviticus 25:35 - then Judges 11:14 - again unto Judges 20:12 - sent men Psalms 120:7 - for peace Proverbs 3:30 - General Proverbs 17:14 - leave Proverbs 19:11 - and Matthew 5:24 - there Matthew 24:24 - if Romans 1:15 - so Philippians 2:14 - disputings 1 Thessalonians 5:15 - and 1 Timothy 2:2 - that James 3:17 - peaceable

Cross-References

Genesis 3:13
And the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

Genesis 4:10
And He said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground.

Genesis 12:9
So Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South. [fn]

Genesis 12:10
Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land.

Genesis 12:11
And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, "Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance.

Genesis 31:26
And Laban said to Jacob: "What have you done, that you have stolen away unknown to me, and carried away my daughters like captives taken with the sword?

Genesis 44:15
And Joseph said to them, "What deed is this you have done? Did you not know that such a man as I can certainly practice divination?"

Exodus 32:21
And Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?"

Joshua 7:19
Now Joshua said to Achan, "My son, I beg you, give glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession to Him, and tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me."

1 Samuel 14:43
Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." And Jonathan told him, and said, "I only tasted a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand. So now I must die!"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably,.... Or be at peace, seek after peace, pursue it, and cultivate it:

with all men; with those that we are immediately concerned with, in a natural relation; so husbands should live peaceably with their wives, and wives with their husbands; parents with their children, and children with their parents; masters with their servants, and servants with their masters; and one brother, relation, and friend, with another: and so with all we are concerned with in a spiritual relation, as members of Christ, and in the same church state; such should be at peace among themselves, 1 Thessalonians 5:13; peace should rule in their hearts, Colossians 3:15, and they should study to keep "the unity of the Spirit, in the bond of peace", Ephesians 4:3: yea, with all we are concerned in a civil sense; saints should live peaceably in the neighbourhood, towns, cities, and countries, where they dwell, and show themselves to be the quiet in the land; should pray for the peace of the place where they are; and do all that in them lies to promote it, by living themselves peaceably and quietly, in all godliness and honesty; yea, they should live peaceably with their very enemies, "if it be possible"; which is rightly put, for there are some persons of such tempers and dispositions, that it is impossible to live peaceably with; for when others are for peace, they are for war; and in some cases it is not only impracticable, but would be unlawful; as when it cannot be done consistent with holiness of life and conversation, with the edification of others, the truths of the Gospel, the interest of religion, and the glory of God; these are things that are never to be sacrificed for the sake of peace with men: the apostle adds another limitation of this rule, "as much as lieth in you"; for more than this is not required of us; nothing should be wanting on our parts; every step should be taken to cultivate and maintain peace; the blame should lie wholly on the other side; it becomes the saints to live peaceably themselves, if others will not with them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

If it be possible - If it can be done. This expression implies that it could not always be done. Still it should be an object of desire; and we should endeavor to obtain it.

As much as lieth in you - This implies two things:

(1) We are to do our utmost endeavors to preserve peace, and to appease the anger and malice of others.

(2) We are not to “begin” or to “originate” a quarrel.

So far as “we” are concerned, we are to seek peace. But then it does not always depend on us. Others may oppose and persecute us; they will hate religion, and may slander, revile, and otherwise injure us; or they may commence an assault on our persons or property. For “their” assaults we are not answerable; but we are answerable for our conduct toward them; and on no occasion are we to commence a warfare with them. It may not be “possible” to prevent their injuring and opposing us; but it is possible not to begin a contention with them; and “when they” have commenced a strife, to seek peace, and to evince a Christian spirit. This command doubtless extends to everything connected with strife; and means that we are not to “provoke” them to controversy, or to prolong it when it is commenced; see Psalms 34:14; Matthew 5:9, Matthew 5:39-41; Hebrews 12:14. If all Christians would follow this command, if they would never “provoke” to controversy, if they would injure no man by slander or by unfair dealing, if they would compel none to prosecute them in law by lack of punctuality in payment of debts or honesty in business, if they would do nothing to irritate, or to prolong a controversy when it is commenced, it would put an end to no small part of the strife that exists in the world.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 18. If it be possible — To live in a state of peace with one's neighbours, friends, and even family, is often very difficult. But the man who loves God must labour after this, for it is indispensably necessary even for his own sake. A man cannot have broils and misunderstandings with others, without having his own peace very materially disturbed: he must, to be happy, be at peace with all men, whether they will be at peace with him or not. The apostle knew that it would be difficult to get into and maintain such a state of peace, and this his own words amply prove: And if it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably. Though it be but barely possible, labour after it.