Romans 12:9

New King James Version

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

Parallel Translations

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

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]

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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:

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.

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

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.

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,

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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,

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

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 12:13
Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I [fn] may live because of you."

Genesis 12:14
So it was, when Abram came into Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful.

Genesis 13:1
Then Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, to the South. [fn]

Genesis 13:3
And he went on his journey from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai,

Genesis 24:62
Now Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he dwelt in the South.

Psalms 105:13
When they went from one nation to another, From one kingdom to another people,

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.