Romans 12:9

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Romans 12:9-13

12:9-13 Your love must be completely sincere. Hate that which is evil and cling to that which is good. Be affectionate to one another in brotherly love. Give to each other priority in honour. Do not be sluggish in zeal. Keep your spirit at boiling point. Seize your opportunities. Rejoice in hope. Meet tribulation with triumphant fortitude. Be persevering in prayer. Share what you have to help the needs of God's dedicated people. Be eager in giving hospitality. Paul presents his people with... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 12:9

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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 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 neighbor; 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. ... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 12:9

Verse 9 9.Let love be, etc. Proceeding now to speak of particular duties, he fitly begins with love, which is the bond of perfection. And respecting this he enjoins what is especially necessary, that all disguises are to be cast aside, and that love is to arise from pure sincerity of mind. It is indeed difficult to express how ingenious almost all men are to pretend a love which they really have not, for they not only deceive others, but impose also on themselves, while they persuade themselves... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 12:9

Let love be unfeigned (so is rendered elsewhere ἀνυπόκριτος in the Authorized Version, cf. 2 Corinthians 6:6 ; 1 Timothy 1:5 ; 2 Timothy 1:5 ; 1 Peter 1:22 ). Abhor (literally, abhorring ) that which is evil; cleave (literally, cleaving ) to that which is good . The participles ἀποστυγοῦντες , etc., here and afterwards, may be understood as mildly imperative. Or perhaps the apostle connected them in thought with ἡ ἀγάπη ἀνυπόκριτος , as if he had said, ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 12:9-10

"Love unfeigned." Church-life is very important; but human life is wider and more important still. In the first age, and when Christian communities were few and small and persecuted, the life the followers of Jesus led was very much a life in common, and very distinct from that of the world around. We cannot wonder that so many of the apostolic counsels and injunctions referred to the conduct of Church-members towards one another, and towards one another as connected with actually existing... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 12:9-21

Various admonitions, applicable to all; headed by inculcation of the all-pervading principle of love. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 12:9-21

Christian love. Now we come to the great central principle of the Christian life in its social relations among men—true love. And, as the apostle addresses Church-members, he paints this love, by a few vivid strokes, as they owe it to their fellow-members, and also to those that are without. I. First, as members of Christ, they are to love one another. 1. The ethical character of this love. It is holy. Not a mere sentimental tenderness, but a love that abhors the evil, in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 12:9-21

Christian socialism. From Churchmanship, which was discussed by the apostle in the preceding verses, we now pass to the Christian in society; and our endeavour will be to appreciate the Christian socialism which Paul here inculcates. The great error of the Christless socialism which prevails, alas! in many lands, is that it tries to do from without and by mere material manipulation what can only come from within through the Christian spirit. Into the various forms which socialism has... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Romans 12:9

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... read more

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