Take revenge (1556) (ekdikeo from ek = out or from + dike = right, justice; see cognates = ekdikesis and ekdikos) is literally that which proceeds from justice. The idea is to vindicate one's right or to do one justice.
Revenge (Webster's) = to avenge (as oneself) usually by retaliating in kind or degree; to inflict injury in return for (revenge an insult); To inflict pain or injury in return for an injury received.
Vengeance (Webster's) = from Latin vindicare to lay claim to, avenge — punishment inflicted in retaliation for an injury or offense; retribution - the dispensing or receiving of reward or punishment especially in the hereafter
BDAG summarized - 1. to procure justice for someone, grant justice (Lk 18:5); taking justice into one’s own hands (Ro 12:19); 2. to inflict appropriate penalty for wrong done (of special significance in an honor/shame-oriented society) punish, take vengeance for (2Cor 10:6, Lxx - Dt 32:43); prayers for vengeance w. the person on whom vengeance is taken, or who is punished, designated by ek (Nu 31:2; 1Ki 24:13 Rev 6:10) 3. to carry out one’s obligations in a worthy manner, do justice to = do justice to one’s official position.
TDNT - By assimilation to ekdikazo, this acquires the sense “to avenge,” “to punish.” We find it in the LXX for a. (passive) “to be punished,” b. “to avenge” with accusative of cause, c. “to avenge” with accusative of person (or dative), d. “to punish” with accusative of person (or dative), e. “to punish” with ex, epi, or more rarely en or para of person, and f. “to avenge” with genitive of person or cause. In the OT the usage develops under the influence of the strong sense of the sanctity of blood, whereas a more legal concept affects the usage of the papyri, thus yielding the senses “to decide a case,” “to contest a case,” “to bring to judgment,” and “to help to justice.”
Thayer (summary) - to vindicate one's right, do one justice; to protect, defend, one person from another (Lk 18:3); to avenge a thing (i. e. to punish a person for a thing) (2Cor 10:6); to demand in punishment the blood of one from another, i. e. to exact of the murderer the penalty of his crime (A. V. avenge one's blood on or at the hand of) (Rev 6:10, 19:2).
Liddell-Scott on ekdikeo - to avenge, punish a crime, NT.: also to exact vengeance for a crime, II. to avenge a person
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ekdikeō, which means to avenge, is twice used of God (Rev 6:10; 19:2); and ekdikēsis, “vengeance,” 6 t (LK 18:7ff; Rom 12:19; 2Th 1:8; He 10:30). In the first two Instances it is used by Jesus concerning the Divine action; ekdikos, “avenger,” occurs once in application to God (1Th 4:6); dikē, “judgment” or “vengeance” is twice used of God (2Th 1:9; Jude ver 7). The use of these terms shows that the punishment Inflicted on sinful men is strictly punishment of the vindicatory sort, the vindication of outraged justice, the infliction of deserved penalty. Very significant is the passage in 2Th 1:6, “It is a righteous thing with God to recompense affliction to them that afflict you.” There is no question of bettering the offender.
There are 6 uses of ekdikeo in the NT -- Usage: avenged(1), avenging(1), give...legal protection(2), legal protection(2), punish(1), take...revenge(1).
Luke 18:3 "There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, 'Give me legal protection from my opponent.'
Comment: Here the sense of ekdikeo is to help another secure justice or bring about justice, grant a fair verdict. Ralph Earle adds - "The verb ekdikeo does sometimes mean "avenge." But here the verb is followed in the Greek by apo, "from." So the idea is, "Give me legal protection from my opponent" (NASB) or "Grant me justice against my adversary" (NIV; cf. AG, p. 238; TDNT, 2:444). Plummer says that the meaning is "preserve me against his attacks" (p. 412)." (Word Meanings in the New Testament)
A T Robertson: Avenge me of (ekdikēson me apo). A late verb for doing justice, protecting one from another (note both ek and apo, here). Deissmann (Light from the Ancient East, pp. 420ff.) quotes a stēlē (stele = stone or wooden slab used for commemorating important people and events) of the second century B.C. with a prayer for vengeance for a Jewish girl that had been murdered which has this very verb ekdikeō.
Luke 18:5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.'"
Romans 12:19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord.
2 Corinthians 10:6 and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.
Comment: Here ekdikeo refers to bringing someone to judgment for something.
Revelation 6:10-note and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"
Revelation 19:2-note BECAUSE HIS JUDGMENTS ARE TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and HE HAS AVENGED THE BLOOD OF HIS BOND-SERVANTS ON HER."
Ekdikeo - 91 verses in the non-apocryphal Septuagint (LXX) - Ge 4:15, 24; 21.20-Exod.21.21" class="scriptRef">Ex 21:20, 21; 25" class="scriptRef">Lev 26:25; Nu 31:2; 18.19" class="scriptRef">Dt 18:19; 32:43; Jdg 15:7; 1Sa 3:13; 14.24" class="scriptRef">14:24; 15:2; 18:25; 12" class="scriptRef">24:12; 2Ki 9:7; 2Chr 22:8; Ps 99:8; Is 57:16; Je 5:9, 29; 9:9; 15:3; 23:2, 34; 25:12; 46:10, 25; 50:15, 18, 21; 51:36, 44, 52; Ezek 7:3, 27; 16:38; 19:12; 20:4; 23:24, 45; 24:8; 25:12; Ho 1:4; 2:13; 4:9; 8:13; 9:9; 12:2; Joel 3:21; Amos 3:2, 14; Obad 1:21; Nah 1:2, 9; Zeph. 1:8, 9, 12; 3:7; Zech 5:3.
Ekdikeo in the Septuagint [LEH] - Ge 4:15, 24; Ex 7:4; 21:20-21 = to avenge; Lev 26:25;Jer 51:52; to avenge, to punish; to exact vengeance for = 2Ki 9:7; he shall pay penalties, he shall suffer vengeance = Ge 4:15
For example the prophet Nahum declares...
Nahum 1:2 A jealous and avenging God is the LORD; The LORD is avenging and wrathful. The LORD takes vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies.
Comment: Note that God can take revenge for He is sinless and judges perfectly righteously, so that His revenge is meted out to absolute perfection, something we could never do! So let us leave revenge to God, for He alone can do it justly! Note that this does not mean judicial courts should not execute justice, for they should (and hopefully it will be just, but that is becoming less and less common in our morally decaying society!). This note refers to personal "getting even" type of avenging.
Using a term from the "wild wild west" we might say don't be a vigilante - a member of a volunteer committee organized to suppress and punish crime summarily as when the processes of law appear inadequate and in this present verse a self-appointed doer of justice.
The Christian must be free from the desire to “get even.” Instead choose to view personal insults and injuries as momentary light afflictions producing an eternal weight of glory, and thus (supernaturally) viewing these negative experiences from an eternal perspective rather than from a temporal perspective. (2Co 4:17,18)
BUT LEAVE ROOM FOR THE WRATH OF GOD: alla dote (2PAAM) topon te orge: (Mt 5:39; Lk 6:27, 28, 29; 9:55,56 )
But - Here Paul presents the Spirit enabled, supernatural contrast.
Leave room - Literally give place. Give some territory or space! It is a command in the aorist imperative which conveys the sense of "Do this now. Do it effectively. Don't delay!" The aorist imperative is like a sharp command from the general to his troops engaged in battle (cp spiritual battle!) and can even convey a sense of urgency. Do it with with expediency and resolution. Do it without hesitation.
Literally it could be read "give (didomi) place (topos)" or "grant territory".
Paul's use of the aorist imperative further suggests that there is a moment in most confrontations in which we have to make the critical decision to "give it over" to God (recall that the verb here is actually didomi meaning "to give"!) and "back off" as we would say in today's language.
The active voice of didomi signifies that this action is not one that God will force us to take but it is a choice of our will & if we have indeed presented our bodies to Him in Romans 12:1 (note) than we will choose not to be conformed to the world (the world wants to "get even" and do it now!) but as we make the choice not to retaliate (by the power of His Spirit, in the grace in which we stand, possessing the "mind of Christ"), we will be transformed by the renewing of our mind. The one who trusts in God will not think it necessary to avenge themselves; they will leave the issue of vengeance to God. They will be giving no place to their own wrath, and a wide place to God’s wrath.
Paul's point is that God's timing is perfect and His wrath will come (Col 3:6-note) so that sooner or later He will right all unjust wrongs that have been committed against us.
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