Romans 12:19

Romans 12:19. Avenge not yourselves, beloved. We restore the Greek order; the address becomes more affectionate, in order to press lovingly the snore difficult duty.

But rather (or, on the contrary) give place unto the wrath of God. This seems to be the only sense consistent with what follows. Let God's wrath take its course, do not attempt to execute it yourself; comp. our Lord's conduct, as described in 1 Peter 2:23. So most commentators, but a variety of untenable explanations have been given: ‘defer your own wrath,' a Latinism, and not the meaning of Paul's language; give place to the wrath of your enemy, either by letting him have his will, or by getting out of its way, neither of them suited to the context, or in harmony with the tone of the passage. Alford refers it to anger in general, without adding anything to the correct interpretation. ‘The morality of this precept is based on the holiness of God; hence so far as love and wrath are the two poles of holiness, it does not exclude the blessing of our adversaries (Romans 12:14) and intercession for them' (Meyer).

For it is written (Deuteronomy 32:35), Vengeance is mine (lit , ‘to me is vengeance'); I will recompense again (a strengthened form of the word used in Romans 12:17), saith the Lord (a formula naturally added by the Apostle). The Hebrew is: ‘Mine is revenge and requital;' the LXX. reads: ‘in the day of vengeance I will recompense.' In Hebrews 10:30, the form is the same as here, which suggests that it had become usual, especially as it occurs in the paraphrase of Onkelos.