Romans 12:9

Romans 12:9. Let your love (lit., ‘the love') be. The imperative form is to be supplied, there being no verb in the Greek. The participles which follow are to be explained accordingly. This is unusual, but not ungrammatical; since in Romans 12:16-19 this construction recurs. We also supply ‘your,' since the article points to the Christian grace they already possess.

Unfeigned, lit., ‘ unhypocritical.' Comp. the use of same adjective in marginal references; in some of these passages ‘faith' is thus characterized, but faith is the root of love. This brief clause is the title of the entire section.

Abhor that which is evil, etc. Christian love will manifest itself in this abhorrence of what is morally evil and permanent adherence to what is morally good. (It is not necessary to restrict the adjectives to what is injurious and what is kind.) ‘This antithesis constitutes the practice of heaven and heavenly life, and its realization is the life of our Lord' (Lange).