Romans 12:17

Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. RECOMPENSE ('RECOMPENSING') TO NO MAN EVIL FOR EVIL (see the note at Romans 12:14). PROVIDE ('PROVIDING') THINGS HONEST, [ kala (G2570 ), THAT IS, 'HONOURABLE,'] IN THE SIGHT OF ALL MEN. The idea here-taken from Proverbs 3:4 - is the care which Christians should take so to demean themselves as to command the respect of all men....

17._Repaying to no one, etc. _This differs but little from what shortly after follows, except that revenge is more than the kind of repaying of which he speaks here; for we render evil for evil sometimes, even when we exact not the requiting of an injury, as when we treat unkindly those who do us no good. We are indeed wont to form an estimate of the deserts of each, or of what they merit at our hands, so that we may confer our benefits on those, by whom we have been already obliged, or from whom we expect something: and again, when any one denies help to us when we need it, we, by returning like for like, as they say, do not help him in time of need, any more than he assisted us. There are also other instances of the same kind, in which evil is rendered for evil, when there is no open revenge. _Providing good things, etc. _I no not disapprove of the rendering of [Erasmus ] _, _“Providen...

17-21 Since men became enemies to God, they have been very ready to be enemies one to another. And those that embrace religion, must expect to meet with enemies in a world whose smiles seldom agree with Christ's. Recompense to no man evil for evil. That is a brutish recompence, befitting only animals, which are not conscious of any being above them, or of any existence hereafter. And not only do, but study and take care to do, that which is amiable and creditable, and recommends religion to all with whom you converse. Study the things that make for peace; if it be possible, without offending God and wounding conscience. Avenge not yourselves. This is a hard lesson to corrupt nature, therefore a remedy against it is added. Give place unto wrath. When a man's passion is up, and the stream is strong, let it pass off; lest it be made to rage the more against us. The line of our duty is clea...

Verse 17. _RECOMPENSE_, c.] Do not take notice of every little injury you may sustain. Do not be _litigious_. Beware of too nice a sense of your own honour intolerable pride is at the bottom of this. The motto of the royal arms of Scotland is in direct opposition to this Divine direction-_Nemo me impune lacesset_, of which "I render evil for evil to every man," is a pretty literal translation. This is both antichristian and abominable, whether in a _state_ or in an _individual_. _PROVIDE THINGS HONEST_] Be prudent, be cautious, neither _eat,_ _drink_, nor _wear_, but as you pay for every thing. "Live not on _trust_, for that is the way to pay double;" and by this means the _poor_ are still kept _poor_. He who _takes credit_, even for food or raiment, when he has no probable means of defraying the debt, is a _dishonest_ man. It is no sin to die through lack of the necessarie

RECOMPENSE - Render, give, or return; see the note at Matthew 5:39. This is probably one of the most difficult precepts of Christianity; but the law of Christ on the subject is unyielding. It is a solemn demand made on all his followers, and it “must” be obeyed. PROVIDE - The word rendered “provide” means properly to “think” or “meditate beforehand.” Make it a matter of “previous thought,” of “settled plan,” of “design.” This direction would make it a matter of “principle” and fixed purpose to do what is right; and not to leave it to the fluctuations of feeling, or to the influence of excitement. The same direction is given in 2 Corinthians 8:21. THINGS HONEST - Literally, things “

EXPOSITION VER. 1–CH. 14:23 III. HORTATORY. It is St. Paul's way to supplement his doctrinal treatises with detailed practical directions as to the conduct that should of necessity ensue on belief in the doctrines propounded. So also in Ephesians 4:1, etc., where, as here, he connects his exhortations with what has gone before by the initiatory παρακαλῶ οὖν_. _Beyond his exposition of the truth for its own sake, he has always a further practical aim. Saving faith is ever with him a living faith, to be shown by its fruits. Nor, according to him, will these fruits follow, unless the believer himself does his part in cultivating them: else were these earnest and particular exhortations needless. If, on the one hand, he is the great assertor of our salvation being through faith and all of grace, he is no less dist

RECOMPENCE TO NO MAN EVIL FOR EVIL,.... Neither evil words for evil words, railing for railing; nor evil deeds for evil deeds, one ill turn for another; nor the evil of punishment for the evil of fault, unless it be by persons, who under God have an authority to inflict it; as the civil magistrate, who "is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil", Romans 13:4; but private revenge is what is here forbidden: PROVIDING THINGS HONEST IN THE SIGHT OF ALL MEN. The Vulgate Latin reads, "not only in the sight of God, but also in the sight of all men"; and the Alexandrian copy reads, "in the sight of God and in the sight of men", which clause seems to have crept in here, out of 2 Corinthians 8:21. The words are not to be understood of a man's providing thi

ROMANS 12:17 evnw,pion pa,ntwn Under the influence of Proverbs 3:4 and 2 Corinthians 8:21 several witnesses expand by prefixing evnw,pion tou/ qeou/ kai, (Ac) or ouv mo,non evnw,pion tou/ qeou/ avlla. kai, (F G itg vg goth Lucifer Ambrosiaster). On the other hand, perhaps through transcriptional oversight (enwpionpantwnan;rwpwn), a few witnesses omit pa,ntwn (181 328 436 876 itd, g Lucifer Speculum) and several substitute tw/n...

III. EXHORTATIONS AND THE CONCLUSION. Chapter s 12-16. CHAPTER 12 _ 1. The Body as a Willing Sacrifice. (Romans 12:1 .)_ 2. Service. (Romans 12:3 .) 3. The Daily Walk in Holiness. (Romans 12:9 .) Romans 12:1 . Grace calls for obedience. After God has made known the riches of His grace, the fulness of the Gospel, His Spirit shows how believers should walk in a world of sin and tribulation. The first thing is to present the body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God. This connects with the truth of Romans 6:19

IN THE CHRISTIAN TEMPER, _modesty_ is the first desideratum. Romans 12:3. I tell everyone that is among you not _to_ be high-minded above a right mind, but to be of a mind to be sober-minded (Sp.). This is the mind as _temper, disposition_ (so in Romans 8:5), not as _intellect_ (Romans 12:2). A modest temper comes from appreciating other men's gifts. Measure of faith, as the sequel shows, means faith in the variety of its apportioned manifestations. Romans 12:4 f. For Christians form in Christ a single body with many members, of widely diverse functions (pp. 646, 812);...