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Selected Verse: Romans 12:9 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Ro 12:9 |
King James |
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
Let love be without dissimulation--"Let your love be unfeigned" (as in Co2 6:6; Pe1 2:22; and see Jo1 3:18).
Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good--What a lofty tone of moral principle and feeling is here inculcated! It is not, Abstain from the one, and do the other; nor, Turn away from the one, and draw to the other; but, Abhor the one, and cling, with deepest sympathy, to the other. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
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 Rom 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 Pe2 1:7, "And to brotherly-kindness add charity," that is, benevolence, or good will, and kind feelings to others.
Without dissimulation - Without hypocrisy. Let it be sincere and unfeigned. Let it not consist in words or professions only, but let it be manifested in acts of kindness and in deeds of charity; Jo1 3:18; compare Pe1 1:22. Genuine benevolence is not what merely professes attachment, but which is evinced by acts of kindness and affection.
Abhor that which is evil - The word "abhor" means to hate; to turn from; to avoid. The word "evil" here has reference to malice, or unkindness, rather than to evil in general. The apostle is exhorting to love, or kindness; and between the direction to love all people, and the particular direction about brotherly love, he places this general direction to abhor what is evil; what is evil in relation to the subject under discussion, that is, malice or unkindness. The word "evil" is not infrequently used in this limited sense to denote some particular or special evil; Mat 5:37, Mat 5:39, etc.; compare Psa 34:14; Ti2 2:19; Psa 97:10; Th1 5:22.
Cleave to that which is good - The word rendered "cleave" to denotes properly the act of gluing, or uniting firmly by glue. It is then used to denote a very firm adherence to an object; to be firmly united to it. Here it means that Christians should be firmly attached to what is good, and not separate or part from it. The good here referred to is particularly what pertains to benevolence - to all people, and especially to Christians. It should not be occasional only, or irregular; but it should be constant, active, decided. |
| The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917] |
dissimulation
Hypocrisy. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Love (ἡ ἀγάπη)
The article has the force of your. See on loveth, Joh 5:20.
Without dissimulation (ἀνυπόκριτος)
Rev., without hypocrisy. See on hypocrites, Mat 23:13.
Abhor (ἀποστυγοῦντες)
Lit., abhorring. The only simple verb for hate in the New Testament is μισέω. Στυγέω, quite frequent in the classics, does not occur except in this compound, which is found only here. The kindred adjective στυγητός hateful, is found Ti1 3:3. The original distinction between μισέω and στυγέω is that the former denotes concealed and cherished hatred, and the latter hatred expressed. The preposition ἀπό away from, may either denote separation or be merely intensive. An intense sentiment is meant: loathing.
Cleave (κολλώμενοι)
See on joined himself, Luk 15:15. Compare Act 17:34; Co1 6:16. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Having spoken of faith and its fruit, Rom 12:3, &c., he comes now to love. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good - Both inwardly and outwardly, whatever ill - will or danger may follow. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
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. Στυξ, Styx, was a feigned river in hell by which the gods were wont to swear, and if any of them falsified this oath he was deprived of his nectar and ambrosia for a hundred years; hence the river was reputed to be hateful, and στυγεω signified to be as hateful as hell. Two MSS. read μισουντες, which signifies hating in the lowest sense of the term. The word in the text is abundantly more expressive, and our translation is both nervous and appropriate.
Cleave to that which is good - Κολλωμενοι τῳ αγαθῳ· Be Cemented or Glued to that which is good; so the word literally signifies. Have an unalterable attachment to whatever leads to God, and contributes to the welfare of your fellow creatures. |
18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
10 Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.
19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.