The Meaning of Romans 12:10 Explained

Romans 12:10

KJV: Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

YLT: in the love of brethren, to one another kindly affectioned: in the honour going before one another;

Darby: as to brotherly love, kindly affectioned towards one another: as to honour, each taking the lead in paying it to the other:

ASV: In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another; in honor preferring one another;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[Be] kindly affectioned  one to another  with brotherly love;  in honour  preferring  one another; 

What does Romans 12:10 Mean?

Verse Meaning

We need to express love to individual people as well as to ideals ( Romans 12:9). Giving recognition and appreciation to those who deserve it is a concrete way of expressing love. "Devoted" (Gr. philostorgoi) suggests family affection (cf. 1 Timothy 5:1-2).

Context Summary

Romans 12:9-21 - Living As A Christian
In this section the Apostle shows how the great principle of consecration must affect the details of conduct. It is most necessary to insist on these practical issues. At some impressive religious convention, where the vision of a surrendered and transfigured life is presented, sensitive souls are led to make the vows and claim the plane of life which have been presented; but on their return to the commonplaces, there is no perceptible improvement in their speech, or tone, or attitude. This induces shame and contempt. Hence the great wisdom of the Apostle's particular teaching in this and the following chapters.
The lumbering wagon must be hitched to a star. We must not be star-gazers only. God has endowed us with faith as the receptive faculty, through which we may receive His blessed help. In the power of the Holy Spirit let us set ourselves to our common tasks, thinking humbly and soberly of ourselves, lovingly of our associates, and reverently of God. We are inspired to fulfill the obligations of our position, whether in giving money or in teaching the ignorant; whether in showing mercy or in exercising authority, because all is done as under the eye of the great Master of the household. [source]

Chapter Summary: Romans 12

1  God's mercies must move us to offer ourselves
3  No man must think too well of himself;
6  but everyone attend to the calling wherein he is placed
9  Love, and many other duties are required of us
19  Revenge is especially forbidden

Greek Commentary for Romans 12:10

In love of the brethren [τηι πιλαδελπιαι]
Late word for brotherly love for which see note on 1 Thessalonians 4:9. [source]
Tenderly affectioned [πιλοστοργοι]
Old compound adjective from πιλος — philos and στοργη — storgē (mutual love of parents and children), here alone in N.T. [source]
Be kindly affectioned [φιλόστοργοι]
Only here in the New Testament. From στέργω tolove, which denotes peculiarly a natural affection, a sentiment innate and peculiar to men as men, as distinguished from the love of desire, called out by circumstance. Hence of the natural love of kindred, of people and king (the relation being regarded as founded in nature), of a tutelary God for a people. The word here represents Christians as bound by a family tie. It is intended to define more specifically the character of φιλαδελφία brotherlylove, which follows, so that the exhortation is “love the brethren in the faith as though they were brethren in blood” (Farrar). Rev., be tenderly affectioned; but the A.V., in the word kindly gives the real sense, since kind is originally kinned; and kindly affectioned is having the affection of kindred. [source]
In honor preferring one another [τῇ τιμῇ ἀλλήλους προηγούμενοι]
The verb occurs only here. It means to go before as a guide. Honor is the honor due from each to all. Compare Philemon 2:3; 1 Peter 2:17; 1 Peter 5:5. Hence, leading the way in showing the honor that is due. Others render antcipating and excelling. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 12:10

Romans 12:9 Abhor [αποστυγουντες]
Old verb with intensive This same idiom appears with κολλωμενοι — kollōmenoi (cleaving) for which verb see 1 Corinthians 6:17, with προηγουμενοι — proēgoumenoi (preferring) in Romans 12:10 (old verb here only in N.T.), and with the participles in Romans 12:11-13 and again in Romans 12:16-18. One can supply εστε — este if he prefers. [source]
Romans 13:11 Knowing [ειδοτες]
Second perfect active participle, nominative plural without a principal verb. Either we must supply a verb like ποιησωμεν — poiēsōmen (let us do it) or ποιησατε — poiēsate (do ye do it) or treat it as an independent participle as in Romans 12:10. The season (τον καιρον — ton kairon). The critical period, not χρονος — chronos (time in general). High time Like our the “hour” has come, etc. MSS. vary between ημας — hēmas (us) and υμας — humās (you), accusative of general reference with εγερτηναι — egerthēnai (first aorist passive infinitive of εγειρω — egeirō to awake, to wake up), “to be waked up out of sleep” Nearer to us (εγγυτερον ημων — egguteron hēmōn). Probably so, though ημων — hēmōn can be taken equally well with η σωτηρια — hē sōtēria (our salvation is nearer). Final salvation, Paul means, whether it comes by the second coming of Christ as they all hoped or by death. It is true of us all. [source]
Philippians 2:3 In lowliness of mind [ταπεινος]
Late and rare word. Not in O.T. or early Greek writers. In Josephus and Epictetus in bad sense (pusillanimity). For ostentatious humility in Corinthians Phlippians 2:18, Phlippians 2:23. One of the words, like ταπεινοπρων — tapeinos (Matthew 11:29) and υπερεχοντας εαυτων — tapeinophrōn (1 Peter 3:8, here alone in N.T.) that Christianity has ennobled and dignified (Acts 20:19). Better than himself (υπερεχω — huperechontas heautōn). Present active participle of huperechō in intransitive sense to excel or surpass with the ablative, “excelling themselves.” See Romans 12:10. [source]
Philippians 2:3 Better than himself [υπερεχω]
Present active participle of huperechō in intransitive sense to excel or surpass with the ablative, “excelling themselves.” See Romans 12:10. [source]
Hebrews 13:1 Let brotherly love continue [φιλαδελφία μενέτω]
Φιλαδελφία in Paul, Romans 12:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:9. As a proper name, Revelation 1:11; Revelation 3:7. It is not necessary to suppose that the admonition implies signs of estrangement among those addressed. Comp. Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 6:10; Hebrews 10:24; Hebrews 12:12-15. [source]
Hebrews 10:29 Hath counted an unholy thing [κοινὸν ἡγησάμενος]
Ἡγεῖσθαι tocount or deem means a conscious judgment resting on a deliberate weighing of the facts. See Romans 12:10; Philemon 2:3. Here it implies a deliberate, contemptuous rejection of the gifts of the new covenant. The fundamental idea of κοινὸς is shared by all, public. Thus Acts 2:44; Acts 4:32; Titus 1:4; Judges 1:3. Out of this grows the idea of not sacred; not set apart for particular uses by purification, and so (ceremonially) unclean or defiled, as Mark 7:2, Mark 7:5; Acts 10:14, Acts 10:28; Acts 11:8. In these cases it is not implied that the thing is defiled or filthy in itself, but only unclean through the absence of that which would set it apart. Comp. Romans 14:14. Here the word admits of two explanations: (1) that Christ's blood was counted common, having no more sacred character or specific worth than the blood of any ordinary person; (2) that in refusing to regard Christ's blood as that of an atoner and redeemer, it was implied that his blood was unclean as being that of a transgressor. The former seems preferable. There was no specific virtue in Christ's blood as blood; but a peculiar and unique virtue attached to it as the offering of his eternal spirit (Hebrews 9:14), as the blood shed in ratification of a sacred covenant established by God, and as having sanctifying virtue. This view is further justified by the combination of blood and spirit, as sources of sanctification allied in the writer's mind. [source]

What do the individual words in Romans 12:10 mean?

- in brotherly love to one another devoted in honor esteeming
τῇ φιλαδελφίᾳ εἰς ἀλλήλους φιλόστοργοι τιμῇ προηγούμενοι

τῇ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
φιλαδελφίᾳ  in  brotherly  love 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: φιλαδελφία  
Sense: love of brothers or sisters, brotherly love.
ἀλλήλους  one  another 
Parse: Personal / Reciprocal Pronoun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀλλήλων  
Sense: one another, reciprocally, mutually.
φιλόστοργοι  devoted 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: φιλόστοργος  
Sense: the mutual love of parents and children and wives and husbands.
τιμῇ  in  honor 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: τιμή  
Sense: a valuing by which the price is fixed.
προηγούμενοι  esteeming 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: προηγέομαι  
Sense: to go before and show the way, to go before and lead, to go before as a leader.