KJV: Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
YLT: I will recompense again, saith the Lord;' if, then, thine enemy doth hunger, feed him; if he doth thirst, give him drink; for this doing, coals of fire thou shalt heap upon his head;
Darby: If therefore thine enemy should hunger, feed him; if he should thirst, give him drink; for, so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head.
ASV: But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head.
| Ἀλλὰ | On the contrary |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: ἀλλά Sense: but. |
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| πεινᾷ | should hunger |
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Parse: Verb, Present Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: πεινάω Sense: to hunger, be hungry. |
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| ἐχθρός | enemy |
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Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: ἐχθρός Sense: hated, odious, hateful. |
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| σου | of you |
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Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Singular Root: σύ Sense: you. |
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| ψώμιζε | feed |
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Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular Root: ψωμίζω Sense: to feed by putting a bit or crumb (of food) into the mouth. |
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| διψᾷ | he should thirst |
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Parse: Verb, Present Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: διψάω Sense: to suffer thirst, suffer from thirst. |
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| πότιζε | give drink |
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Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular Root: ποτίζω Sense: to give to drink, to furnish drink. |
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| τοῦτο | this |
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Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular Root: οὗτος Sense: this. |
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| ποιῶν | doing |
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Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: ποιέω Sense: to make. |
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| ἄνθρακας | coals |
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Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural Root: ἄνθραξ Sense: a burning or live coal. |
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| πυρὸς | of fire |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular Root: πῦρ Sense: fire. |
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| σωρεύσεις | you will heap |
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Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 2nd Person Singular Root: σωρεύω Sense: to heap together, to heap up. |
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| ἐπὶ | upon |
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Parse: Preposition Root: ἐπί Sense: upon, on, at, by, before. |
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| κεφαλὴν | head |
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Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular Root: κεφαλή Sense: the head, both of men and often of animals. |
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| αὐτοῦ | of him |
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Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular Root: αὐτός Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself. |
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Greek Commentary for Romans 12:20
Quotation from lxx text of Proverbs 25:21f. Present active imperative of verb from πσωμος psōmos a morsel, and so to feed crumbs to babies, then to feed in general. In N.T. only here and 1 Corinthians 13:3. [source]
Future active of old verb σωρευω sōreuō from σωρος sōros a heap. In N.T. only here and 2 Timothy 3:6. Coals of fire (αντρακας πυρος anthrakas puros). That is, burning or live coals. Anthrax (our “anthracite”) is an old word, only here in N.T. It is a metaphor for keen anguish. The Arabs have a proverb “coals in the heart,” “fire in the liver.” Such kindness may lead to repentance also. [source]
That is, burning or live coals. [source]
(our “anthracite”) is an old word, only here in N.T. It is a metaphor for keen anguish. The Arabs have a proverb “coals in the heart,” “fire in the liver.” Such kindness may lead to repentance also. [source]
See on sop, John 13:26. The citation from Proverbs 25:21, Proverbs 25:22, closely follows both Hebrew and Septuagint. [source]
Only here and 2 Timothy 3:6. [source]
Many explain: The memory of the wrong awakened in your enemy by your kindness, shall sting him with penitence. This, however, might be open to the objection that the enemy's pain might gratify the instinct of revenge. Perhaps it is better to take it, that kindness is as effectual as coals of fire. Among the Arabs and Hebrews the figure of “coals of fire” is common as a symbol of divine punishment (Psalm 18:13). “The Arabians call things which cause very acute mental pain, burning coals of the heart and fire in the liver ” (Thayer, “Lexicon”). Thomas De Quincey, referring to an author who calls this “a fiendish idea,” says: “I acknowledge that to myself, in one part of my boyhood, it did seem a refinement of malice. My subtilizing habits, however, even in those days, soon suggested to me that this aggravation of guilt in the object of our forgiveness was not held out as the motive to the forgiveness, but as the result of it; secondly, that perhaps no aggravation of his guilt was the point contemplated, but the salutary stinging into life of his remorse hitherto sleeping” (“Essays on the Poets”). [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 12:20
This phrase is not in Leviticus 19:18, but is a rabbinical inference which Jesus repudiates bluntly. The Talmud says nothing of love to enemies. Paul in Romans 12:20 quotes Proverbs 25:22 to prove that we ought to treat our enemies kindly. Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies and did it himself even when he hung upon the cross. Our word “neighbour” is “nigh-bor,” one who is nigh or near like the Greek word πλησιον plēsion here. But proximity often means strife and not love. Those who have adjoining farms or homes may be positively hostile in spirit. The Jews came to look on members of the same tribe as neighbours as even Jews everywhere. But they hated the Samaritans who were half Jews and lived between Judea and Galilee. Jesus taught men how to act as neighbours by the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29.). [source]
Only in this chapter. Diminutive from ψωμός , a morsel, which, in turn, is from ψάω , to rub, or to crumble. Homer, of the Cyclops:“Then from his mouth came bits ( ψωμοί ) of human fleshMingled with wine.”“Odyssey,” ix., 374. And Xenophon: “And on one occasion having seen one of his companions at table tasting many dishes with one bit ( ψωμῷ ) of bread” (“Memorabilia,” iii., 14,15). The kindred verb ψωμίζω , rendered feed, occurs Romans 12:20; 1 Corinthians 13:3. See also Septuagint, Psalm 79:5; Psalm 80:16. According to its etymology, the verb means to feed with morsels; and it was used by the Greeks of a nurse chewing the food and administering it to an infant. So Aristophanes: “And one laid the child to rest, and another bathed it, and another fed ( ἐψώμισεν ) it” (“Lysistrate,” 19,20). This sense may possibly color the word as used in Romans 12:20: “If thine enemy hunger, feed ( ψώμιζε ) him;” with tender care. In 1 Corinthians 13:3, the original sense appears to be emphasized: “Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor ( ψωμίσω ).” This idea is that of doling away in morsels. Dean Stanley says: “Who that has witnessed the almsgiving in a Catholic monastery, or the court of a Spanish or Sicilian bishop's or archbishop's palace, where immense revenues are syringed away in farthings to herds of beggars, but must feel the force of the Apostle's half satirical ψωμίσω ?” [source]
Only here and Romans 12:20. See on sop, John 13:26. The verb means to feed out in morsels, dole out. [source]
Only here and Romans 12:20, citation. In lxx, see Romans href="/desk/?q=ro+8:14&sr=1">Romans 8:14; Galatians 5:18. [source]
“Taking captive.” Present active participle of αιχμαλωτιζω aichmalōtizō for which see note on 2 Corinthians 10:5; Romans 7:23. Silly women (γυναικαρια gunaikaria). Literally, “little women” (diminutive of γυνη gunē), found in Diocles (comedian of 5 century b.c.) and in Epictetus. The word here is neuter (grammatical gender) plural. Used contemptuously here (only N.T. example). Ramsay suggests “society ladies.” It is amazing how gullible some women are with religious charlatans who pose as exponents of “new thought.” Laden with sins Perfect passive participle of σωρευω sōreuō old word from Aristotle down (from σωρος sōros a heap) to heap up. In N.T. only here and Romans 12:20. Associative instrumental case αμαρτιαις hamartiais Divers (ποικιλαις poikilais). Many coloured. See note on Titus 3:3. One has only to recall Schweinfurth, the false Messiah of forty odd years ago with his “heavenly harem” in Illinois and the recent infamous “House of David” in Michigan to understand how these Gnostic cults led women into licentiousness under the guise of religion or of liberty. The priestesses of Aphrodite and of Isis were illustrations ready to hand. Αγομενα Agomena (present passive participle) means “continually led astray or from time to time.” [source]
Perfect passive participle of σωρευω sōreuō old word from Aristotle down (from σωρος sōros a heap) to heap up. In N.T. only here and Romans 12:20. Associative instrumental case αμαρτιαις hamartiais Divers (ποικιλαις poikilais). Many coloured. See note on Titus 3:3. One has only to recall Schweinfurth, the false Messiah of forty odd years ago with his “heavenly harem” in Illinois and the recent infamous “House of David” in Michigan to understand how these Gnostic cults led women into licentiousness under the guise of religion or of liberty. The priestesses of Aphrodite and of Isis were illustrations ready to hand. Αγομενα Agomena (present passive participle) means “continually led astray or from time to time.” [source]