The Meaning of Romans 12:19 Explained

Romans 12:19

KJV: Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

YLT: not avenging yourselves, beloved, but give place to the wrath, for it hath been written, 'Vengeance is Mine,

Darby: not avenging yourselves, beloved, but give place to wrath; for it is written, Vengeance belongs to me, I will recompense, saith the Lord.

ASV: Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath of God : for it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Dearly beloved,  avenge  not  yourselves,  but  [rather] give  place  unto wrath:  for  it is written,  Vengeance  [is] mine;  I  will repay,  saith  the Lord. 

What does Romans 12:19 Mean?

Verse Meaning

If hostility does erupt, the Christian should not retaliate. Rather he or she should trust God to right the wrong (cf1Samuel24-26). Long ago God promised to take care of His people when others wronged them ( Deuteronomy 32:35). We have a responsibility to defend the weak and to pursue justice, but we should not retaliate but trust God when others attack us personally (cf. David).

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 12:19

Avenge not [μη εκδικουντες]
Independent participle again of late verb εκδικεω — ekdikeō from εκδικος — ekdikos exacting justice (Romans 13:4). See already Luke 18:5; 2 Corinthians 10:6. [source]
But give place unto wrath [αλλα δοτε τοπον τηι οργηι]
Second aorist active imperative of διδωμι — didōmi to give. “Give room for the (note article as in Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 2:16) wrath” of God instead of taking vengeance in your own hands. See note on Ephesians 4:27 for διδοτε τοπον — didote topon Paul quotes Deuteronomy 32:35 (the Hebrew rather than the lxx). So have Hebrews 10:30 and the Targum of Onkelos, but the relation between them and Paul we cannot tell. Socrates and Epictetus condemned personal vindictiveness as Paul does here. I will recompense (ανταποδωσω — antapodōsō). Future active of the double compound verb quoted also in Romans 11:35. [source]
I will recompense [ανταποδωσω]
Future active of the double compound verb quoted also in Romans 11:35. [source]
Give place unto wrath [δότε τόπον τῇ ὀργῇ]
Wrath has the article: the wrath, referring to the divine wrath. Give place is give room for it to work. Do not get in its way, as you will do by taking vengeance into your own hands. Hence as Rev., in margin, and American Rev., in text, give place unto the wrath of God. [source]
Vengeance is mine [ἐμοὶ ἐκδίκησις]
Lit., unto Me is vengeance. The Rev. brings out better the force of the original: Vengeance belongeth unto Me. The quotation is from Deuteronomy 32:35. Hebrew, To me belongs vengeance and requital. Septuagint, In the day of vengeance I will requite. The antithesis between vengeance by God and by men is not found in Deuteronomy. Compare Hebrews 10:30. Dante, listening to Peter Damiano, who describes the abuses of the Church, hears a great cry. Beatrice says:“The cry has startled thee so much,In which, if thou hadst understood its prayers, Already would be known to thee the vengeance-DIVIDER-
Which thou shalt look upon before thou diest. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
The sword above here smiteth not in haste,-DIVIDER-
Nor tardily, howe'er it seem to him-DIVIDER-
Who, fearing or desiring, waits for it.”“Paradiso,” xxii, 12-18.Compare Plato: Socrates, “And what of doing evil in return for evil, which is the morality of the many - is that just or not? Crito, Not just. Socrates, For doing evil to another is the same as injuring him? Crito, Very true. Socrates, Then we ought not to retaliate or render evil for evil to any one, whatever evil we may have suffered from him … . This opinion has never been held, and never will be held by any considerable number of persons” (“Crito,” 49). Epictetus, being asked how a man could injure his enemy, replied, “By living the best life himself.” The idea of personal vindictiveness must be eliminated from the word here. It is rather full meting out of justice to all parties. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 12:19

Luke 18:3 Avenge [ἐκδικησον]
The word is too strong. It means do me justice. See on Romans 12:19. [source]
John 3:36 The wrath of God [ὀργὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ]
Both ὀργὴ and θυμός are used in the New Testament for wrath or anger, and without any commonly observed distinction. Ὁργη denotes a deeper and more permanent sentiment; a settled habit of mind; while θυμός is a more turbulent, but temporary agitation. Both words are used in the phrase wrath of God, which commonly denotes a distinct manifestation of God's judgment (Romans 1:18; Romans 3:5; Romans 9:22; Romans 12:19). Ὁργὴ (not θυμός ) also appears in the phrase the wrath to come (Matthew 3:7; Luke 3:7; 1 Thessalonians 2:16, etc.). Compare wrath of the Lamb (Revelation 6:16). [source]
Romans 5:9 Wrath [τῆς ὀργῆς]
Rev., better, “the wrath of God.” the article specifying. See on Romans 12:19. [source]
Romans 3:5 Who taketh vengeance [ὁ ἐπιφέρων τὴν ὀργήν]
Rev., much better, who visiteth with wrath. Lit., bringeth the anger to bear. The force of the article it is difficult to render. It may be the wrath, definitely conceived as judicial, or, more probably, as in Matthew 3:7, referring to something recognized - the wrath to come, the well-understood need of unrighteousness. See on Romans 12:19. [source]
Romans 15:23 Place [τόπον]
Scope, opportunity. So of Esau, Hebrews 12:17. Compare Romans 12:19; Ephesians 4:27. [source]
Romans 11:35 Shall be recompensed [ανταποδοτησεται]
First future passive of double compound ανταποδιδωμι — antapodidōmi to pay back (both αντι — anti and απο — apo), old word in good sense, as here and Luke 14:14; 1 Thessalonians 3:9 and in bad sense as 2 Thessalonians 1:6; Romans 12:19. [source]
Romans 3:10 As it is written [κατως γεγραπται οτι]
Usual formula of quotation as in Romans 3:4 with recitative οτι — hoti added as in Romans 3:8. Paul here uses a catena or chain of quotations to prove his point in Romans 3:9 that Jews are in no better fix than the Greeks for all are under sin. Dr. J. Rendel Harris has shown that the Jews and early Christians had Testimonia (quotations from the Old Testament) strung together for certain purposes as proof-texts. Paul may have used one of them or he may have put these passages together himself. Romans 3:10-12 come from Psalm 14:1-3; first half of Romans 3:13 as far as εδολιουσαν — edoliousan from Psalms 4:9, the second half from Psalm 140:3; Romans 3:14 from Psalm 10:7; Romans 3:15-17 from an abridgment of Isaiah 59:7.; Romans 3:18 from Psalm 35:1. Paul has given compounded quotations elsewhere (2 Corinthians 6:16; Romans 9:25.,27f; Romans 11:26.,34f.; Romans 12:19.). Curiously enough this compounded quotation was imported bodily into the text (lxx) of Psalms 14 after Romans 3:4 in Aleph B, etc. [source]
2 Corinthians 7:11 Revenge [ἐκδίκησιν]
An unfortunate rendering, because of the personal feeling of vindictiveness which attaches to the popular usage. Rev. avenging is little, if any, better. It is rather meting out of justice; doing justice to all parties. See on Luke 18:3; see on Luke 21:22. The word has, however, the sense of requital (see on Romans 12:19; compare 2 Thessalonians 1:8), and carries with it, etymologically, the sense of vindication, as Luke 18:7, Luke 18:8. Bengel remarks that the six results of godly sorrow fall into pairs: clearing and indignation relating to the disgrace of the Church; fear and longing (vehement desire) to the apostle; zeal and avenging to the offender. [source]
Ephesians 4:27 Neither give place to the devil [μηδε διδοτε τοπον τωι διαβολωι]
Present active imperative in prohibition, either stop doing it or do not have the habit. See note on Romans 12:19 for this idiom. [source]
Hebrews 10:30 We know him that said [οιδαμεν τον ειποντα]
God lives and is true to his word. He quotes Deuteronomy 32:35 (cf. Romans 12:19). For εκδικησις — ekdikēsis see Luke 18:7. God is the God of justice. He is patient, but he will punish. And again Deuteronomy 32:36. [source]
1 Peter 2:14 Punishment [ἐκδίκησιν]
Not strong enough. Better, vengeance, as Rev. Compare Luke 18:7; Romans 12:19. [source]
Revelation 6:10 Avenge [ἐκδικεῖς]
Compare Luke 18:3; Romans 12:19. [source]

What do the individual words in Romans 12:19 mean?

never yourselves avenging beloved instead give place - to wrath it has been written for Mine [is] vengeance I will repay says [the] Lord
μὴ ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδικοῦντες ἀγαπητοί ἀλλὰ δότε τόπον τῇ ὀργῇ γέγραπται γάρ Ἐμοὶ ἐκδίκησις ἐγὼ ἀνταποδώσω λέγει Κύριος

μὴ  never 
Parse: Adverb
Root: μή 
Sense: no, not lest.
ἑαυτοὺς  yourselves 
Parse: Reflexive Pronoun, Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἑαυτοῦ  
Sense: himself, herself, itself, themselves.
ἐκδικοῦντες  avenging 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἐκδικέω  
Sense: to vindicate one’s right, do one justice.
ἀγαπητοί  beloved 
Parse: Adjective, Vocative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀγαπητός  
Sense: beloved, esteemed, dear, favourite, worthy of love.
ἀλλὰ  instead 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἀλλά  
Sense: but.
δότε  give 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: διδῶ 
Sense: to give.
τόπον  place 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: τόπος 
Sense: place, any portion or space marked off, as it were from surrounding space.
τῇ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ὀργῇ  to  wrath 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ὀργή  
Sense: anger, the natural disposition, temper, character.
γέγραπται  it  has  been  written 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γράφω 
Sense: to write, with reference to the form of the letters.
Ἐμοὶ  Mine  [is] 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
ἐκδίκησις  vengeance 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ἐκδίκησις  
Sense: a revenging, vengeance, punishment.
ἀνταποδώσω  will  repay 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: ἀνταποδίδωμι  
Sense: in a good sense, to repay, requite.
λέγει  says  [the] 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
Κύριος  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.