The Meaning of Romans 13:9 Explained

Romans 13:9

KJV: For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

YLT: for, 'Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false testimony, Thou shalt not covet;' and if there is any other command, in this word it is summed up, in this: 'Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;'

Darby: For, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not lust; and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

ASV: For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not covet, and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  this, Thou shalt  not  commit adultery,  Thou shalt  not  kill,  Thou shalt  not  steal,  Thou shalt  not  bear false witness,  Thou shalt  not  covet;  and  if [there be] any  other  commandment,  it is briefly comprehended  in  this  saying,  namely,  Thou shalt love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself. 

What does Romans 13:9 Mean?

Context Summary

Romans 13:8-14 - Love Fulfills The Law
The one debt which can never be discharged is love. Because we can never be out of debt to God, we are called upon to show unending love to man. So long as we love we cannot injure; and therefore the man who is always caring for others as much as, or more than, he does for himself (and this latter is the Christian ideal) is fulfilling that ancient law.
We resemble soldiers slumbering in their tents while dawn is flushing the sky. Presently the bugle rings out its awakening note. The long night of the world is ending, the dawn is on the sky, and all the malignity of men and demons cannot postpone it by a single hour. Let us put off the garments which only befit the darkness, and array ourselves in the armor of the day! What is that armor? In a word, it is Jesus Christ-His character and method, His unselfishness and purity-so that when men see us, they may involuntarily turn to Him. [source]

Chapter Summary: Romans 13

1  Subjection, and many other duties, we owe to the authorities
8  Love is the fulfillment of the law
11  The acts of darkness are out of season in the time of the Gospel

Greek Commentary for Romans 13:9

For this [το γαρ]
For the article (το — to) pointing to a sentence see note on Romans 8:26, here to the quotation. The order of the commandments here is like that in Luke 18:20; James 2:11 and in B for Deuteronomy 5, but different from that of the Hebrew in Ex 20; Deuteronomy 5. The use of ου — ou with the volitive future in prohibitions in place of μη — mē and the imperative or subjunctive is a regular Greek idiom. [source]
And if there be any other [και ει τις ετερα]
Paul does not attempt to give them all. It is summed up (ανακεπαλαιουται — anakephalaioutai). Present passive indicative of ανακεπαλαιοω — anakephalaioō late literary word or “rhetorical term” (ανα κεπαλαιον — anaκεπαλαιον — kephalaion head or chief as in Hebrews 8:1). Not in the papyri, but εν τωι — kephalaion quite common for sum or summary. In N.T. only here and Ephesians 1:10. Namely See βασιλικος νομος — to gar at the beginning of the verse, though omitted by B F. The quotation is from Leviticus 19:18. Quoted in Matthew 5:43; Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8 it is called τον πλησιον σου — basilikos nomos (royal law). Thy neighbour (Πλησιον — ton plēsion sou). Plēsion is an adverb and with the article it means “the one near thee.” See note on Matthew 5:43. [source]
It is summed up [ανακεπαλαιουται]
Present passive indicative of ανακεπαλαιοω — anakephalaioō late literary word or “rhetorical term” Not in the papyri, but εν τωι — kephalaion quite common for sum or summary. In N.T. only here and Ephesians 1:10. [source]
Namely [το γαρ]
See βασιλικος νομος — to gar at the beginning of the verse, though omitted by B F. The quotation is from Leviticus 19:18. Quoted in Matthew 5:43; Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8 it is called τον πλησιον σου — basilikos nomos (royal law). Thy neighbour (Πλησιον — ton plēsion sou). Plēsion is an adverb and with the article it means “the one near thee.” See note on Matthew 5:43. [source]
Thy neighbour [Πλησιον]
Plēsion is an adverb and with the article it means “the one near thee.” See note on Matthew 5:43. [source]
Thou shalt not commit adultery, etc. []
Omit thou shalt not bear false witness. The seventh commandment precedes the sixth, as in Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20; James 2:11. [source]
It is briefly comprehended [ἀνακεφαλαιοῦται]
Only here and Ephesians 1:10. Rev., it is summed up. Ἁνά has the force of again in the sense of recapitulation. Compare Leviticus 19:18. The law is normally a unit in which there is no real separation between the commandments. “Summed up in one word.” The verb is compounded, not with κεφαλή headbut with its derivative κεφάλαιον themain point. [source]
Namely thou shalt love, etc. [ἐν τῷ ἀγαπήσεις]
The Greek idiom is, it is summed up in the thou shalt love, the whole commandment being taken as a substantive with the definite article. [source]
Neighbor [τὸν πλησίον]
See on Matthew 5:43. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 13:9

Galatians 5:14 Is fulfilled [πεπλήρωται]
Has been fulfilled. Comp. Romans 13:8. The meaning is not embraced in, or summed up in, but complied with. In Romans 13:9, ἀνακεφαλαιοῦται issummed up, is to be distinguished from πλήρωμα hathfulfilled (Romans 13:8) and πλήρωμα fulfillment(Romans 13:10). The difference is between statement and accomplishment. See on do the law, Galatians 5:3. [source]
Ephesians 1:10 To sum up all things in Christ [ἀνακεφαλαιώσασθαι]
Explanatory of the preceding phrase; showing in what the dispensation consists. For the word, see on Romans 13:9. It means to bring back to and gather round the main point ( κεφαλαίον ), not the head ( κεφαλή ); so that, in itself, it does not indicate Christ (the Read) as the central point of regathering, though He is so in fact. That is expressed by the following in Christ. The compounded preposition ἀνά signifies again, pointing back to a previous condition where no separation existed. All things. All created beings and things; not limited to intelligent beings. Compare Romans 8:21; 1 Corinthians 15:28. The connection of the whole is as follows: God made known the mystery of His will, the plan of redemption, according to His own good pleasure, in order to bring to pass an economy peculiar to that point of time when the ages of the christian dispensation should be fulfilled - an economy which should be characterized by the regathering of all things round one point, Christ. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
God contemplates a regathering, a restoration to that former condition when all things were in perfect unity, and normally combined to serve God's ends. This unity was broken by the introduction of sin. Man's fall involved the unintelligent creation (Romans 8:20). The mystery of God's will includes the restoration of this unity in and through Christ; one kingdom on earth and in heaven - a new heaven and a new earth in which shall dwell righteousness, and “the creation shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.”-DIVIDER-
[source]

Ephesians 1:10 To sum up [ανακεπαλαιωσασται]
Purpose clause (amounting to result) with first aorist middle infinitive of ανακεπαλαιοω — anakephalaioō late compound verb ανα — ana and κεπαλαιοω — kephalaioō (from κεπαλαιον — kephalaion Hebrews 8:1, and that from κεπαλη — kephalē head), to head up all things in Christ, a literary word. In N.T. only here and Romans 13:9. For the headship of Christ in nature and grace see notes on Colossians 1:15-20. [source]
1 Thessalonians 4:15 By the word of the Lord [ἐν λόγῳ κυρίου]
Or in the word. Λόγος of a concrete saying, Romans 9:9; Romans 13:9. We do not say this on our own authority. Comp. 1 Corinthians 7:10, 1 Corinthians 7:12, 1 Corinthians 7:25. No recorded saying of the Lord answers to this reference. It may refer to a saying transmitted orally, or to a direct revelation to Paul. Comp. Galatians 1:12; Galatians 2:2; Ephesians 3:3; 2 Corinthians 12:1, 2 Corinthians 12:9. [source]
1 Timothy 1:5 Love [αγαπη]
Not “questionings.” Romans 13:9. “Three conditions for the growth of love” (Parry): “Out of a pure heart” (εκ καταρας καρδιας — ek katharas kardias O.T. conception), “and a good conscience” (και συνειδησεως αγατης — kai suneidēseōs agathēs for which see note on Romans 2:15), “and faith unfeigned” (και πιστεως ανυποκριτου — kai pisteōs anupokritou late compound verbal in 2 Corinthians 6:6; Romans 12:9). [source]
James 2:11 He that said [ο ειπων]
The unity of the law lies in the Lawgiver who spoke both prohibitions The order here is that of B in Exod 20 (Luke 18:20; Romans 13:9), but not in Matthew 5:21, Matthew 5:27 (with ει δε ου μοιχευεισ πονευεις δε — ou and future indicative). [source]
1 John 3:10 Doeth not righteousness [ο μη ποιων δικαιοσυνην]
Habit (linear present participle) again of not doing righteousness, as in 1 John 3:7 of doing it. Cf. ποιει — poiei and μη ποιων — mē poiōn (doing and not doing) in Matthew 7:24, Matthew 7:26.Neither (και — kai). Literally, “and,” but with the ellipsis of ουκ εστιν εκ του τεου — ouk estin ek tou theou (is not of God). The addition here of this one item about not loving (μη αγαπων — mē agapōn) one‘s brother is like Paul‘s summary in Romans 13:9, a striking illustration of the general principle just laid down and in accord with 1 John 2:9-11. [source]
1 John 3:10 Neither [και]
Literally, “and,” but with the ellipsis of ουκ εστιν εκ του τεου — ouk estin ek tou theou (is not of God). The addition here of this one item about not loving (μη αγαπων — mē agapōn) one‘s brother is like Paul‘s summary in Romans 13:9, a striking illustration of the general principle just laid down and in accord with 1 John 2:9-11. [source]

What do the individual words in Romans 13:9 mean?

- For Not you shall commit adultery you shall murder you shall steal Not you shall covet and if any other commandment in the word this it is summed up the [saying] You shall love the neighbor of you as yourself
τὸ γάρ Οὐ μοιχεύσεις φονεύσεις κλέψεις Οὐκ ἐπιθυμήσεις καὶ εἴ τις ἑτέρα ἐντολή ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τούτῳ ἀνακεφαλαιοῦται τῷ Ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν

τὸ  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
μοιχεύσεις  you  shall  commit  adultery 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: μοιχεύω  
Sense: to commit adultery.
φονεύσεις  you  shall  murder 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: φονεύω  
Sense: to kill, slay, murder.
κλέψεις  you  shall  steal 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: κλέπτω  
Sense: to steal.
ἐπιθυμήσεις  you  shall  covet 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ἐπιθυμέω  
Sense: to turn upon a thing.
τις  any 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: τὶς  
Sense: a certain, a certain one.
ἑτέρα  other 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ἀλλοιόω 
Sense: the other, another, other.
ἐντολή  commandment 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ἐντολή  
Sense: an order, command, charge, precept, injunction.
λόγῳ  word 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: λόγος  
Sense: of speech.
τούτῳ  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
ἀνακεφαλαιοῦται  it  is  summed  up 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀνακεφαλαιόω  
Sense: to sum up (again), to repeat summarily, to condense into a summary.
τῷ  the  [saying] 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἀγαπήσεις  You  shall  love 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ἀγαπάω  
Sense: of persons.
πλησίον  neighbor 
Parse: Adverb
Root: πλησίον  
Sense: a neighbour.
σου  of  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
σεαυτόν  yourself 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative Masculine 2nd Person Singular
Root: σεαυτοῦ  
Sense: thyself, thee.