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Time after Pentecost · Proper 17 · Year A

Romans 12:9-21

Love

August 30, 2026

The Works of Mercy, David Teniers the Younger
The Works of Mercy, David Teniers the Younger, c. 1640Private collection
Teniers sets the works in and around a Flemish farmyard, so the feeding, clothing and visiting look like ordinary household business.Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink.David Teniers the YoungerA Flemish painter of peasants and taverns who became court painter to the governor of the Netherlands and catalogued his collection.Private collectionIn private hands, which is why it is seen in reproduction far more often than in the flesh.Private collection
LSB Three-Year Lectionary
GospelMatt. 16:21-28Mt 16:21-28
EpistleRom. 12:9-21Rom 12:9-21
Old TestamentJer. 15:15-21Jer 15:15-21
PsalterPs. 26Ps 26

Overview & Insights

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)

Romans 12:9–21 continues the theme of being a living sacrifice (12:1–2) by loving others. Romans 12:9 and 12:21 form an inclusio for the intervening verses: to love is to avoid evil and cling to good. Although a sequential outline is difficult to identify in 12:9–21, a topical outline does emerge: 1. Love God (12:11–12) 2. Love one’s fellow Christians (12:10, 13, 15, 16) 3. Love one’s enemies (12:14, 17–21)

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Take it further: Romans 12:9-21

Commentary

Commentary on Romans 12:9-21Commentary on Rom 12:9-21 Working Preacher

The Lutheran home commentary on this Year A reading by a named seminary scholar.

Romans 12 - Living the Christian LifeRom 12 - Living the Christian Life Enduring Word · David Guzik

A verse-by-verse evangelical study of sincere love and the refusal of revenge.

Romans 12:9 CommentariesRom 12:9 Commentaries BibleHub

Classic commentaries gathered verse by verse on the marks of genuine love.

Romans 12:9 Verse-by-Verse CommentaryRom 12:9 Verse-by-Verse Commentary StudyLight

A large library of expositors stacked verse by verse for a further voice on the passage.

Romans Commentaries and SermonsRom Commentaries and Sermons Precept Austin

A gateway to inductive word studies and cross references across Romans.

Background & Word Study

Romans 12:9 InterlinearRom 12:9 Interlinear BibleHub

The Greek of the passage word by word with parsing and Strong's numbers, including love without hypocrisy.

Overview: Romans 5-16Overview: Rom 5-16 BibleProject

An animated overview of Romans that frames the community life shaped by the gospel.

The Church Fathers

Romans 12 (Catena)Rom 12 (Catena) Catena

Patristic comments verse by verse on blessing enemies and overcoming evil with good.

Questions preachers ask

How are Christians to treat enemies?

Paul calls the church to live in harmony, to bless and not curse, to leave vengeance to God, and to conquer evil by returning good, feeding even the hungry enemy.

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