Albert Barnes

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.

“Recompense - Render, give, or return; see the note at Mat 5:39. This is probably one of the most difficult precepts of Christianity; but the law of Christ on the subject is unyielding.”

Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”

“Dearly beloved - This expression of tenderness was especially appropriate in an exhortation to peace. It reminded them of the affection and friendship which ought to subsist among them as brethren.”

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

“Be not overcome of evil - Be not “vanquished” or “subdued” by injury received from others. Do not suffer your temper to be excited; your Christian principles to be abandoned; your mild, amiable, kind, and benevolent temper to be ruffled by any opposition or injury…”

For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority?

“For rulers - The apostle here speaks of rulers “in general.” It may not be “universally” true that they are not a terror to good works, for many of them have “persecuted” the good; but it is generally true that they who are virtuous have…”

Therefore it is necessary to submit to authority, not only to avoid punishment, but also as a matter of conscience.

“Wherefore - διό dio. The “reasons” why we should be subject, which the apostle had given, were two, (1) That government was appointed by God. (2) That violation of the laws would necessarily expose to punishment.”

Pay everyone what you owe him: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

“Render therefore ... - This injunction is often repeated in the Bible; see the notes at Mat 22:21; see also Mat 17:25-27; 1Pe 2:13-17; Pro 24:21. It is one of the most lovely and obvious of the duties of religion.”

The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as…

“For this - “This” which follows is the sum of the laws. “This” is to regulate us in our conduct toward our neighbor. The word “this” here stands opposed to “that” in Rom 13:11.”

And do this, understanding the occasion. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

“And that - The word “that,” in this place, is connected in signification with the word ““this” in Rom 13:9.”

Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.

“Let us walk - To “walk” is an expression denoting “to live;” let us “live,” or “conduct,” etc. Honestly - The word used here means rather in a “decent’ or “becoming” manner; in a manner “appropriate” to those who are the children of light.”

Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on his opinions.

“Him that is weak - The design here is to induce Christians to receive to their fellowship those who had scruples about the propriety of certain things, or that might have special prejudices and feelings as the result of education or former habits of belief.”

The one who eats everything must not belittle the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God…

“Let not him that eateth - That is, he who has no scruples about eating “meat,” etc., who is not restrained by the Law of the Jews respecting the Clean and unclean, or by the fact that meat “may” have been offered to idols.”

One person regards a certain day above the others, while someone else considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.

“One man esteemeth - Greek “judgeth” κρίνει krinei. The word is here properly translated “esteemeth;” compare Act 13:46; Act 16:15. The word originally has the idea of “separating,” and then “discerning,” in the act of judging.”

For none of us lives to himself alone, and none of us dies to himself alone.

“For none of us ... - Whether by nature Jews or Gentiles. In the great principles of religion we are now united.”

If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

“For whether we live - As long as we live. We live unto the Lord - We live to do his will, and to promote his glory. This is the grand purpose of the life of the Christian.”

For this reason Christ died and returned to life, that He might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

“For to this end - For this purpose or design. The apostle does not say that this was the “only” design of his death, but that it was a main purpose, or an object which he had distinctly in view.”

It is written: “As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will confess to God.”

“For it is written - This passage is recorded in Isa 45:23. It is not quoted literally, but the sense is preserved. In Isaiah there can be no doubt that it refers to Yahweh.”

Therefore let us stop judging one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.

“Let us not therefore judge ... - Since we are to give account of ourselves at the same tribunal; since we must be there on the same “level,” let us not suppose that we have a right here to sit in judgment on our fellow-Christians.”

If your brother is distressed by what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother, for whom Christ died.

“But if thy brother ... - This address is to the “Gentile” convert. In the previous verse, Paul admitted. that the prejudice of the Jew was not well-founded. But admitting that still the question was, “how” he should be treated while he had that prejudice.”

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

“For the kingdom of God - For an explanation of this phrase, see the note at Mat 3:2. Here it means that the uniquenesses of the kingdom of God, or of the Church of Christ on earth, do not consist in observing the distinctions between…”

So then, let us pursue what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

“Let us therefore follow ... - The object of this verse is to persuade the church at Rome to lay aside their causes of contention, and to live in harmony.”

It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything to cause your brother to stumble.

“It is good - It is right; or it is better. This verse is an explanation or enlarged specification of the meaning of the former. To eat flesh - That is, such flesh as the “Jewish” convert regarded as unclean; Rom 14:2.”

But the one who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that is not from faith is sin.

“He that doubteth - He that is not fully satisfied in his mind; who does not do it with a clear conscience. The margin has it rendered correctly, “He that discerneth and putteth a difference between meats.””

We who are strong ought to bear with the shortcomings of the weak and not to please ourselves.

“We then that are strong - The apostle resumes the subject of the preceding chapter; and continues the exhortation to brotherly love and mutual kindness and forbearance.”

For even Christ did not please Himself, but as it is written: “The insults of those who insult You have fallen on Me.”

“For even Christ - The apostle proceeds, in his usual manner, to illustrate what he had said by the example of the Saviour.”

Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant you harmony with one another in Christ Jesus,

“Now the God of patience - The God who is “himself” long-suffering, who bears patiently with the errors and faults of his children, and who can “give” patience, may he give you of his Spirit, that you may bear patiently the infirmities and errors of…”