Romans 12:10
in Romans 12Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another; in honor preferring one another;
KJV
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
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This verse in Romans 12
Commentary
15 notes on this verseBe kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love,.... This is one branch of that love, before advised to, which should be unfeigned, and without guile and deceit.
This site's exposition
Love must be sincere
on Romans 12:9-10
Sincere renders anupokritos, love without the actor's mask, and it governs every command that follows. Evil is to be detested and good held onto, which is love's own moral edge. Honour is given away here, in the outdoing of one another.
This site's exposition
devoted to one another in brotherly love
Devoted renders a rare word for the tender love of parents and children, as Barnes explains. Chrysostom grounds brotherly love in a shared birth. Henry makes honoring one another a race to give first.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
A commentator
Origen of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS · Written before 253.
proposed
Loving one another with brotherly love.
Brotherly love is useless unless it is mutual.
A commentator
Apostolic ConstitutionsCONSTITUTIONS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES · Written before 380.
proposed
I have fulfilled the word of peace. For I have taught that in honour they should prefer one another.
Stand fast, therefore, in these things, and follow the example of the Lord, being firm and unchangeable in the faith, loving the brotherhood, and being attached to one another, joined together in the truth, exhibiting the meekness of the Lord in your intercourse with one another, and despising no one. When you can do good, defer it not, because "alms delivers from death." Be all of you subject one to another, "having your conduct blameless among the Gentiles," that ye may both receive praise for your good works, and the Lord may not be blasphemed through you. But woe to him by whom the name of the Lord is blasphemed! Teach, therefore, sobriety to all, and manifest it also in your own conduct.
"Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love." Ye are brethren, he means, and have come of the same pangs. Hence even on this head you ought to love one another. And this Moses said to those who were quarrelling in Egypt, "Ye are brethren, why do ye wrong one to another?" When then he is speaking of those without, he says, "If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, live peaceably with all men." But when he is speaking of his own, he says, "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love." For in the other case he requires abstinence from quarrelling, and hatred, and aversion: but here loving too, and not merely loving, but the loving of relatives. For not only must one's "love be without dissimulation," but intense also, and warm, and glowing. Because, to what purpose would you love without fraud, and not love with warmth? Whence he says, "kindly affectioned one towards another, that is, be friends, and warm ones too. Do not wait to be loved by another, but leap at it thyself, and be the first to begin it. For so wilt thou reap the wages of his love also. Having mentioned the reason then why we ought to love one another, he tells us also the way in which the affection may grow unchangeable. Whence he proceeds, "In honor preferring one another." For this is the way that affection is produced, and also when produced abideth. And there is nothing which makes friends so much, as the earnest endeavor to overcome one's neighbor in honoring him. For what he had mentioned before comes of love, and love of honor, as honor does too of love. Then that we may not honor only, he looks for something besides...
7 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers1 voice
Then again: "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love." Now is not this of the same import as: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self? " (Again, your apostle says: ) "Rejoicing in hope; " that is, of God.
The Medieval Church3 voices
Then when he says, loving one another with the charity of brotherhood, he shows how charity should be shown to one's neighbor. And first as regards interior affection, when he says loving one another with the charity of brotherhood i.e., so that through charity we …
I, he says, have taught you love, and it is very natural for you to fulfill this, for you are brethren, born from one womb, that is, from the font of baptism; consequently, by this very fact you are already obliged to love one another, …
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Decem Praeceptis, Collation 5 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
In the father is understood the notion of friendliness: and in this we understand that by reason of origin every person is lovable and ought to be loved, and every person is bound to honor another. Whence the Apostle: In honor anticipating one another; and …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
"Strive which of you shall be most forward to pay respect to those to whom it is due, and to perform all Christian offices of love (which are all included in the word honour) to your brethren, as there is occasion.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love - It is difficult to give a simple translation of the original: τῃ φιλαδελφιᾳ εις αλληλους φιλοστοργοι. The word φιλαδελφια signifies that affectionate regard which every Christian should feel for another, as being members of the same mystical body: hence it is emphatically termed the love of the brethren.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Be kindly affectioned - The word used here occurs no where else in the New Testament. It properly denotes tender affection, such as what subsists between parents and children; and it means that Christians should have similar feelings toward each other, as belonging to the same family, and as united in the same principles and interests. The Syriac renders this, “Love your brethren, and love one another;” compare 1Pe 2:17. With brotherly love - Or in love to the brethren. The word denotes the affection which subsists between brethren. The duty is one which is often presented in the New Testament, and which our Saviour intended should be regarded as a badge of discipleship; see the note at Joh 13:34-35, “By this shall all people know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another;” Joh 15:12, Joh 15:17; Eph 5:2; 1Th 4:9; 1Pe 1:22; 1Jn 2:7-8; 1Jn 3:11, 1Jn 3:23; 1Jn 4:20-21. The apostle Paul in this place manifests his unique manner of writing. He does not simply enjoin brotherly love, but he adds that it should be kindly affectioned. It should be with the tenderness which characterizes the most endearing natural relationship. This he expresses by a word which is made for the occasion (φιλοστοργοὶ philostorgoi), blending love with natural affection, and suffering it to be manifest in your contact with one another. In honour - In showing or manifesting respect or honor. Not in seeking honor, or striving after respect, but in showing it to one another. Preferring one another - The word “preferring” means going before, leading, setting an example. Thus, in showing mutual respect and honor, they were to strive to excel; not to see which could obtain most honor, but which could confer most, or manifest most respect; compare 1Pe 1:5; Eph 5:21. […]
The words behind it
9 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| τῇ | tea | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| φιλαδελφίᾳ | philadelphia | in brotherly love | G5360 → | |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| ἀλλήλους | allelous | one another | G240 → | 100 times |
| φιλόστοργοι, | philostorgoi | devoted | G5387 → | |
| τῇ | tea | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τιμῇ | timea | in honor | G5092 → | 41 times |
| ἀλλήλους | allelous | one another | G240 → | 100 times |
| προηγούμενοι, | proegoumenoi | esteeming, | G4285 → |
τῇ<the>
teaG3588 →19766 times
φιλαδελφίᾳin brotherly love
philadelphiaG5360 →
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
ἀλλήλουςone another
allelousG240 →100 times
φιλόστοργοι,devoted
philostorgoiG5387 →
τῇ<the>
teaG3588 →19766 times
τιμῇin honor
timeaG5092 →41 times
ἀλλήλουςone another
allelousG240 →100 times
προηγούμενοι,esteeming,
proegoumenoiG4285 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Philippians 2:3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.
it leads to
- Galatians 5:26
Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another.
- Ephesians 5:21
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
- Ephesians 4:2
with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
- 1 Peter 5:5
Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
- James 3:14–16
But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth.
- Galatians 5:26
Through
1 John 4:11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
it leads to
- John 15:12–13
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
- Colossians 3:13
Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
- John 13:34
A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another.
- John 15:12–13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies6
About Romans
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Epistle to the Romans; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Apostolic Constitutions, CONSTITUTIONS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES; Bonaventure, Collationes de Decem Praeceptis, Collation 5; John Chrysostom, Homily on Romans 21; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS; Polycarp of Smyrna, Epistle to the Philippians 10; Tertullian, Against Marcion Book V; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Romans and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Romans.