Romans 12:10
“Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
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Continuing his list of love's marks in Romans 12, Paul describes the affectionate, honoring relationships that should bind the community together.
What Does Romans 12:10 Mean?
Paul presses love into the warmth of family. "Be kindly affectioned" translates philostorgos, a word for the tender, instinctive love that binds parents and children. He is saying that fellow believers are to feel toward one another the natural devotion of kin, and "brotherly love" reinforces it -- the affection of those who belong to the same household.
Then comes a striking phrase: "in honour preferring one another." The verb can mean to go before or to outdo, so Paul pictures a kind of holy competition -- each person eager to be first in showing honor to others rather than seeking it for themselves. This overturns the ordinary scramble for recognition. Instead of jostling to be esteemed, believers race to esteem. Honor flows outward, freely given, not anxiously demanded. For the reader, this is a portrait of community at its best: warm as family, generous in respect, free from the rivalry that poisons so many relationships. The challenge is concrete -- to take genuine delight in lifting others up, to find satisfaction not in being honored but in honoring.
In the Original Language
The word philostorgos blends philos (love) and storge (natural family affection), describing the tender devotion of family extended to fellow believers.
Cross References
“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”
- Philippians 2:3
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”
- John 13:34
“And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”
- 1 Peter 4:8
Application
Treat fellow believers with the warmth of family, and make it your aim to be first in honoring others rather than waiting to be honored yourself.