Romans 13:9 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The commandments concerning our neighbor are all gathered up into the single command to love your neighbor as yourself.
What Does Romans 13:9 Mean?
Paul illustrates his claim by reciting commandments from the second table of the law, those that govern how we treat one another. Adultery, murder, theft, false witness, coveting, and any other such command, he says, are 'briefly comprehended,' summed up, in one ancient word from Leviticus: love your neighbor as yourself.
Each prohibition guards something precious in another person, their marriage, their life, their goods, their good name. Love does instinctively what the law commands externally, for no one who truly loves his neighbor would wound him in these ways. Jesus named this same command among the greatest. The believer is not freed from the moral weight of the commandments but carried beyond mere avoidance into the positive fullness of love, where the law's intent is finally realized.
Romans 13:9 in the Original Language
plesion (πλησίον), 'neighbour' -- the one near at hand, anyone whose life touches your own.
Frequently Asked Questions About Romans 13:9
What does Romans 13:9 mean?
The commandments concerning our neighbor are all gathered up into the single command to love your neighbor as yourself.