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Romans 12:20

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Romans 12:20

Verse 20 of 21

Scripture focus

Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

Romans 12:20 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on Romans 12:20

Theological / Devotional

If thine enemy. The quotation is from Proverbs 25:21, 22.

Coals of fire. That is, live coals. See on Proverbs 25:22. Kindness is the best vengeance that a Christian can take against an enemy. That heaping coals of fire on an opponent’s head must mean an act of love rather than of malice is clearly indicated by both the Old Testament and New Testament contexts. The passage in Proverbs 25:22 closes with these words, not quoted here by Paul, “and the Lord shall reward thee,” namely, for the good deeds done to your enemy. Similarly in the present context, the general meaning is summed up in the words, “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).

By SdaBc