Romans 13 · Verse 9

Romans 13:9

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.
Romans 13:9, King James Version

Romans 13:9 in other translations

BSBThe 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 yourself.”
WEBFor the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
ASVFor this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not covet, and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
YLTfor, ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false testimony, Thou shalt not covet;' and if there is any other command, in this word it is summed up, in this: ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;'
DARBYFor, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not lust; and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
BBEAnd this, Do not be untrue in married life, Do not put to death, Do not take what is another's, Do not have desire for what is another's, and if there is any other order, it is covered by this word, Have love for your neighbour as for yourself.
WebsterFor 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 is any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

What does Romans 13:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
9. For this, &c.--better thus: "For the [commandments], Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not covet, and whatever other commandment [there may be], it is summed up," &c. (The clause, "Thou shalt not bear false witness," is wanting in all the most ancient manuscripts). The apostle refers here only to the second table of the law, as love to our neighbor is what he is treating of.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 9. For this. This which follows is the sum of the laws. This is to regulate us in our conduct towards our neighbour. The word this here stands opposed to "that" in Rom 13:11. This law of love would prompt us to seek our neighbour's good; that fact, that our salvation is near, would prompt us to be active and faithful in the discharge of all the duties we owe to him.

Thou shalt not commit adultery. All the commands which follow are designed as an illustration of the duty of loving our neighbour. See these commands considered in the Notes on Mt 19:18,19. The apostle has not enumerated all the commands of the second table. He has shown generally what they required. The command to honour our parents he has omitted. The reason might have been, that it was not so immediately to his purpose when discoursing of love to a neighbor --a word which does not immediately suggest the idea of near relatives. The expression, "Thou shalt not bear false witness," is rejected by the best critics as of doubtful authority, but it does not materially affect the spirit of the passage. It is wanting in many Mss., and in the Syriac version.

If there be any other commandment. The law respecting parents; or if there be any duty which does not seem to be specified by these laws, it is implied in the command to love our neighbour as ourselves.

It is briefly comprehended. Greek, It may be reduced to this head; or it is summed up in this.

In this saying. This word, or command.

Thou shalt love, etc. This is found in Lev 19:18. Mt 19:19. If this command were fulfilled, it would prevent all fraud, injustice, oppression, falsehood, adultery, murder, theft, and covetousness. It is the same as our Saviour's golden rule. And if every man would do to others as he would wish them to do to him, all the design of the law would be at once fulfilled.

(a) "Thou shalt not commit adultery" Ex 20:13 (b) "Namely, Thou shalt love" Lev 19:18, Mt 22:39,40

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery - He that loves another will not deprive him of his wife, of his life, of his property, of his good name; and will not even permit a desire to enter into his heart which would lead him to wish to possess any thing that is the property of another: for the law - the sacred Scripture, has said: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. It is remarkable that ου ψευδομαρτυρησεις, thou shalt not bear false witness, is wanting here in ABDEFG, and several other MSS. Griesbach has left it out of the text. It is wanting also in the Syriac, and in several of the primitive fathers. The generality of the best critics think it a spurious reading.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 13:8-10

Christians must avoid useless expense, and be careful not to contract any debts they have not the power to discharge. They are also to stand aloof from all venturesome speculations and rash engagements, and whatever may expose them to the danger of not rendering to all their due. Do not keep in any one's debt. Give every one his own. Do not spend that on yourselves, which you owe to others. But many who are very…

Read the full comment on Romans 13:8-10 →

Romans 13:9 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

τὸto<the>G3588
γὰρgarForG1063
οὐouNotG3756
μοιχεύσεις,moicheuseisyou will commit adultery,G3431
οὐouNotG3756
φονεύσεις,phoneuseisyou will murder,G5407
οὐouNotG3756
κλέψειςklepseisyou will stealG2813
οὐounotG3756
ψευδομαρτυρήσεις,pseudomarturēseiswill you bear false witnessG5576
οὐκoukNotG3756
ἐπιθυμήσεις,epithumēseisyou will covet,G1937
καὶkaiandG2532
εἴeiifG1487
τιςtisanyG5100
ἑτέραheteraotherG2087
ἐντολή,entolēcommandment,G1785
ἐνeninG1722
τῷtō<the>G3588
λόγῳlogōwordG3056
τούτῳtoutōthisG3778
ἀνακεφαλαιοῦται,anakephalaioutaiit is summed up,G346
ἐνeninG1722
τῷtōthe [saying]G3588
ἀγαπήσειςagapēseisYou will loveG25
τὸνtontheG3588
πλησίονplēsionneighbourG4139
σουsouof youG4771
ὡςhōsasG5613
σεαυτόν.seautonyourself.G4771

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Romans 13:9

  • Exodus 20:12-17

    Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. …

  • Matthew 22:39

    And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

  • Mark 12:31

    And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

  • Luke 10:27

    And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

  • Deuteronomy 5:16-21

    Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Thou shalt not kill. Neither shalt thou commit adultery. Neither shalt thou steal. …

  • Leviticus 19:18

    Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.

  • Matthew 19:18-19

    He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

  • Romans 7:7-8

    What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.

  • Leviticus 19:34

    But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

  • Galatians 5:13

    For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

  • Luke 18:20

    Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.

  • Mark 10:19

    Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
For this.
Ex 20:12-17; De 5:16-21; Mt 19:18,19; Mr 10:19; Lu 18:20
covet.
7:7,8
love.
Le 19:18,34; Mt 22:39; Mr 12:31; Lu 10:27; Ga 5:13; Jas 2:8-10

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Romans 13:8

    Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

  • Romans 13:9

    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.

  • Romans 13:10

    Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Read all of Romans 13

Romans 13:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque: No adulterarás; no matarás; no hurtarás; no dirás falso testimonio; no codiciarás; y si hay algún otro mandamiento, en esta sentencia se comprende sumariamente: Amarás á tu prójimo como á ti mismo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car ce qui est dit: « Tu ne commettras point adultère, tu ne tueras point, tu ne déroberas point, tu ne convoiteras point », et tout autre commandement qu’il puisse y avoir, est résumé dans cette parole-ci: « Tu aimeras ton prochain comme toi-même ».
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn das: "Du sollst nicht ehebrechen, du sollst nicht töten, du sollst nicht stehlen, laß dich nicht gelüsten", und wenn es ein anderes Gebot gibt, ist in diesem Worte zusammengefaßt: "Du sollst deinen Nächsten lieben wie dich selbst".
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Nam: Non adulterabis: non occides: non furaberis: non falsum testimonium dices: non concupisces: et si quod est aliud mandatum, in hoc verbo instauratur: diliges proximum tuum sicut teipsum.