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Romans

About this book
Chapter 12

1 Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice—alive, holy, and pleasing to God—which is your reasonable service.⁠ 2 Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect. 3 For by the grace given to me I say to every one of you not to think more highly of yourself than you ought to think, but to think with sober discernment, as God has distributed to each of you a measure of faith. 4 For just as in one body we have many members, and not all the members serve the same function, 5 so we who are many are one body in Christ, and individually we are members who belong to one another. 6 And we have different gifts according to the grace given to us. If the gift is prophecy, that individual must use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is service, he must serve; if it is teaching, he must teach; 8 if it is exhortation, he must exhort; if it is contributing, he must do so with sincerity; if it is leadership, he must do so with diligence; if it is showing mercy, he must do so with cheerfulness. 9 Love must be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good.⁠ 10 Be devoted to one another with mutual love, showing eagerness in honoring one another. 11 Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints, pursue hospitality.⁠ 14 Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before all people.⁠ 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people. 19 Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,”⁠ says the Lord.⁠ 20 Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head.⁠ 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.⁠

Texts in conversation

Compare 1QS 10:17 and Romans 12:17

Dead Sea Scrolls, Sectarian and Community Texts · New Testament

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Summary

The Dead Sea Scrolls Community Rule rejects retaliation and leaves judgment to God. In Romans 12, Paul similarly tells believers not to repay evil with evil, connecting his teaching with a Jewish tradition of restraint toward enemies.

Passages

1QS 10:17

Dead Sea Scrolls, Sectarian and Community Texts · Community Rule
16 I will bless him for his great wonders, and on his might I will meditate, and on his kindnesses I will lean all the day. And I know that in his hand is the judgment of 17 every living thing, and truth are all his works. And when distress breaks out I will praise him, and in his salvation I will rejoice as well. I will not repay anyone with an evil 18 reward; with good I will pursue a man. For with God is the judgment of every living thing, and he will repay a man his reward. I will not be jealous in a spirit of 19 wickedness, and my soul will not crave the wealth of violence. And in the dispute of a man of the pit I will not take part until the day of vengeance. But my anger I will not
160–100 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in 1QS

Romans 12:17

New Testament
14 Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before all people. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people. 19 Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head.
55–58 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Romans

References

"... The Essenes believed that their final victory and the annihilation of evil were predestined by God. If the end has not yet come, one is still subject to the evil power of this world ... This view gave rise to a kind of inhuman humanism, so that the Essenes could say of themselves, 'I will repay no one with evil; I will visit them with good, for God judges all things that live and he will repay' ... See especially Romans 12:9-13:7 ..."
David Flusser and R. Steven Notley, Jesus (Jerusalem: Magnes, 1997), 95–98.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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1QS 10:17 and Romans 12:17

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