Love Fulfills the Law; Walk in the Light
Romans 13:8-14
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Rom.13.8 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Μηδενι: PRON,dat,sg,m
- μηδεν: PRON,acc,sg,n
- οφειλετε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- ει: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- μη: PART
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- αλληλους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- αγαπαν·ο: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- γαρ: PART
- αγαπων: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- ετερον: ADJ,nom,sg,n
- νομον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- πεπληρωκεν: VERB,perf,act,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- Matthew 22:37-40 (quotation): Jesus summarizes the law as loving God and neighbor; Romans 13:8 echoes the priority of love as fulfilling the law.
- Leviticus 19:18 (quotation): ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ is the Old Testament command that undergirds Paul’s claim that love fulfills the law.
- Galatians 5:14 (verbal): Paul states that 'the whole law is fulfilled in one word, You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' directly paralleling Romans' argument that love completes the law.
- James 2:8 (quotation): James calls 'the royal law' to love your neighbor as yourself, echoing the ethical centrality of love as fulfilling the law found in Romans 13:8.
- Romans 13:9 (structural): The immediate context lists specific commandments and concludes that they are summed up by loving one’s neighbor, reinforcing 13:8’s claim that love fulfills the law.
Alternative generated candidates
- Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
- Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
Rom.13.9 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- γαρ·Ου: CONJ
- μοιχευσεις: VERB,fut,act,ind,2,sg
- Ου: PART,neg
- φονευσεις: VERB,fut,act,ind,2,sg
- Ου: PART,neg
- κλεψεις: VERB,fut,act,ind,2,sg
- Ουκ: PART,neg
- επιθυμησεις: VERB,fut,act,ind,2,sg
- και: CONJ
- ει: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- τις: PRON,nom,sg,?
- ετερα: ADJ,dat,sg,f
- εντολη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- λογω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- τουτω: DEM,dat,sg,m
- ανακεφαλαιουται: VERB,pres,mid,ind,3,sg
- εν: PREP
- τω·Αγαπησεις: VERB,fut,act,ind,2,sg
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- πλησιον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- ως: ADV
- σεαυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
Parallels
- Leviticus 19:18 (quotation): Contains the original command 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' which Paul cites as the summary of the law.
- Deuteronomy 5:17-21 (Exodus 20:13-17) (verbal): Lists the prohibitions against adultery, murder, theft, and coveting—the commandments Paul enumerates in Romans 13:9.
- Matthew 22:39 (quotation): Jesus cites 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself' as the second greatest commandment, paralleling Paul’s appeal to love as the law’s fulfillment.
- Galatians 5:14 (verbal): Paul again states that 'the whole law is fulfilled in one word, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,”' echoing the same theological summation found in Romans 13:9.
- James 2:8 (thematic): Calls the command to love one’s neighbor the 'royal law,' connecting love as the governing principle that interprets the moral commandments listed in Romans 13:9.
Alternative generated candidates
- For the commandments—'You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet'—and whatever other commandment there is are summed up in this word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
- For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Rom.13.10 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- αγαπη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- πλησιον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- κακον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εργαζεται·πληρωμα: VERB,pres,mid,ind,3,sg; NOUN,nom,sg,n
- ουν: CONJ
- νομου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- αγαπη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
Parallels
- Leviticus 19:18 (quotation): Explicit source of the command to love your neighbor ('You shall love your neighbor as yourself'), which Paul treats as the moral law that love fulfills.
- Galatians 5:14 (verbal): Paul states that 'the whole law is fulfilled in one word, You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' echoing Romans' claim that love is the law's fulfillment.
- Matthew 22:37-40 (thematic): Jesus summarizes the law and prophets in love of God and neighbor; parallels Paul's argument that love sums up and fulfills the law.
- James 2:8 (quotation): James calls 'Love your neighbor as yourself' the 'royal law' and connects genuine obedience to love of neighbor, resonating with Paul's 'love fulfills the law' theme.
- 1 John 3:16-18 (thematic): Emphasizes that true love shows itself in action and does not neglect a neighbor in need—complements Paul's claim that love does no harm to a neighbor.
Alternative generated candidates
- Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
- Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Rom.13.11 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- τουτο: PRON,nom,sg,n
- ειδοτες: PTCP,perf,act,nom,pl,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- καιρον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- οτι: CONJ
- ωρα: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- ηδη: ADV
- υμας: PRON,acc,pl,2
- εξ: PREP
- υπνου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- εγερθηναι: VERB,aor,pass,inf
- νυν: ADV
- γαρ: PART
- εγγυτερον: ADV
- ημων: PRON,gen,pl,1
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- σωτηρια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- οτε: CONJ
- επιστευσαμεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,1,pl
Parallels
- Eph.5.14 (quotation): “Awake, thou that sleepest…” — a direct call to wake from sleep closely mirroring Rom 13:11’s language and urgency (often treated as an implicit citation/allusion).
- 1 Thess.5.6-8 (verbal): “So then let us not sleep… but let us be sober” — uses the same wakefulness metaphor and moral exhortation in light of imminent salvation or the Lord’s coming.
- Luke 21.28 (verbal): “When these things begin to come to pass… your redemption draweth nigh” — parallels the idea that salvation/redemption is drawing near, prompting readiness.
- Titus 2.11-13 (thematic): Speaks of God’s grace bringing salvation and Christians’ eager expectation of Christ’s appearing — similar emphasis on hope and the nearness of salvation.
- Rom.13.12-14 (structural): Immediate context continues the wakefulness motif (cast off works of darkness, put on the armor/light) and explains practical implications of salvation’s nearness.
Alternative generated candidates
- Besides this, you know the time: it is already the hour for you to wake from sleep; for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
- Besides this, you know the time: now it is the hour for you to wake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
Rom.13.12 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- νυξ: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- προεκοψεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- δε: CONJ
- ημερα: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- ηγγικεν: VERB,perf,act,ind,3,sg
- αποβαλωμεθα: VERB,aor,mid,subj,1,pl
- ουν: CONJ
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- εργα: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- σκοτους: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- ενδυσωμεθα: VERB,aor,mid,subj,1,pl
- δε: CONJ
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- οπλα: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- φωτος: NOUN,gen,sg,n
Parallels
- Ephesians 5:8-14 (verbal): Uses the same light/darkness vocabulary (formerly darkness, now light; walk as children of light; expose/avoid works of darkness) and the exhortation to live accordingly.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:4-8 (verbal): Employs the night/day and wakefulness imagery and commands believers to be sober/awake, putting on protective garments (breastplate of faith and love, helmet of hope) — parallel to 'night is far spent' and 'put on the armor of light.'
- Ephesians 6:10-17 (thematic): Commands believers to 'put on the whole armor of God'; echoes Paul's martial/putting-on imagery applied to spiritual conduct, comparable to 'put on the armor of light.'
- Romans 13:13-14 (structural): Immediate context continuing the same exhortation — contrasts deeds of darkness with honorable conduct and concludes with 'put on the Lord Jesus Christ,' developing the 'put on' motif from v.12.
- Isaiah 9:2 (allusion): Prophetic imagery of people walking in darkness seeing a great light resonates with Paul’s darkness/light motif and the eschatological sense that 'the day is at hand.'
Alternative generated candidates
- The night is far gone, and the day has drawn near. Let us therefore lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
- The night is far gone; the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Rom.13.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ως: ADV
- εν: PREP
- ημερα: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- ευσχημονως: ADV
- περιπατησωμεν: VERB,pres,act,subj,1,pl
- μη: PART
- κωμοις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- μεθαις: NOUN,dat,pl,f
- μη: PART
- κοιταις: NOUN,dat,pl,f
- και: CONJ
- ασελγειαις: NOUN,dat,pl,f
- μη: PART
- εριδι: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- ζηλω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- 1 Thessalonians 5:6-8 (verbal): Uses the same 'day'/'night' contrast and exhorts sobriety rather than drunkenness—paralleling 'as in the day... not in drunkenness.'
- Ephesians 5:8-18 (thematic): Commands believers to 'walk as children of light' and not to be drunk but filled with the Spirit, contrasting life in the light with revelry and works of darkness.
- Galatians 5:19-21 (verbal): Lists 'sexual immorality' (porneia), sensuality/debauchery, jealousy and related works of the flesh—verbal and thematic overlap with the vices Paul forbids in Rom 13:13.
- 1 Peter 4:3-4 (verbal): Describes past living in 'sensuality, passions, drunkenness, revelries' and the astonishment of others that Christians do not join—language closely echoing Rom 13:13's prohibitions.
- Titus 2:11-12 (thematic): Calls Christians to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives—paralleling the moral exhortation to 'walk properly' and avoid revelry and immorality.
Alternative generated candidates
- Let us walk properly, as in the day—not in revelry and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.
- Let us walk properly as in the day — not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.
Rom.13.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- αλλα: CONJ
- ενδυσασθε: VERB,aor,mid,imp,2,pl
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- κυριον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- Ιησουν: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- Χριστον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- σαρκος: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- προνοιαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- μη: PART
- ποιεισθε: VERB,pres,mid/pass,imp,2,pl
- εις: PREP
- επιθυμιας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
Parallels
- Galatians 3:27 (verbal): Uses the same clothing metaphor—'put on Christ'—linking believer identity with the act of 'putting on' Jesus.
- Galatians 5:16 (thematic): Contrasts walking by the Spirit with gratifying the flesh's desires, paralleling the exhortation not to make provision for the flesh.
- Galatians 5:24 (thematic): Affirms that belonging to Christ means the flesh has been crucified—echoing the call to refuse the flesh's claims.
- Colossians 3:12-14 (verbal): Commands believers to 'put on the new self' and virtues, echoing the clothing imagery of putting on Christ and abandoning former passions.
- Ephesians 4:22-24 (structural): Parallels the paired imperatives to 'put off' the old self and 'put on' the new self, created in righteousness—corresponding to putting on Christ and rejecting fleshly desires.
Alternative generated candidates
- But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.
- But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.
Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for whoever loves another has fulfilled the law.
For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and whatever other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Besides this—knowing the time—it is now the hour to awake from sleep; for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
The night is far spent and the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Let us walk properly as in the day—not in revelry and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.