Limitless Word
In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate to one another; in honor preferring one another;
Romans 12:10 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
  • BSB Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.
  • NKJV Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;
  • NASB Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor,
  • NLT Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Show warm, family affection to one another and outdo one another in showing honor.

Overview

Paul calls believers to love marked by tender, brotherly affection, the warmth of a true family in Christ. 'In honor preferring one another' means actively esteeming and giving way to others rather than seeking one's own status. Such mutual honor reflects the humility Christ himself embodied.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 28

  • Phil 2:3doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself;
  • John 13:34–35A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.
  • Heb 13:1Let brotherly love continue.
  • 1 Jn 4:11Beloved, if God loved us in this way, we also ought to love one another.
  • 1 Pet 3:8–9Finally, be all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tender hearted, courteous,
  • 1 Pet 1:22Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently:
  • 1 Pet 2:17Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
  • 1 Th 4:9But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another,
  • Gal 5:13For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another.
  • Eph 4:1–3I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called,
  • Ps 133:1A Song of Ascents. By David. See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity!
  • Gal 5:22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,
  • 1 Jn 4:20If a man says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesn’t love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
  • 2 Pet 1:7and in godliness brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love.
  • John 15:17“I command these things to you, that you may love one another.
  • 1 Pet 5:5Likewise, you younger ones, be subject to the elder. Yes, all of you clothe yourselves with humility, to subject yourselves to one another; for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
  • Acts 4:32The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul. Not one of them claimed that anything of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
  • 2 Th 1:3We are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers, even as it is appropriate, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of each and every one of you towards one another abounds;
  • Rom 13:7Therefore give everyone what you owe: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if customs, then customs; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
  • Luke 14:10But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes, he may tell you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you.
  • John 17:21that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that you sent me.
  • Matt 20:26It shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.
  • 1 Jn 2:9–11He who says he is in the light and hates his brother, is in the darkness even until now.
  • Col 1:4having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you have toward all the saints,
  • Gal 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.
  • 1 Jn 3:10–18In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the devil. Whoever doesn’t do righteousness is not of God, neither is he who doesn’t love his brother.
  • Gen 13:9Isn’t the whole land before you? Please separate yourself from me. If you go to the left hand, then I will go to the right. Or if you go to the right hand, then I will go to the left.”
  • Job 1:4His sons went and held a feast in the house of each one on his birthday; and they sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (7)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Romans videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Romans 12:10YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on RomansMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Paul unfolds the gospel in full: Christ our righteousness received by faith, the second Adam in whom many are made righteous, in whose death and resurrection we are buried and raised.

How Romans 12:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.