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Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but enjoy the company of the lowly. Do not be conceited.
Romans 12:16 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB Be of the same mind one toward another. Don’t set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Don’t be wise in your own conceits.
  • KJV Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
  • NKJV Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
  • NASB Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.
  • NLT Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

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

Live in harmony, do not be proud but associate with the lowly, and avoid conceit.

Overview

Paul urges unity of mind, humility, and willingness to keep company with the lowly rather than chasing status. He warns against being 'wise in your own conceits,' an attitude that fractures community. The verse calls believers to the humble-mindedness that mirrors Christ.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 40

  • 1 Pet 3:8Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble.
  • Prov 3:7Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
  • Jas 3:13–17Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
  • Phil 2:2–3then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose.
  • Rom 12:3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you.
  • Heb 13:5Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”
  • 1 Cor 3:18Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise.
  • Isa 5:21Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.
  • Rom 15:5Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant you harmony with one another in Christ Jesus,
  • 1 Cor 8:2The one who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.
  • Matt 18:1–4At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
  • Luke 14:13But when you host a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind,
  • 2 Cor 13:11Finally, brothers, rejoice! Aim for perfect harmony, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
  • Matt 6:25–26Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
  • Luke 22:24–27A dispute also arose among the disciples as to which of them would be considered the greatest.
  • Ps 131:1–2A song of ascents. Of David. My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty. I do not aspire to great things or matters too lofty for me.
  • Luke 6:20Looking up at His disciples, Jesus said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
  • Phil 4:11–13I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances.
  • Prov 26:12Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
  • 1 Cor 6:5I say this to your shame. Is there really no one among you wise enough to arbitrate between his brothers?
  • Rom 11:25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.
  • 1 Tim 6:6–9Of course, godliness with contentment is great gain.
  • 1 Cor 4:10We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored.
  • Job 31:13–16If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or maidservant when they made a complaint against me,
  • Matt 20:21–28“What do you want?” He inquired. She answered, “Declare that in Your kingdom one of these two sons of mine may sit at Your right hand, and the other at Your left.”
  • Matt 11:5The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.
  • Luke 4:6–11“I will give You authority over all these kingdoms and all their glory,” he said. “For it has been relinquished to me, and I can give it to anyone I wish.
  • Job 36:5Indeed, God is mighty, but He despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding.
  • Prov 19:17Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender.
  • Phil 3:16Nevertheless, we must live up to what we have already attained.
  • Jer 45:5But as for you, do you seek great things for yourself? Stop seeking! For I will bring disaster on every living creature, declares the LORD, but wherever you go, I will grant your life as a spoil of war.”
  • 1 Pet 5:3not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
  • Jas 2:5–6Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?
  • Prov 17:5He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.
  • Phil 4:2I urge Euodia and Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord.
  • Matt 26:11The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have Me.
  • Prov 19:7All the brothers of a poor man hate him—how much more do his friends avoid him! He may pursue them with pleading, but they are nowhere to be found.
  • Prov 19:22The desire of a man is loving devotion; better to be poor than a liar.
  • Acts 4:32The multitude of believers was one in heart and soul. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they owned.
  • 3 Jn 1:9I have written to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not accept our instruction.

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 12:16YouTube · 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 12:16 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.