On the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
- KJV Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
- NKJV Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
- NASB “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”
- NLT Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”
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
Instead, meet your enemy's needs; feeding and giving him drink heaps coals of fire on his head.
Overview
Quoting Proverbs 25:21-22, Paul urges active kindness toward enemies. The 'coals of fire' image is most often understood as kindness that produces burning shame leading to repentance, or as leaving the outcome to God; either way it commands love, not vengeance. Such enemy-love reflects the heart of God shown in Christ, who loved us while we were still his enemies.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Prov 25:21–22If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
- Matt 5:44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
- Luke 6:27But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
- Exod 23:4–5If you encounter your enemy’s stray ox or donkey, you must return it to him.
- 2 Kgs 6:22“Do not kill them,” he replied. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and then return to their master.”
- 1 Sam 24:16–19When David had finished saying these things, Saul called back, “Is that your voice, David my son?” Then Saul wept aloud
- 1 Sam 26:21Then Saul replied, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. I will never harm you again, because today you considered my life precious. I have played the fool and have committed a grave error!”
- Song 8:6–7Set me as a seal over your heart, as a seal upon your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as unrelenting as Sheol. Its sparks are fiery flames, the fiercest blaze of all.
- Ps 140:10May burning coals fall on them; may they be thrown into the fire, into the miry pits, never to rise again.
- Ps 120:4Sharp arrows will come from the warrior, with burning coals of the broom tree!
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 12:20 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.