Romans 12:17 (DBY)

Passage

recompensing to no one evil for evil: providing things honest before all men:

Nearby Context

Romans 12:15 Rejoice with those that rejoice, weep with those that weep.

Romans 12:16 Have the same respect one for another, not minding high things, but going along with the lowly: be not wise in your own eyes:

Romans 12:17 recompensing to no one evil for evil: providing things honest before all men:

Romans 12:18 if possible, as far as depends on you, living in peace with all men;

Romans 12:19 not avenging yourselves, beloved, but give place to wrath; for it is written, Vengeance [belongs] to me, *I* will recompense, saith the Lord.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "recompensing", "evil", "providing", "things", "honest", and "before". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "recompensing" and "evil", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "Have the same respect one for another..." into verse 18's "if possible as far as depends on...", so "recompensing" and "evil" belong inside that flow. In Romans context, the local focus is righteousness by faith, union with Christ, life in the Spirit, and God's covenant faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "recompensing" and "evil" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.