Romans 12:16 (GNV)

Passage

Be of like affection one towardes another: be not hie minded: but make your selues equall to them of the lower sort: be not wise in your selues.

Nearby Context

Romans 12:14 Blesse them which persecute you: blesse, I say, and curse not.

Romans 12:15 Reioyce with them that reioyce, and weepe with them that weepe.

Romans 12:16 Be of like affection one towardes another: be not hie minded: but make your selues equall to them of the lower sort: be not wise in your selues.

Romans 12:17 Recompence to no man euill for euill: procure things honest in the sight of all men.

Romans 12:18 If it bee possible, as much as in you is, haue peace with all men.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "like", "affection", "towardes", "another", "minded", "make", "selues", and "equall". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "like" and "affection", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "Reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe..." into verse 17's "Recompence to no man euill for euill...", so "like" and "affection" 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 "like" and "affection" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.