8Owe nothing to anyone as a continuing obligation — except to love one another. For the one who loves another has brought the Law to its intended completion. [13:9] For "Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not covet" — and if there is any other commandment — it is summed up, brought to its essence, in this word: "Love your neighbor as yourself." [13:10] Love does not work evil against a neighbor. Therefore love is the bringing of the Law to its full measure.
ROM 13:8-10
Love Fulfills the Law
In the world it was spoken into
In the Greco-Roman world, obligations were deeply embedded in the social fabric, particularly within systems of patronage and reciprocity. Debts were not merely financial but moral and relational, binding individuals in networks of duty. Paul’s instruction to 'owe no one anything, except to love one another' subverts this system, replacing transactional obligations with a singular, all-encompassing duty: love . This love, distinct from erotic or familial affection, was understood as a deliberate, self-giving commitment. For Jewish listeners, the commandments cited—against adultery, murder, theft, false witness, and coveting—were central to the Torah’s ethical framework. Paul asserts that love 'fulfills' the Law, not by abolishing it but by embodying its essence. The phrase 'summed up' suggests a concise encapsulation of the Law’s purpose, echoing Jesus’ teaching in the Gospels. In a Roman context, where legalism often overshadowed relational ethics, this redefinition of obligation would have been radical, emphasizing love as the ultimate expression of justice and righteousness.
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How other translations render this
ROM 13:8
- KJV
- Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
- BSB
- Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
- Koinōnos
- Owe nothing to anyone as a continuing obligation — except to love one another. For the one who loves another has brought the Law to its intended completion.
ROM 13:9
- KJV
- For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
- BSB
- The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
- Koinōnos
- For "Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not covet" — and if there is any other commandment — it is summed up, brought to its essence, in this word: "Love your neighbor as yourself.
ROM 13:10
- KJV
- Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
- BSB
- Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
- Koinōnos
- Love does not work evil against a neighbor. Therefore love is the bringing of the Law to its full measure.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
ROM 13:8
- do owe:The word translated 'do owe' here implies a debt or obligation that is continuously due, not a one-time payment. It suggests an ongoing responsibility.
- to love;:The term used here for 'to love' refers to a volitional, active, and self-sacrificial love, often distinct from emotional affection or desire.
- has fulfilled;:The word translated 'has fulfilled' carries the sense of bringing something to its intended completion or full measure, not just performing a task.
ROM 13:9
- word:The word translated 'word' here is more accurately understood as 'summed up' or 'brought to a head,' referring to the essence or main point of something.