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Romans 13:4 – Authority of Vengeance

Posted on October 25, 2018 by Will

For he is God's minister for your good. but if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to bring wrath on him who practices evil.

Truth to Learn

We are to submit to those in authority and give God the glory.

Behind the Words

The word translated “minister” is diakonos, which means “one who waits on tables.” It is the word from which we get our English word “deacon.” It specifically means one who serves the needs and desires of someone else, and it is most often used in reference to a spiritual hierarchy. It is sometimes translated as “servant.”

The word translated “avenger” is ekdikos, which is made up of ek, meaning “out” or “from” and dike, meaning “justice.” Thus, we see that this refers to someone who carries out justice, that is, a punisher or an executioner.

“Wrath” is from orgē, which we have looked at before. It refers to “excitement of the mind.” This word can be interpreted as “strong desire,” but it can also be interpreted as “violent passion, anger, or wrath.”

Meaning Explained

The first thing that we need to ascertain in this verse is who “he” is. “He” is a reference to “the authority” spoken of in the previous verse, and it refers both to the position and to the person in that position. Those who are in authority are placed there as ministers or servants in God’s hierarchy and they are there for the purpose of doing good.

In the previous verse Paul told us that the way to not fear those in authority is to do good. In this verse he addresses the other side of that coin. “But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain.” The use of the word sword here is a reference to the ability of those in authority to execute justice on those who disobey. It may, in fact, be a reference to the ability of civil government to execute capital punishment. Paul even supports this in his next phrase, “for he is God's minister, an avenger to bring wrath on him who practices evil.”

Clearly, Paul is telling us that the power and authorization of those who are in authority over us comes directly from God for the purpose of keeping peace and punishing evildoers. But what about those in authority who are themselves evil; should we resist them? Let’s look at David as our example here. In 1Samuel 24 he was being pursued by Saul, the King, even though David has done nothing to warrant this persecution. David and his men, hidden in a cave, have the opportunity to kill Saul when he comes into the same cave to take a nap. David refuses to kill Saul because he is God’s anointed.

And he said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD's anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD." (1Samuel 24:6)

If David refused to strike Saul because he was God’s anointed ruler, then we should also refuse to act against one who God has ordained to be over us.

Application

We Christians must respect those in authority over us though they have power to do evil to us. We may not like them and they may not like us, but we are to submit ourselves to them because of their position. Such submission pleases God.

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 13:3 – Fear Prevention

Posted on October 24, 2018 by Will

For the rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil works. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from him.

Truth to Learn

Good works overcome fear.

Behind the Words

The word translated “rulers,” is the Greek word archōn, which literally means “one who is first, either in time or in position.” By application this word means anyone who has power or authority over us.

“Terror” is from the noun phobos, which is derived from the verb phebomai, meaning “to flee from.” Hence, phobos refers to “fear or terror.” In the current verse it could be translated as “a fearsome thing.”

The word translated “praise” is epainos, meaning “recognition, laudation, or praise.”

Meaning Explained

Let’s remember as we’re going through this portion of Paul’s letter to the predominantly Jewish Christians in Rome that it was written around 56 A.D. This was only 2 years after Nero, one of the worst Christian haters ever, came to power as the Emperor of Rome. The Christians who were living in Rome at that time would have been under the most scrutiny of any group of people in the entire Roman Empire, and you can be sure that their treatment was anything but fair. It is likely that Paul has included this portion of his letter for that very reason. Let’s see what he said.

Paul’s use of the term “rulers” here is very likely a direct reference to Nero and his henchmen. He says that the rulers are not a terror, or a fearsome thing, to the good works but to the bad ones. The purpose of any ruler is to promote good works in the people, not evil deeds. No ruler wants the people subject to him or her to be disobedient and lawless. In many cases, as was particularly true of the emperors of Rome, the rulers considered themselves above the law, but they still wanted their subjects to obey the laws.

Paul then asks a rhetorical question, “Do you want to live without fear of the people in power?” His immediate response is, “Then do good and the rulers will praise you.”

I can hear the Roman Christians’ objection even now, “But Paul, this is Nero who is intentionally persecuting Christians. You want us to submit to his authority?!” And Paul’s answer would be an unequivocal, “Absolutely!” You see, God’s plan for us includes submitting to all who are in authority over us whether they are benevolent or tyrannical. God is aware of our circumstances, and He is the one who will ultimately judge us the rulers for their evil deeds and reward us for our good deeds. Keep in mind that submission and obedience are good deeds in God’s eyes. But remember, we are always to obey the highest authority and that is God, Himself.

Application

No matter how corrupt our political rulers may be, they are not likely to be as self-serving and powerful as many of the Roman emperors were. But our Ruler is greater than all earthly rulers and He wants to receive all the praise and glory, for He is worthy! No matter what you may be going through or who may be causing you to suffer, let’s remember to always keep our eyes focused on Him!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 13:2 – Authoritative Submission

Posted on October 23, 2018 by Will

Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has ordained, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.

Truth to Learn

We are to submit ourselves to those in authority over us, or we will find ourselves resisting what God has put in place.

Behind the Words

The first occurrence of the word “resists” is translated from antitassō, which is made up of anti, meaning “against” and tassō, which we looked at in the previous verse meaning “to place in order.” Therefore, we see that antitassō means “to put in an orderly arrangement against.” It is the word that is used of an army put in battle formation against the enemy.

“Ordained” is from the Greek word diatagē, which is made up of dia, meaning “through,” but which also implies thoroughness, and a form of tassō, “to arrange.” Hence, this word refers to something that is “thoroughly arranged” or “ordained.’

The second occurrence of “resists” and the word “resist” are both translated from the Greek word anthestemi, which is another compound word. This one is made up of anti, meaning “against” and histemi, meaning “to stand.” Thus we see that these two words both mean “to take a stand against” or “to resist.”

“Bring” is from a form of the Greek word lambanō, meaning “to take.” It is in the active voice in this verse indicating that it is something being actively taken as opposed to something being passively received.

Meaning Explained

Before we talk about this verse, notice the heavy use of the root word tassō (to set in an orderly arrangement) in both the previous verse and this one. It is as if the Apostle Paul is making a stark contrast between what God has put in place and what mankind tries to put in place. Paul is very fond of using such a “play on words” to emphasize the point he is making. This is especially poignant given the fact that he spent the entire last chapter teaching us to be living sacrifices, not seeking our own will, but God’s.

In the previous verse he warned us to submit ourselves to the authorities that are over us, whether religious, occupational, or civil. We are not to fight against authority, and in this verse he tells us why:

Therefore whoever opposes the authority is standing against the orderly arrangement that God has set in place, and those who take such a stand will take judgment on themselves.

In other words, if we are contemplating the resisting of any authority that we are under, whether it is religious, occupational, or civil, we had better make absolutely certain that we are not resisting what God has put in place. Remember, that the only example that God gives us where we are to resist authority is when that authority is asking us to act contrary to God’s specific instructions to us, such as an authority telling us not to witness concerning salvation through Jesus Christ.

Application

We do not have to respect or even like people who are in authority over us, but we are to respect their position of authority and submit to them. Otherwise, we are resisting what God has put in place.

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 13:1 – Civil Submission

Posted on October 22, 2018 by Will

Let every soul be subject to the higher authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are established by God.

Truth to Learn

We Christians are to submit to those in authority over us.

Behind the Words

The verb translated, “be subject to” is hupotassō, which is made up of hupo or hypo, meaning “under” or “beneath” and tassō, meaning “to place in order.” Hence, this means to place under in an orderly fashion. It is a military term referring to the submission of a soldier to one who out-ranks him.

The word translated “higher” is huperechō, which is made up of huper or hyper, meaning “above” or “higher,” and echō, a verb meaning “to have or hold.” So huperechō means “those who are held over, or who have prominence over, others.”

“Authorities” is the Greek word exousia, which refers to “one who has authority, permission, right, or power.”

“Established” is from the Greek word, tassō, which we just looked at, meaning “to place in order.” It is often translated as “ordained or appointed.” It is expressed here in the perfect tense indicating a past completed action with an ongoing effect, where the emphasis is on the ongoing effect.

Meaning Explained

Paul has just taught Christians how to live in relation to others within the church. He now turns his attention to how we should live in the world. The church members in Rome to whom Paul is writing this letter were predominantly converted Jews, and the Jews had a long history of resisting the rule of any foreign king. They believed that God alone was their king, which is why the Emperor Claudius had previously banned all Jews from Rome (see Acts 18:2).

When Paul wrote this letter, Claudius had already been assassinated, and his son Nero was the Emperor. But, even though Nero had welcomed the Jews back into Rome, he had no love for them. This was particularly true for Christians, who many of that day considered to be members of a sect of Judaism,.

In light of these facts, it is amazing that Paul would admonish us all to be subject to higher authorities. The authorities that Paul is talking about can be those in the workplace, where we are to submit to our bosses and upper management, or to civil government, whether local, regional, or national. Whoever they are, we are to place ourselves under the control of those in positions of authority over us. That means that they have the right to tell us what to do, and we are to obey what they tell us. Also notice that those who are in positions of authority over us, whether on the job, in a church, or in civil government, have been put there by God. The only situation in which we are not to submit to them is when that authority commands us to do something contrary to what God has specifically commanded us to do, such as preaching the Gospel. Paul also teaches us in his first letter to Timothy (1 Timothy 2:1, 2), not only are we to submit ourselves to all authorities, we are to pray for them as well! And Peter tells us that this applies whether they are good and gentle or harsh (1Peter 2:18).

Application

It doesn’t matter if we don’t like those in authority over us; we are to submit to them nonetheless. In doing so, we are submitting to the will of our Father in Heaven.

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 12:21 – Good Versus Evil

Posted on October 19, 2018 by Will

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Truth to Learn

The proper way for a Christian to combat evil is with good.

Behind the Words

The word translated “overcome” is nikaō, a verb form of the noun nikē, which refers to “a conquest or victory.” Hence, nikaō means “to subdue, conquer, or overcome.” In both instances in this verse it is expressed in the imperative mood indicating something all Christians are to do.

“Evil” is from the Greek word kakos, which refers to that which is worthless in and of itself. Thus, it is often translated as depraved, wicked, or evil. It is expressed here with the definite article, so it literally refers to “the evil thing” or “the evil one.”

The word “good” is translated from agathos, meaning “profitable or beneficial.” It refers to general goodness whereas the Greek word kalos, which we looked at in verse seventeen, refers to something that is inherently good but not necessarily benefitting others.

Meaning Explained

Paul started off this chapter by stating:

I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)

Throughout the remainder of this chapter, he has been showing us what it looks like when a person is a living sacrifice, totally submitted to God; for instance, someone who has presented his or her body as a living sacrifice to God will not repay evil for evil and will not avenge himself or herself.

In the past few verses Paul has not been giving us commandments so much as he has been showing us what the evidence of our submission as a living sacrifice looks like. And so, he wraps up this chapter with a final piece of evidence of a person who is totally submitted and committed to God. This person does not allow himself to be overcome with evil; instead, he overcomes evil with good. A literal translation of this verse could be:

Do not be conquered under the evil one, but conquer the evil one with goodness.

Some would say that “the evil one” refers to Satan, for he is sometimes referred to in that manner. In this case, however, I believe Paul is referring to anyone who does evil to you. If the result of an evil act on you causes you to do evil in return, then you have succumbed to the temptation of retaliation and you have demonstrated that you are not fully submitted to God. But, if evil is done to you and there is within you the ability to plan and carry out goodness toward the one doing evil, then you are showing that you are still lying on the alter, a living sacrifice to God, and He will use you when you live that way.

Application

It’s not easy to remain on the altar because we each have a sin nature that wants us to be in control and wants to get even with those who hurt us. However, by the power of the Holy Spirit we can remain submitted to our Lord and we can respond to the evil done to us with goodness. That’s sacrificial living. It’s pleasing to God because it allows Him to receive all the glory and all the praise.

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 12:20 – Mercy, Not Vengeance

Posted on October 18, 2018 by Will

Therefore "If your enemy should be hungry, feed him; if he should be thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head."

Truth to Learn

Do not take vengeance. Instead, show mercy.

Behind the Words

“Heap” is from the Greek verb sōreuō, meaning “to pile up.”

The word “coals” is from the Greek noun anthrax, from which we get the term “anthracite,” a type of coal which glows red-hot rather than producing a noticeable flame.

Meaning Explained

This verse is one of those which is often misunderstood and misapplied. Remember what Paul has said in the previous few verses: do not retaliate with evil when evil is done to you. Do not take vengeance because that is God’s exclusive domain. God will take vengeance on those who genuinely deserve vengeance. Therefore, “If your enemy should be hungry …”

Here is Paul’s point: because God will take care of the vengeance part, we are to take care of the part that will do the most in terms of producing ultimate good. The expression, “you will heap burning coals on his head” has been interpreted by some to mean that by doing good to those who do evil to you, you will produce pain and suffering in them. But isn’t that just the same as taking vengeance? If we do good for the purpose of giving them pain, then we are taking vengeance and we are being hypocrites, aren’t we?

This verse is quoted from the Old Testament.

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you. (Proverbs 25:21,22)

Heaping coals of fire is a method that was used in refining metals like silver and gold. The ore was ground up, placed in an ingot, and placed on the fire. Then hot coals were heaped on top. As the ore melted, it separated into the precious metal and what we now call slag. The slag would rise to the top, and if the coals on top were hot enough, the slag would burn off, thus producing a purified metal. This is the analogy that many early Rabbis provided in explaining these two verses in Proverbs.

So now let’s apply this to what Paul is teaching us. If we are not to retaliate, letting God handle the vengeance part, then what are we to do? Nothing for the time being! Just wait! It is entirely possible that the one who has done evil to you will have a need, the most basic of which are hunger and thirst. When he, or she, has that need and comes to you for help, don’t send him away with harsh words and an empty stomach; instead, provide for his needs in a humble, loving way because in so doing you are being a witness to the love that God has for us. Your deeds of kindness may produce repentance and reconciliation with God. Thus, in doing good to those who have done evil to you, you may be doing that which will purify them just like heaping coals of fire on the refining process.

Application

What Paul has described here is the act of mercy, doing something good to someone who doesn’t deserve it. Because God has shown us such great mercy, we should be constantly on the lookout for ways of showing mercy to others. Let me challenge you to show mercy to someone this week.

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 12:19 – Who’s The Judge?

Posted on October 17, 2018 by Will

not avenging yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.

Truth to Learn

There is only one Judge and we need to let Him do His job.

Behind the Words

The word translated “avenging” in the first part of this verse and “Vengeance” in the second part is ekdikeō. This is made up of ek, meaning “out of” or “from” and a form of dike, which means “justice,” “judgment,” or “that which is right.” Hence, ekdikeō means “to hand out your own justice.” In other words, it means to take punitive action against someone whom you have judged to be guilty of causing you harm.

“Wrath” is translated from the Greek word orgē, which refers to “excitement of the mind.” This word can be interpreted as “strong desire,” but it can also be interpreted as “violent passion” or “anger.”

Meaning Explained

Paul now caps off what he has been saying in the past two verses. Not only has he told us that we should be proactive about doing good things to others and peacefully coexisting with them, he now cautions us, “not avenging yourselves.” Why not? Because when we take matters into our own hands we sinful humans are notorious for making incorrect judgments based on our biased perception of the facts. God, on the other hand, is a perfect judge and always judges rightly based on the real truth.

A similar admonition was given to the Jews:

You shall not take vengeance, nor bear a grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19:18)

The second phrase in today’s verse, “but rather give place to wrath” is a literal translation, but it has been the subject of much discussion among Greek scholars as to what it really means. In the Greek text there is a definite article before “wrath” so it reads “the wrath,” which is likely a reference to God’s wrath. Based on all the evidence I would paraphrase the first part of today’s verse as, “instead of stepping in and taking on the responsibility of executing judgment for yourself, back-off and let God decide who’s guilty.” Paul follows this phrase with a quotation from Deuteronomy 32:35,

Vengeance is Mine, and retribution; in due time their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.

God promises that He will take retribution on those who oppose Him and cause harm to His children. But He will do so in a righteous manner, pouring out His wrath on those who deserve it based on truth.

Application

Instead of executing revenge on those whom we think have wronged us, let us humble ourselves before Almighty God and trust that He understands the situation correctly and trust that as our Holy Father, He will do what is right and just.

God, grant us the ability to resist the temptation to retaliate. Give us the love of Christ that we might be forgiving even of those who truly wrong us, and give us the faith to understand that You always judge rightly.

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 12:18 – Be At Peace

Posted on October 16, 2018 by Will

If possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

Truth to Learn

Christians should be peace-seeking people.

Behind the Words

The word translated “possible” is dunaton, a word we’ve seen before. It refers to “power, authority, or ability.” Literally, what Paul is saying is, “If you have the ability” or “If it is within your power.”

“As much as depends on you” is translated from the Greek words to ex humōn. This literally translates to “the thing out of you” or “that which comes from you.” It could be interpreted as “the from you part” or “the part that you are responsible for.”

The words “live peaceably” are from the Greek verb eirēneuō, which is derived from the noun eirēnē, meaning “peace.” So, eirēneuō means “to be at peace.” It is interesting to note, however, that the root of this word is probably the verb eirō, which means “to join.” Hence, to be at peace with someone implies that you are joined together with them for your mutual benefit. It does not simply imply a passive act (that you leave each other alone) but an active one (that you join together with another person to produce good).

Meaning Explained

Following up on Paul’s previous instruction to us; not being reactive (giving evil for evil) but being proactive (giving thought to do what is good), he now gives us some more instruction on how the members of the body of Christ should behave.

He says, “If you have the ability, your part is to join together with others in peaceful coexistence.” Paul is not implying that some Christians have the ability to be at peace with others while other Christians don’t; rather, he is expressing the reality that not all people will allow others to live peaceably with them. We have all known people who behave out of anger toward everyone else, unwilling to let anyone be nice to them. And there are others who have an intense hatred for all Christians, refusing to be at peace with us. Thus, it is not always possible for us to be at peace with others.

Paul’s point is that we should make every effort to be at peace with all men. Our part of any relationship, the part that we are held responsible for, is to make every effort to be at peace with all people, even those who hate us, even those whose lifestyle is drastically different from our own, even those who don’t believe in God and who live in a manner that we know is not pleasing to Him, even those who intentionally make life difficult for us. We are not responsible for the actions of others, but we are responsible for our own actions. And we don’t have to compromise our own beliefs and values to do so.

Application

Once again we can look to our Lord Jesus as the example of this kind of living. Consider this: even though He got angry at the money changers in the temple and verbally condemned the Pharisees for being hypocrites, He did not make any selfish acts of hostility against anyone. We should model our behavior after His.

And – just as He does, we should hate the sin but love the sinner!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 12:17 – Reactive or Proactive?

Posted on October 15, 2018 by Will

Repay no one evil for evil, giving thought to do what is good in the sight of all men.

Truth to Learn

We should be benevolently proactive, not selfishly reactive.

Behind the Words

The word translated “repay” is apodidomi, which is a compound word made up of apo, meaning “from” or “away from” and didōmi, meaning “to give.” Hence apodidōmi means “to give away” of “to deliver up.” In the current context it can certainly be interpreted as “repay,” although it does not imply repayment of something owed.

“Evil” is from the Greek word kakos, referring to “that which is worthless in and of itself.” It does not refer to a bad effect (that would be the word ponēros) but to an intrinsic worthlessness. Thus, kakos usually refers to an evil thing or an evil action.

The words “giving thought” are translated from pronoeō. This is made up of pro, meaning “before, in place or time” and noeō, which refers to “action of the mind (to think, perceive, or consider).” Thus, we see that pronoeō means “to consider in advance, to plan ahead, or to premeditate.”

“Good” is from kalos, which refers to “that which is good in quality or character.” It is often translated as “beautiful.”

Meaning Explained

In this verse Paul contrasts two thoughts. Do you see what they are? He says,

Don’t be reactive and respond with evil acts when evil acts are done to you. Instead, be proactive and consider ahead of time what good things you are going to do for others.

When someone does something to us that is unkind, offensive, hurtful, or just downright mean, our first reaction is to respond in kind and “get even.” I’m sure we’ve all heard the expression, “I don’t get mad – I get even.” That’s precisely what Paul is telling us not to do. Don’t allow your sin nature to control your actions. That’s the result of our “flesh” which Paul was talking about back in chapter 8 when he said:

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity toward God; for it is not submitted to the law of God, indeed it can’t be. But those who are in the flesh are not able to please God. (Romans 8:5-8)

We should not behave like the unsaved do. They are slaves to their flesh and have no choice but to obey it because they are spiritually dead. But we have been set free from the bondage of our flesh and are now spiritually alive. We have a choice and that choice should always be to do good, not evil.

Application

Do you want to please God? If so, then you need to let His Spirit control your thoughts and actions, not your own flesh. Your choices are to please yourself or to please God. Which will it be?

“Ouch! That makes my own toes hurt!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 12:14 – Blessing, Not Cursing

Posted on October 14, 2018 by Will

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not wish them evil.

Truth to Learn

Being Christ-like is really, really hard – but not impossible.

Behind the Words

The word translated “bless” is eulogeō, which is a compound word made up of eu, meaning “good or well” and a form of the noun logos, meaning “a word,” or the thoughts behind the word. So Paul is telling us that we should have good thoughts and say good things about those who persecute us. One more thing about the word translated “bless” is the fact that it is expressed in the imperative mood, which means that this is a command that Paul is giving us, not simply a suggestion.

“Persecute” is translated from a form of the Greek word diōkō, which is the same root as the word in the previous verse which was translated as “pursuing.” There we saw that this word means “to pursue” or “to persecute.” In other words, it means to be continually going after something, whether for good or for evil.

The Greek word translated “wish them evil” is kataraomai. This is the verb form of katara. This is made up of kata, meaning “down,” but often used as an intensifier, and ara. This word, ara, originally referred to “a prayer,” but over time it came to mean an imprecatory prayer or a wish for evil. In other words, it refers to a curse, or wish for a deity to execute upon someone. So we see that kataraomai refers to a prayer in which we ask God to take vengeance for us.

Meaning Explained

Now Paul gets down to a really difficult aspect of how Christians should act. He says that we should bless those who persecute us. The use of the word translated “persecute” may be a bit of a play on words by the Apostle Paul. We should be constantly pursuing opportunities to be hospitable to others (verse thirteen), and we should speak well of those who constantly pursue opportunities to do evil to us (verse fourteen).

Most Christians have experienced the pain of having someone make life difficult for them. It may have been because of something we have done, or it may have been completely unjustified. In either case, our natural reaction is to speak evil of them and maybe even pray that God would punish them for what they are doing. However, Paul tells us that instead of wishing revenge through imprecatory prayers, we should speak well of the one or ones persecuting us.

Is this easy? Absolutely not! Our fallen nature wants us to get revenge on those who continually try to do evil to us, but the Holy Spirit wants us to be Christ-like. As Jesus was lying on top of the cross having nails driven into His hands so that He could be tortured in a most painful manner, He said,

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34)

If ever there was a person who would have been justified in asking God to take vengeance on those who are mistreating Him, it was Jesus. Instead of that, however, He prayed that they would be forgiven.

Application

Is there someone right now who is making your life difficult, someone who is persecuting you? If so, ask God to make this verse real to you and ask Him to empower you through the Holy Spirit to speak well of (and to) the person responsible for your pain.

In God's service, for His glory,