Sincere love, shared life, and the lowly (Romans 12:9–16)

Says "Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good" (12:9, BSB). The same series exhorts brotherly devotion and mutual honor (12:10), hope, patience, and prayer (12:12), sharing with saints in need and hospitality (12:13), blessing persecutors (12:14), and shared joy and sorrow (12:15). "Live in harmony with one another" and "Do not be conceited" (12:16, BSB) stand with them. Verse 14 alone does not date a persecution. The BSB "you" in 12:14 matches the longer Greek reading (Treg, NA28, RP, TR); SBLGNT/WH omit ὑμᾶς, with B, 47, 67**, and am on Tischendorf’s Ti line for the shorter reading (see var.Rom.12.14.hymas).

Says The terse participles serve that exhortation with the imperatives. The forms are treated in note.language.Rom.12.9-Rom.12.16.agape-tapeinois and are not restated here.

Uncertain τῷ πνεύματι (tō pneumati, "in spirit," 12:11) may be the human spirit or the Holy Spirit. The BSB reads "keep your spiritual fervor." The dative does not decide the referent. No lean is taken here.

Uncertain τοῖς ταπεινοῖς (tois tapeinois, "the lowly," 12:16) may be lowly persons or humble things. The BSB reads "associate with the lowly." No lean is taken here. A possible echo of Prov 3:7 is left to note.language.Rom.12.16.prov-3-7.

Greco-Roman honor and hospitality are background only and do not fix the meaning (note.historical.Rom.12.1-Rom.12.21.body-honor-hospitality).