language · Rom 13:9 · ✓ Approved

Rom 13:9: four commandments (Exod 20; Deut 5) in the MT and LXX, and their order

Says The running text of Rom 13:9 lists Οὐ μοιχεύσεις (ou moicheuseis, "no adultery"), Οὐ φονεύσεις (ou phoneuseis, "no murder"), Οὐ κλέψεις (ou klepseis, "no theft"), Οὐκ ἐπιθυμήσεις (ouk epithymēseis, "no coveting"): selected commands from Exod 20:13–15, 17 and Deut 5:17–19, 21, not every intervening command.

Says MT order is murder, adultery, theft: לֹא תִּרְצָח (lo tirtsakh), לֹא תִּנְאָף (lo tin'af), לֹא תִּגְנֹב (lo tignov). Deut 5:18–21 add "and"; Exodus does not.

Says Swete's Deut 5:17–19 reads Οὐ μοιχεύσεις. Οὐ φονεύσεις. Οὐ κλέψεις.; A and F put murder first. Swete's Exod 20:13–15 reads Οὐ μοιχεύσεις. Οὐ κλέψεις. Οὐ φονεύσεις.; A and F have MT order.

Swete's Exod 20:13–15 corresponds to ENG 20:14, 15, 13; Swete's Deut 5:17–19 to ENG 5:18, 17, 19 (vol. 1, pp. 143, 353; page images).

Says The cited Hebrew prohibitions use Qal imperfect 2ms; Deut 5:21 additionally has Hitpael תִתְאַוֶּה (tit'avveh, "desire"). The Greek prohibitions are second singular futures; the readers are plural (13:8).

Says Paul's coveting command lacks objects; the MT supplies them (note.language.Rom.7.7.exod-20-17-deut-5-21).

Uncertain Agreement with Swete's Deuteronomy order is a form comparison, not proof of Paul's source; Luke 18:20 shares it. No lean is taken here.

The running text omits false witness (Exod 20:16; Deut 5:20); TR adds it (var.Rom.13.9.pseudomartyreseis).

Claims

SaysThe running text selects adultery, murder, theft, and coveting from Exod 20:13–15, 17 and Deut 5:17–19, 21, not every intervening command.
SaysMT order is murder, adultery, theft; Deut 5:18–21 add and, unlike Exodus.
SaysSwete Deut 5:17–19 has adultery, murder, theft, with murder first in A and F; Swete Exod 20:13–15 has adultery, theft, murder, with MT order in A and F.
SaysThe cited Hebrew prohibitions use Qal imperfect 2ms; Deut 5:21 also has Hitpael תִתְאַוֶּה. The Greek prohibitions are second singular futures, while the readers are plural.
SaysThe coveting command lacks objects in Romans; the MT supplies objects.
UncertainAgreement with the Swete Deuteronomy order, also shared by Luke 18:20, establishes form comparison, not proof of Paul’s historical source. No lean is taken here.

Citations

OSHB CC BY 4.0 Exod 20:13–17; Deut 5:17–21 (תִּרְצָח morph HVqi2ms; וְלֹא morph HC/Tn); Deut 5:21 תִתְאַוֶּה morph HVti2ms
BDB CC BY 4.0 רָצַח (H7523), p. 953, entry t.ef.aa; נָאַף (H5003), p. 610, entry n.ae.aa; גָּנַב (H1589), p. 170, entry c.cn.aa
LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 Exod 20:13–15 (vol. 1 p. 143; apparatus: "13—15 ου μοιχ. ου κλεψ. ου φον.] ου φον. ου μοιχ. ου κλεψ. AF"); Deut 5:17–19 (p. 353; apparatus: "17—18 ου φον. ου μοιχ. AF"). LXX read on the Swete page image, vol. 1 (1909), pp. 143, 353.
SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Rom 13:8–9; Luke 18:20; Mark 10:19; Jas 2:11
BSB public domain Rom 13:9

Sources OSHB CC BY 4.0 LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 BDB CC BY 4.0 BSB public domain Bible Scholarship & Tool CC BY 4.0

Quotations from LXX (Swete) are used under CC BY-SA 4.0 · Credits

2026-11-07

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