Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse calls us not just to love our Christian family, but to be actively tender in that love, like close family members. It then urges us to "outdo one another" in showing honor, not by seeking it for ourselves, but by being the first to look for and highlight the good in others.
Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is guiding the Roman believers on how to live out their faith practically within the community. Following his exhortations on humble love and genuine service, he emphasizes the deep, affectionate bond that should exist between believers, urging them to actively honor one another above themselves. This call for radical mutual respect serves as a cornerstone for the practical applications of Christian love that he continues to outline.
Ever feel like Christian 'brotherly love' can sometimes be a bit distant? Paul calls for something deeper.
Paul uses a unique word here, 'philostorgos' (kindly affectioned), to describe the love Christians should have for one another. This word isn't just about liking someone; it carries the tenderness and deep care found in a family, like a parent’s love for a child.
A Deeper Bond
This isn't just a generic call for niceness. It's about recognizing the profound spiritual family we belong to through Christ. We are bound together not just by shared beliefs, but by God's Spirit dwelling within us. This familial bond calls for a warmth and intimacy that goes beyond casual friendship.
Paul flips the script on how we should interact. Instead of seeking honor, he calls us to give it away.
The phrase 'outdo one another in showing honor' (literally, 'in honor, going before one another') is a radical call to humility and generosity. It’s not about competing to receive honor, but competing to give it.
Leading the Way in Respect
This means actively looking for ways to esteem others more highly than yourself. Instead of waiting for someone to acknowledge you, you acknowledge them first. It's about a proactive, even anticipatory, giving of honor. This attitude radically counters the world's focus on self-promotion and status.
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Understand the original words
philadelphia · Greek Noun
Refers to the familial, tender love shared between members of the household of faith. It acknowledges the spiritual kinship created by God through adoption in Christ.
timē · Greek Noun
The act of showing high regard, esteem, or value to others. It involves recognizing the dignity of others as image-bearers of God and elevating their needs above one's own.
Jesus Himself said that loving one another would be the defining mark of His disciples, echoing the deep, family-like affection Paul calls for in Romans 12:10.
1 Peter 1:22Peter urges believers to purify their souls by their obedience to truth, leading to sincere love for one another, showing this isn't just a Pauline concept but a core Christian ethic.
Philippians 2:3-4This passage directly supports the 'preferring one another in honor' aspect, instructing believers not to act out of selfish ambition but to consider others as more important than themselves.
1 John 3:16-18John provides a practical, tangible definition of love, emphasizing that true love isn't just words but actions, like laying down one's life and sharing resources with those in need, which aligns with the self-giving nature of honoring others.
Ephesians 4:2Paul exhorts believers to 'make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace,' which is directly fostered by the tender, brotherly affection and mutual honor described in Romans 12:10.
ellicottRomans 12:10: "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;"
(10) With brotherly love. —Better translated as in the margin, In love of the brethren (fellow Christians) be kindly affectioned. The word for “kindly affectioned” is specially used of the family relation, and is, therefore, appropriately applied to the brotherhood of the Christian family. Preferring one another.—Rather, perhaps, anticipating one another. The Christian is to take the init…
barnesRomans 12:10: "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;"
Be kindly affectioned - The word used here occurs no where else in the New Testament. It properly denotes tender affection, such as what subsists between parents and children; and it means that Christians should have similar feelings toward each other, as belonging to the same family, and as united in the same principles and interests. The Syriac renders this, "Love your brethren, and lov…
The verse calls us not just to love our Christian family, but to be actively tender in that love, like close family members. It then urges us to "outdo one another" in showing honor, not by seeking it for ourselves, but by being the first to look for and highlight the good in others.
Paul is guiding the Roman believers on how to live out their faith practically within the community. Following his exhortations on humble love and genuine service, he emphasizes the deep, affectionate bond that should exist between believers, urging them to actively honor one another above themselves. This call for radical mutual respect serves as a cornerstone for the practical applications of Christian love that he continues to outline.
Paul is guiding the Roman believers on how to live out their faith practically within the community. Following his exhortations on humble love and genuine service, he emphasizes the deep, affectionate bond that should exist between believers, urging them to actively honor one another above themselves. This call for radical mutual respect serves as a cornerstone for the practical applications of Christian love that he continues to outline.
"Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor." — The verse calls us not just to love our Christian family, but to be actively tender in that love, like close family members. It then urges us to "outdo one another" in showing honor, not by seeking…
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Last reviewed October 2026