Romans 12:8

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then do so generously; if it is leading, do it diligently; if it is showing mercy, do it cheerfully.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Εἴτε ὁ παρακαλῶν, ἐν τῇ παρακλήσει: ὁ μεταδιδούς, ἐν ἁπλότητι· ὁ προϊστάμενος, ἐν σπουδῇ· ὁ ἐλεῶν, ἐν ἱλαρότητι.

Transliteration

Whether the one parakalōn, in the paraklēsei; the one metadidous, in haplotēti; the one proistamenos, in spoudē; the one eleōn, in hilarotēti.

Grammar Details

• *parakalōn*: present active participle, nominative, masculine, singular - exhorting/encouraging
• *paraklēsei*: dative, feminine, singular - exhortation/encouragement
• *metadidous*: present active participle, nominative, masculine, singular - giving/sharing
• *haplotēti*: dative, feminine, singular - simplicity/sincerity/liberality
• *proistamenos*: present middle participle, nominative, masculine, singular - leading/presiding
• *spoudē*: dative, feminine, singular - diligence/earnestness
• *eleōn*: present active participle, nominative, masculine, singular - showing mercy
• *hilarotēti*: dative, feminine, singular - cheerfulness/gladness

Word Meanings

• *parakalōn*: exhorting/encouraging/comforting/urging
• *paraklēsei*: exhortation/encouragement/comfort/consolation
• *metadidous*: giving/sharing/imparting/distributing
• *haplotēti*: simplicity/sincerity/liberality/generosity
• *proistamenos*: leading/presiding/ruling/managing
• *spoudē*: diligence/earnestness/zeal/haste
• *eleōn*: showing mercy/having compassion
• *hilarotēti*: cheerfulness/gladness/joyfulness

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Or he who exhorts, on exhortation: he who gives, let him do it with simplicity; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  or he that exhorteth, to his exhorting: he that giveth, [let him do it] with liberality; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  Let him that exhorteth geve attendaunce to his exhortacion. Yf eny man geve let him do it with singlenes. Let him that ruleth do it with diligence. Yf eny man shewe mercy let him do it with cherfulnes.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Let him that exhorteth, geue attedaunce to the exhortacion. Yf eny ma geueth, let hi geue with synglenesse. Let him that ruleth, be diligent. Yf eny man shewe mercy, let him do it with chearfulnesse.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that distributeth, let him doe it with simplicitie: he that ruleth, with diligence: he that sheweth mercie, with cheerefulnesse.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Or he that exhorteth, in exhortyng, he that geueth in singlenesse, he that ruleth in diligence, he that is mercifull in chearefulnesse.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, [let him do it] with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  or he who exhorts, to his exhorting: he who gives, let him do it with liberality; he who rules, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  or he who is exhorting -- `In the exhortation!' he who is sharing -- `In simplicity!' he who is leading -- `In diligence?' he who is doing kindness -- `In cheerfulness.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  or he that exhorteth, to his exhorting: he that giveth, `let him do it' with liberality; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  or he that exhorteth, to his exhorting: he that giveth, [let him do it] with liberality; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  He who has the power of comforting, let him do so; he who gives, let him give freely; he who has the power of ruling, let him do it with a serious mind; he who has mercy on others, let it be with joy.

• World English Bible (2000)

  or he who exhorts, to his exhorting: he who gives, let him do it with liberality; he who rules, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  if it is exhortation, he must exhort; if it is contributing, he must do so with sincerity; if it is leadership, he must do so with diligence; if it is showing mercy, he must do so with cheerfulness.

Referenced Verses

• 2 Cor 9:7 : 7 Each person should give as they have decided in their heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
• 1 Cor 12:28 : 28 And God has placed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, guidance, and different kinds of tongues.
• 1 Tim 5:17 : 17 The elders who lead well should be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.
• Heb 10:25 : 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
• Acts 13:15 : 15 After the reading of the law and the prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, 'Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, speak.'
• Acts 15:32 : 32 Judas and Silas, who were also prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words.
• Deut 15:8-9 : 8 Instead, you shall freely open your hand to him and generously lend him whatever he needs. 9 Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought in your heart: 'The seventh year, the year of release, is near,' and you look grudgingly on your poor brother and give him nothing. He will cry out to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty of sin. 10 You shall surely give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you undertake. 11 For there will never cease to be poor people in the land. Therefore, I command you to freely open your hand to your brother, to the needy, and to the poor in your land.
• Deut 15:14 : 14 Provide them generously from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress. Give to them as the Lord your God has blessed you.
• Deut 16:11 : 11 Rejoice before the Lord your God—you, your son and daughter, your male and female servants, the Levite in your towns, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow living among you, in the place the Lord your God chooses to establish His name.
• Deut 16:14-15 : 14 Be joyful at your festival—you, your son and daughter, your male and female servants, the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow who live in your towns. 15 For seven days celebrate the festival to the Lord your God at the place the Lord will choose. For the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete.
• Job 31:16-20 : 16 If I have withheld the desires of the poor or caused the eyes of the widow to fail, 17 if I have eaten my morsel alone, without sharing with the fatherless— 18 but from my youth I raised him as a father would, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow— 19 if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing, or the needy without garments, 20 and their hearts did not bless me for warming them with the fleece from my sheep—
• Ps 37:21 : 21 The wicked person borrows and does not repay, but the righteous is gracious and gives.
• Ps 101:1-8 : 1 A psalm of David. I will sing of your mercy and justice, Lord; to you, I will make music. 2 I will act wisely and follow the way of integrity. When will you come to me? I will live with integrity in my heart within my house. 3 I will not set any worthless thing before my eyes. I hate the actions of those who turn aside; it will not cling to me. 4 A perverse heart will depart from me; I will not associate with evil. 5 Whoever secretly slanders their neighbor, I will silence. Whoever has proud eyes and an arrogant heart, I cannot endure. 6 My eyes will be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me. The one who walks in integrity, they will serve me. 7 No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks lies will stand in my presence. 8 Each morning, I will silence all the wicked of the land, cutting off every evildoer from the city of the Lord.
• Ps 112:9 : 9 He has freely given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever. His horn will be exalted with honor.
• Prov 22:9 : 9 The generous person will be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.
• Eccl 9:10 : 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
• Eccl 11:1-2 : 1 Send your bread upon the waters, for in many days you will find it again. 2 Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what disaster may come upon the earth.
• Eccl 11:6 : 6 Sow your seed in the morning and do not withhold your hand in the evening, for you do not know which will prosper—whether this or that, or if both will equally thrive.
• Isa 32:5 : 5 No longer will a fool be called noble, nor the miser said to be generous.
• Isa 32:8 : 8 But a noble person makes honorable plans, and by honorable deeds he stands.
• Isa 58:7-9 : 7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and to bring the homeless poor into your house? When you see the naked, clothe them, and do not hide yourself from your own flesh and blood. 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear. Your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: 'Here I am.' If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing finger, and malicious talk. 10 If you offer yourself to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like noonday. 11 The Lord will guide you continually, and he will satisfy your soul in parched places and strengthen your bones. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
• Isa 64:5 : 5 We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like filthy rags. We wither like a leaf, and our sins carry us away like the wind.
• Matt 6:2-4 : 2 So, when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly, I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
• Matt 25:40 : 40 The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, to the extent that you did it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it for me.’
• Luke 21:1-4 : 1 Looking up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow putting in two small coins. 3 He said, 'Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them.' 4 For they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she had to live on.
• Acts 2:44-46 : 44 All the believers were united and had everything in common. 45 They sold their possessions and goods and distributed the proceeds to everyone, as anyone had need. 46 Day by day, they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
• Acts 4:33-35 : 33 With great power, the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was no one in need among them, for those who owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds from the sale. 35 They laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as they had need.
• Acts 11:28-30 : 28 One of them, named Agabus, stood up and, through the Spirit, predicted that a severe famine would spread across the entire world. This happened during the reign of Claudius. 29 The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters living in Judea. 30 They did this, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.
• Acts 13:12 : 12 Then the proconsul, when he saw what had happened, believed, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.
• Acts 20:2 : 2 After traveling through those regions and encouraging the people with many words, he came to Greece.
• Acts 20:28 : 28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, among whom the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.
• Rom 12:13 : 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
• Rom 13:6 : 6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are servants of God, continually attending to this very thing.
• 1 Cor 14:3 : 3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouragement, and comfort.
• 2 Cor 1:12 : 12 For this is our boast: The testimony of our conscience is that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity, not relying on worldly wisdom but on God's grace.
• 2 Cor 8:1-9 : 1 Now we want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been given to the churches of Macedonia. 2 In the midst of a severe trial brought by affliction, their overflowing joy and their deep poverty overflowed into abundant generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave according to their ability, and even beyond their ability, entirely on their own. 4 They urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 5 And they exceeded our expectations: they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will. 6 So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier begun, to complete this act of grace among you as well. 7 But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in the love we inspired in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. 8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that through His poverty you might become rich.
• 2 Cor 8:12 : 12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.
• 2 Cor 9:11 : 11 You will be enriched in every way for all generosity, which through us produces thanksgiving to God.
• 2 Cor 9:13 : 13 Because of the proof provided by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with all.
• 2 Cor 11:3 : 3 But I am afraid that, just as the serpent deceived Eve by its cunning, your minds may be led astray from sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
• Eph 6:5 : 5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with sincerity of heart, as you would Christ.
• Col 3:22 : 22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.
• 1 Thess 2:3 : 3 For our appeal does not come from error, impurity, or deception.
• 1 Thess 2:8 : 8 In the same way, being affectionately desirous of you, we were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our very lives, because you had become dear to us.
• 1 Thess 5:12-14 : 12 Now we ask you, brothers, to recognize those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord, and who instruct you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. 14 Now we urge you, brothers, admonish those who are idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.
• 1 Tim 3:4-5 : 4 He must manage his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity. 5 (For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of God’s church?)
• 1 Tim 4:13 : 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, and to teaching.
• Heb 13:7 : 7 Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
• Heb 13:17 : 17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Allow them to do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
• Heb 13:22 : 22 I urge you, brothers, to bear with this word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly.
• Heb 13:24 : 24 Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy send you their greetings.
• 1 Pet 4:9-9 : 9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and power forever and ever. Amen.
• Gen 18:19 : 19 For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what He has promised him.
• 1 Pet 5:2-3 : 2 Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, watching over them—not under compulsion, but freely; not for dishonest gain, but eagerly. 3 Do not lord it over those entrusted to you, but be examples to the flock.