"Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord."
— Romans 12:19 (NIV)
Romans 12:19 tells believers to put down the urge to get even and leave justice to God. This page gives the verse, what the key Greek words mean, where it sits in Romans 12, and a plain reading. For more on the theme, see Bible verses about anger and Bible verses about justice.
Free PDF
Get the free 30 Days of Love Verses PDF
Sign up for the daily Bible verse email, and get the free 30 Days of Love Verses PDF. 30 Days of Love Verses · Open the PDF
The verse
The King James reads: "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord."
"My dear friends" or "dearly beloved" is agapētos (G27), loved ones. "Take revenge" or "avenge" is ekdikeō (G1556), to get justice for yourself or punish. "Room" or "place" is topos (G5117) and "wrath" is orgē (G3709). "Vengeance" is ekdikēsis (G1557) and "repay" is antapodidōmi (G467), to pay back in return.
Where it sits in Romans 12
Verses 17-21 are about how to respond when someone wrongs you. "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone" (Romans 12:17). "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone" (Romans 12:18).
Paul's quote comes from Deuteronomy 32:35, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay." Hebrews 10:30 quotes the same line. Right after it Paul quotes Proverbs: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink" (Romans 12:20; see Proverbs 25:21-22). The chapter ends, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21).
What the verse is saying
Paul does not say the wrong done to you does not matter. He says justice belongs to God. Leaving room for God's wrath means stepping out of the judge's seat so God can do what only he can do rightly.
That frees you for something else. Instead of planning payback, verse 20 tells you to meet your enemy's needs, and verse 21 says that is how evil is beaten. Jesus taught the same: "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44).
Questions people ask
What does Romans 12:19 say?
In the NIV it says, "Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord." The KJV says, "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord."
Where does "Vengeance is mine, I will repay" come from?
Paul is quoting Deuteronomy 32:35, from the Song of Moses. Hebrews 10:30 quotes the same line.
What does "leave room for God's wrath" mean?
It means stepping back from getting even yourself. The Greek word topos means place or room. You leave the place of judging to God instead of filling it with your own revenge.
Does Romans 12:19 mean wrongs should never be punished?
The verse is about personal revenge. The next chapter says governing authorities are God's servants for punishing wrongdoing (Romans 13:4). What it forbids is taking payback into your own hands.
What verses go with Romans 12:19?
Romans 12:21 (overcome evil with good), Romans 12:18 (live at peace), Proverbs 25:21-22 (feed your enemy), and 1 Peter 3:9 (do not repay evil with evil) are close companions.
