To no man rendering evil for evil. Providing good things, not only in the sight of God but also in the sight of all men.
μηδενι κακον αντι κακου αποδιδοντες προνοουμενοι καλα ενωπιον παντων ανθρωπων
7 Church Fathers comment on this verse
“Repay no one evil for evil.” If you reproach another for malicious intent, why do you make yourself liable to the same charge? If he has done evil, why do you not avoid imitating him? Notice that the Apostle made no distinction here, but gave a universal law. He did not say, “Do not repay a believer evil for evil,” but, “Repay no one,” even if he is an evildoer or anyone whatever. “Provide things honorable in the sight of all men.”
“Repay no one evil for evil.” If you reproach another because he has done evil, why do you imitate him and do evil yourself? He did not say, “Do no evil to a believer,” but, “to no one,” whether he is a pagan or anyone else. “But have regard for what is good in the sight of all men.” He says this not so that we may live for vainglory, but so that we may give no occasion for reproach to those who desire it. He requires us to live without causing scandal and without stumbling, because many observe us and what concerns us.
“Repay no one evil for evil.” This means what the Lord says: “Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven” (Mt 5:20). In the law it was commanded: “You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev 19:17-18). This, as is evident, is righteousness. Yet, so that Christian righteousness might abound, the teaching commands us not to repay evil for evil (1 Thess 5:15).
“Repay no one evil for evil.” This is progress near to the most perfect virtue and to dispassion. “Provide things honorable in the sight of all men.” So the Apostle says elsewhere: “Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the Church of God” (1 Cor 10:32).
Do not repay evil for evil. Returning injury for injury not only fails to destroy the evil already done, but also does not stop the spread of evil. It even strengthens it. Anger is not healed by anger. What a pitiful state it is to repay hatred with hatred and injury with injury. What if the enemy is stronger than you? What then will your desire for revenge accomplish, except the hastening of your destruction? Even with equal strength, what can be expected except mutual fall and calamity? Finally, even if he is unable to withstand you, is secret treachery less dangerous than open attack? And what of tormenting cares, stratagems, plans, and undertakings that turn to one’s own harm?
What of agonizing thoughts even about one’s supposed success, and still more agonizing thoughts about the opponent’s success? Finally, what of success itself, accompanied by great pangs of conscience, and sometimes by universal contempt? Ah, how many torments the hating heart endures. It is Hades on earth, the flame of Gehenna. Do not be troubled or irritated with your neighbor if you hear a reproach from him against yourself. Consider whether it is just. If it is unjust, the arrow has flown past you. Why should you be in pain when you are not wounded? But if it is just, do not complain about the one who reproaches you as an enemy who inflicts a wound. Thank him as a physician who uncovers it and urges you to heal it. Do not be irritated if you have also received an injury from him in deed. Consider which is better, to be the offender or the offended. Without doubt, it is better to be innocent than guilty. Consider also whether it is better to be irritated or to endure. Irritation can suddenly make you guilty and more miserable than before. By patience, however, innocence is preserved, and misfortune can be diminished. A good victory does not consist in your having done evil to the enemy, but in the enemy’s being unable to do true evil to you. It is better to answer reproach with meekness than with reproach. Mud must be washed away with clean water. You will not wash off mud with mud. Bad words are best refuted by good deeds. When you hear a word that condemns and reproaches your neighbor, take care lest through your hearing you share in the sin of another’s tongue. Do not attach your heart to words that are more harmful to the one condemning than to the one condemned.
To repay evil for evil, to take vengeance, has become a natural need of fallen man. He has taken self-preservation and self-defense upon himself.
He considers it a law of justice for himself not to leave unavenged the evil he has suffered, so as to cut off its repetition or a greater influx of it.
Vengeance is the direct offspring of selfhood, which does not rest until it finds direct or indirect satisfaction for itself. Vengeance weakens when self-denial is accepted as a law for oneself.
It is extinguished completely only with the final extinguishing of egoism. In its perfect form, this occurs only in those sanctified by grace.
Grace, enlivening the spirit, restores life in God. At the same time it gives birth to surrender to God, which lays all care for oneself, one's life, and one's affairs upon God.
Therefore it receives both good and evil as from the hand of God. It does not interfere with its own efforts to correct things, in the conviction that, if needed, God Himself will correct everything.
Thus vengeance disappears in surrender to God and in the perfect placing of every hope upon Him. "And this is progress close to the most perfect virtue and to dispassion" (Blessed Theodoret).
The commandment not to avenge oneself and not to repay evil for evil was given when grace came. This was a sign that only rebirth by grace makes one capable of it.
This commandment came from the lips of the Savior Himself: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you: Love your enemies.
"Bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who abuse you and persecute you" (cf. Mt 5:43-44).
And with what strong, compelling, and at the same time most lovely motives this is surrounded: "That you may be sons of your Father Who is in heaven.
"For He makes His sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even tax collectors do the same?
"And if you greet only your friends, what more are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (cf. Mt 5:45-48).
A little below this the Lord adds: "If you forgive men their trespasses," which is not taking vengeance, "your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
"But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses" (cf. Mt 6:14-15).
Ambrosiaster writes: "The Lord said, 'Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven' (Mt 5:20).
"In the Law it was written, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy' (Mt 5:43). This seems, in appearance, to be just.
"But so that the righteousness of Christians might exceed it, they received the commandment not to repay evil for evil. Thus they may be perfect and receive a reward for this at God's judgment.
"For the one who, imitating heavenly righteousness, does not do what is considered permissible among worldly people appears to surpass justice itself."
Vengeance is considered by those who avenge themselves to be a measure of prudence. But only blinding passion teaches one to think this.
True prudence cannot fail to see that fire is not extinguished with oil. If the fire of enmity is already burning in the one who has done evil, repayment with evil will not extinguish it, but inflame it more.
If you wish to extinguish this fire, pour upon it the water of meekness, forbearance, and beneficence.
Again, what prudence is there in imitating evil? If you think that the one who did evil to you acted badly, why do you go against your own judgment?
Why do you strain to do the evil that you consider bad to do?
Saint Chrysostom says: "If you reproach another for evil intent, why do you make yourself guilty as well? If he has done evil, why do you not avoid imitating him?
"Notice that the Apostle made no distinction here, but gave a universal law. He did not say, 'Do not repay evil for evil to a believer.' He says, 'Repay no one,' neither Gentile, nor evildoer, whoever he may be."
"Taking thought for what is good before all men." If these words are placed in connection with the preceding words, and one sees the same thought in both statements, their meaning will be this: always take thought for what is good toward other people.
One who wishes to avenge himself on another sits and devises various ways to wound the one who has offended him.
The Apostle has forbidden repaying evil for evil, and therefore devising how to do evil. Now he says: do not occupy your head with this.
Do not devise how to do evil to the one who has offended or insulted you. Devise how to do good to every man, whoever he may be.
Care only about this. Have this in your heart.
Oecumenius, among others, interprets it so: "Since above he said, 'Repay no one evil for evil,' he also added, 'Taking thought for what is good.'
"It is as though he said: it is not enough merely not to repay with evil. One must also have care for the one who has done evil to us.
"And earlier, he was not content to say, 'Do not curse those who persecute you,' but commanded also that we bless them."
But if these words are taken separately from the preceding words, and one sees in them a distinct lesson, then their thought will be this: always take care to do good before the face of all men, for fear of scandalizing anyone.
The Wise One had already taught: "Take thought for what is good before the Lord God and men" (cf. Prov 3:4). The Apostle had already repeated this lesson more than once in earlier epistles.
Thus, in the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, when he commands alms to be gathered for the suffering brethren in Jerusalem, he counsels them to do this with prudent caution.
No shadow should fall on him or his companions, who were to carry this alms to its destination. He says, "Take care that no one should blame us about this abundance which is being administered by us.
"We take thought for what is good not only before God, but also before men" (cf. 2 Cor 8:20-21).
In the First Epistle to the same Corinthians, he expressed the same lesson in other words. This was in connection with rules about how to act concerning animals sacrificed to idols.
He said: "Give no offense to Jews or Greeks or to the Church of God, just as I please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but that of many, that they may be saved" (cf. 1 Cor 10:32-33).
The Savior also commanded: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father Who is in heaven" (Mt 5:16).
And Saint Paul, before the words quoted above, said: "Whether you eat or drink, or whatever else you do, do all to the glory of God" (cf. 1 Cor 10:31).
All our commentators understand these words in this way, not excluding Oecumenius.
Blessed Theophylact, using Saint Chrysostom's words, writes: "The Apostle speaks so, not so that we may live for vainglory, but so that we may not give occasion for blame to those who desire it.
"For he requires us to live without scandal and without stumbling, because many observe us and what pertains to us."
Ambrosiaster gives greater attention to when this rule is most applicable, namely, in deeds not determined by commandment, but left to free choice, and therefore permissible.
With commandments one rarely needs to think how to fulfill them. But what is permissible must always be considered, lest by freedom in it one somehow scandalize a brother.
"To take thought for what is good," he says, "means to foresee, or to keep before one's eyes, the good that should come from our deeds.
"Thus what is done cannot be turned into a reproach against us, but instead serves for praise both before God and before men.
"Let no one think that because what is permissible is not displeasing to God, otherwise it would not be permissible, there is no need to care whether it becomes a scandal to a brother.
"Forestalling this, the Apostle teaches that one must act so that what is done is neither displeasing to God nor a scandal to one's brother.
"Let something be permissible. Yet if it scandalizes a brother, it is no longer pleasing to God, because God wills that we care mutually for one another's salvation.
"Thus what is good is taken thought for before God and men when what is permissible is done in such a way that it does not scandalize a brother."
It is absolutely prescribed that one must not repay evil for evil.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 10 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS