If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone.If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men.If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men.
4 sermons cite this verse
… Paul would be beheaded in the city, and the Christians would be burned at the stake by Nero. But Paul says this, bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse them. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Beloved, never avenge yourselves. No, if your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. And then I love this last line. I want you to say it with me. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. This is the Christian strategy for winning. This is the Christian strategy for defeating evil, not giving in to the evil and becoming the evil itself, but instead overcoming the evil with good. This was Paul's strategy. This was Jesus' strategy. This is the strategy that we have. Today, we are suspicious of Muslims. We just have to admit that. After 9-11, we experienced a great pain in our country, and we still haven't figured out how to get over that. …
… Repay no one evil for evil, but have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath. For it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you will heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Again, this teaching comes to us not from the cumulative wisdom of ancient sages, but it is the wisdom that comes from God Himself, who understands all things and who does all things well. Let us, as his children, receive it as such. Please be seated. Let us pray. Again, our Lord and our God, we invoke Your presence in our midst as we endeavor to sit at the feet of the apostles whom Thou hast anointed and given Your Word for our edification, our instruction, admonition, to the end that we might live by the light of that lamp that You have set before our feet, so that in the finalist analysis, Christ may be glorified through the obedience of His people. …
… RECOMPENSE TO NO MAN EVIL FOR EVIL, PROVIDE THINGS HONEST IN SIDE OF ALL MEN, IF IT BE POSSIBLE, AS MUCH AS LIETH IN YOU, LIVE PEACEABLY WITH ALL MEN. DEARLY BELOVED, AVENGE NOT YOURSELVES, BUT RATHER GIVE PLACE TO WRATH. FOR WHAT IS WRITTEN, VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY, SAITH THE LORD. THEREFORE, IF THINE ENEMY HUNGER, FEED HIM. IF HE THIRST, GIVE HIM DRINK. FOR IN SO DOING, THOU SHALL HEAP COALS OF FIRE ON HIS HEAD. BE NOT OVERCOME OF EVIL, OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD. AND SO ALL OF US ARE GOING TO GET INSULTED. ALL OF US ARE GOING TO BE DEGRADED. ALL OF US ARE GOING TO BE LOOKED DOWN UPON SOMETIME. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW REALLY WHAT YOU'RE FULL OF, JUST SEE WHAT SPILLS OUT WHEN YOU GET JOSTLED. I, I'D NOT BEEN A, A, A PASTOR OF THIS CHURCH VERY LONG, UH, WHEN A MAN WROTE ME A LETTER. EVIDENTALLY HE DECIDED HE DIDN'T LIKE THE NEW PASTOR. AND HE WROTE ME A LETTER. IT WAS A DEGRADING LETTER. …
… Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. And if it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath. For it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. The Word of God for his people. Please be seated. Let us pray. Father, even now as we contemplate these exhortations and injunctions that come to us from the pen of your anointed apostle, we pray that we may feel the weight of these mandates, that they may grasp us in our hearts and in our souls. For we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. This portion of chapter 12 indicates another shift in the literary style of Paul's writing in the very middle of this passage, where he has been throughout the book giving us lengthy, weighty concepts of the doctrines of grace spelled out with long sentences and paragraphs, and last week we looked at the responsibility on how people are to use the gifts that God gives to them in the church. And now it's like we get some staccato shots from the apostle, almost like bullet points in a power presentation that we might be familiar with in our day as he sets in pithy style in a terse manner one after another of these ethical …