Romans 13:10

10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.

Romans 13:10 Meaning and Commentary

Romans 13:10

Love worketh no ill to his neighbour
That is, the man that truly loves his neighbour, will contrive no ill against him, nor do any to him; he will not injure his person, nor defile his bed, nor deprive or defraud him of his substance; or do hurt to his character, bear false testimony against him, or covet with an evil covetousness anything that is his; but, on the contrary, will do him all the good he is capable of:

therefore love is the fulfilling of the law:
so far as a man loves his neighbour, he acts agreeably to the law, and the particular precepts of it above mentioned: what the apostle says of love to the neighbour, the Jews frequently say of love to God;

``he that loveth God (they say ^F4) (Nryma rve Myyqm) , "hath fulfilled the decalogue", both above and below.''

And again ^F5,

``there is no service like the love of God, R. Abba saith it is (atyyrwad allk) , "the sum of the law"; for the ten words of the law (wlylkta akh) , "are herein comprehended", or "fulfilled":''

and elsewhere ^F6 they observe,

``that (hbhab hlwlk hrwth lk) , "the whole law is comprehended", or fulfilled "in love".''

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 Zohar in Deut. fol. 111. 3.
F5 Zohar in Deut. fol. 113. 1.
F6 Moses Kotsensis Mitzvot Tora, praecept. affirm. 3. prope finem.

Romans 13:10 In-Context

8 Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

9 The commandments: Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet, and if there is any other commandment-all are summed up by this: Love your neighbor as yourself.

10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.

11 Besides this, knowing the time, it is already the hour for you to wake up from sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.

12 The night is nearly over, and the daylight is near, so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.