Do not overcome by evil...

HeavenBesideYou · 09-10-2004, 10:55 PM

Romans 12:21

"Do not be overcome by evil" --- NASB, NIV, RSV, NKJV

"Don't let evil get the best of you" --- Message

"Be not overcome of evil" --- KJV, ASV, Lamsa

"Be not overcome with evil" --- McCord

"Do not be conquered by evil" --- NAB, Goodspeed

"Don't let evil get the upper hand" --- LB

"Do not let evil conquer you" --- NEB

"Do not let evil defeat you" --- TEV, NCV, SEB

"Do not let yourself be conquered by evil" --- NWT

"Be not overpowered by evil" --- Berkeley

"Don't allow yourself to be overpowered by evil" --- Phillips

"Stop being conquered by evil" --- Williams
WORD STUDY

The Greek word nikao, which means "to be conquering, overcoming, vanquishing," appears 28 times in the pages of the New Testament writings. It is used 24 of those times by the apostle John (17 of which appear in Revelation). Both times that Paul uses it in this verse it appears in the Present Tense and the Imperative Mood. This means this is issued as a command which is to be carried out continuously.

I Samuel 24:17 --- When Saul realized that David had spared his life, after Saul had pursued David to kill him, Saul said, "You have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil" (RSV).

"To stoop to vengeance is to be ourselves conquered by evil. Evil can never be conquered by evil. If hatred is met with more hatred then hatred is only increased; but if hatred is met with love then an antidote for the poison is found. As Booker Washington said: 'I will not allow any man to make me lower myself by hating him'" (Barclay, p. 184).

"He who attempts to overcome evil with evil, may perhaps surpass his enemy in doing injury, but it is to his own ruin; for by acting thus he carries on war for the devil" (Calvin, p. 477).

"If the child of God should retaliate in kind for all acts of enmity against himself, he would shortly find himself engaging in all kinds of shameful and wicked conduct" (Coffman, p. 443).

"Be not vanquished or subdued by injury received from others. Do not suffer your temper to be excited; your Christian principles to be abandoned; your mild, amiable, kind, and benevolent temper to be ruffled by any opposition or injury which you may experience. Maintain your Christian principles amidst all opposition, and thus show the power of the gospel. They are overcome by evil who suffer their temper to be excited, who become enraged and revengeful, and who engage in contention with those who injure them, Prov. 16:22" (Barnes, p. 290).

"Do not let evil done to you so overcome you as to lead you to do evil in return. If you suffer yourself to be provoked to revenge, you will be yielding to the enemy -- overcome by that which is evil" (Lipscomb, p. 232).

"Do not allow yourself to be overcome by the wickedness of your adversary; as would be the case, if you suffered yourself to be exasperated by him to personal revenge" (Shedd, p. 374).

"Be not conquered by the evil conduct of your enemy towards you, which you will be, whenever you allow it to lead you to attempt either to avenge yourself on him, or to repay him with evil. In that event, you are conquered by evil" (Lard, p. 395).

"Wrong is not defeated but doubly victorious when it is repelled with its own weapons" (Expos. Greek, p. 695).

"Do not, by giving place to evil, become precisely the same character which thou condemnest in another. As soon as a man begins to avenge himself, he places himself on a par with the unprincipled man whose conduct he has so much reason to blame, and whose spirit he has so much cause to abominate. He who avenges himself receives into his own heart all the evil and disgraceful passions by which his enemy is rendered both wretched and contemptible. There is the voice of eternal reason in 'Avenge not yourselves -- overcome evil with good'" (Clarke, p. 143).

Heaven

Light is Life · 09-11-2004, 08:17 AM

"He who attempts to overcome evil with evil, may perhaps surpass his enemy in doing injury, but it is to his own ruin; for by acting thus he carries on war for the devil" Calvin

Which Calvin is this? The one of the reformation?
This man was a shame to the Gospel...

"Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. "
Matthew 23:2,3

Ann Allusion · 09-11-2004, 10:31 AM

Quote: "He who attempts to overcome evil with evil, may perhaps surpass his enemy in doing injury, but it is to his own ruin; for by acting thus he carries on war for the devil" Calvin

Which Calvin is this? The one of the reformation?
This man was a shame to the Gospel...

:lol...sounds a bit judgemental there Light...

not sure if it is the same "Calvin"...but could possibly be...seems to me that these particular words have quite the ring of Karma about them...kinda what goes around comes around, kinda thing.

you have quoted a lot of interesting passages...heaven...nice to see you again btw...

this one hit me too...

Quote: "Do not, by giving place to evil, become precisely the same character which thou condemnest in another. (Clarke)

many have quoted this in the context of "don't become that which you despise"...again...very Karmic.

All scripture...in all religions....has had a common source from the very beginning...and tho "Karma" is not a Christian concept...according to the organised Christian "religion" it does have a place in all spiritual belief, i have noticed.

"evil" is the greatest of negativities...and it must be counter balanced with the "good" (positive)...notice the word play here...evil with a "D" = Devil....and good - "O" = GOD...therefore...devil=evil...and God=good...just a bit more "word play" to think about...

Light is Life · 09-11-2004, 11:47 AM

Quote: (Originally Posted by Ann Allusion) :lol...sounds a bit judgemental there Light...

A man that understands that God creates elect and reprobate ones, and that the elect cannot lose their salvation, and then kill another man because of theological disagreement has just lost the salvation which he has never acquired.

Either Calvin is our brother or Servetus...
Calvin persecuted like the pharisees, Servetus was persecuted like Christ.

"Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. "
Matthew 23:28

"For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. "
Matthew 5:20

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. "
Matthew 7:15

"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. "
Matthew 10:16

We are sheep in the midst of wolves and we must be ready to get who are the wolves among us. When they speak something good, acknowledge their words as good, but don't acknowledge them as good, because they speak and do not. Remember that by the fruits we know which tree is good and which tree is corrupt, and not by the words.

It's really important to be wise as serpents, and to know the trees... Because the wolves are out there wearing our clothing, plotting to kill us inside and make us like them.

We're not living in the times of Christ anymore, of course the pharisees will take now the label "Christian" upon themselves and say "We are disciples of Christ!". Outwardly History is always changing, but inwardly it is always the same history.

creedsister · 09-11-2004, 12:19 PM

matt ch.13.verse 18.43

Ann Allusion · 09-11-2004, 04:25 PM

Quote: Remember that by the fruits we know which tree is good and which tree is corrupt, and not by the words.

a tree that is "planted" in poor soil may not bear fruit, or good quality fruit...yet if that tree is nutured and the soil enriched, shall that tree also not produce fruit?...

instead of looking at the faults of those planted in poor soil...standing in shadow...should we not "trim" our branches back with understanding and forgiveness as Christ taught, not judgement , to allow these poorly producing trees the chance to also produce...

i believe that God was telling mankind to be wary...be wise to the ways of the serpent, so they could understand and learn, not judge. We may be sheep in a sea of wolves...but even they could be tamed with kindness, eventually.

it is Love that allows everything to grow and flourish...as the saying goes:

"Love conquors All"

The Lithium · 09-11-2004, 04:54 PM

Well - it's ture.
Evil = Bad
Love = Good
Darn, I'm smart!!

Nice to see you here Heaven!!

creedsister · 09-11-2004, 08:28 PM

Cant Disagree With Ya, Ann matt ch.5 verse 3.12

Light is Life · 09-11-2004, 09:56 PM

Quote: (Originally Posted by Ann Allusion) i believe that God was telling mankind to be wary...be wise to the ways of the serpent, so they could understand and learn, not judge. We may be sheep in a sea of wolves...but even they could be tamed with kindness, eventually.

I understand your feeling, but we should mix feelings with knowledge so that we may be able to feel how God feels.

The same science that Paul has seen I have seen too.

"Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? "
Romans 9:19-21

Verily no one resists the will of God. The devil is not resisting the will of God since he was created to be who he is, that is, the devil. We should remember that we have a unchangeable personality and we can't flee from it, it's God who created us thus and we should stare at ourselves, know ourselves, and struggle to be who we really are.

"But by the grace of God I am what I am..."
I Corinthians 15:10

I AM what I AM

Two I's.
The second I relates to the unchangeable part of the being, the essence, the personality.
The first relates to the changeable part, the mind and the soul.

Right now the devil is speaking a truth by saying "I AM what I AM", otherwise God would be unrighteous offering no salvation to him.

Before understanding this I had many wrong feelings, I thought "Jesus said that the devil is judged already, why God does not forgive him so that he may become good??", and I used to become quite sad. But later God revealed to me this mystery and I understood how knowledge is important to our emotional health.

May God bless our souls with a wise spirit!

HeavenBesideYou · 09-12-2004, 01:21 AM

In light, Calvin was not the main objective here...

Nice to meet all of you, and a heartfelt handshake to Lith and Ann and some of my old colleauges.

Karma is my middle name, so shoot me!

PS... Light is life, if God so loves everyone of us, why is there a hell?

Think aboout it...

Heaven

Light is Life · 09-12-2004, 09:53 AM

Quote: (Originally Posted by HeavenBesideYou) In light, Calvin was not the main objective here...

Nice to meet all of you, and a heartfelt handshake to Lith and Ann and some of my old colleauges.

Karma is my middle name, so shoot me!

PS... Light is life, if God so loves everyone of us, why is there a hell?

Think aboout it...

Heaven

Well, God doesn't love everyone of us. The universe is dualistic, you have light and darkness, left and right, beginning and end, male and female, and you have human and inhuman beings too, angels and devils too, don't doubt.
Don't try to love Adolph Hitler because he is unlovable. Don't try to love those terrorists that killed those children in Russia because they are unlovable. Such people are to be treated as viruses, it's like in The Matrix, the agents tell Morpheu that human beings are like viruses destroying themselves and their own planet, but the agents are the liars and true viruses that created a system of chaos in which no one understands that not everyone among us is one of us. Some are born agents to spread evil and contaminate human beings with them, keeping everyone far from understanding that the world is a lie. The agents don't feel, they are machines, don't doubt.

I don't believe in hell as an outer place but as an inner place where the fire of indignation and wrath burns the souls of those who love lies and error.

creedsister · 09-12-2004, 10:35 PM

EYE OF THE TIGER

09-10-2004, 10:55 PM	#1
HeavenBesideYou USER INFO » Status: Seeker Posts: 1,969 Joined: Sep 2004 Currently: Offline	Do not overcome by evil... Romans 12:21 "Do not be overcome by evil" --- NASB, NIV, RSV, NKJV "Don't let evil get the best of you" --- Message "Be not overcome of evil" --- KJV, ASV, Lamsa "Be not overcome with evil" --- McCord "Do not be conquered by evil" --- NAB, Goodspeed "Don't let evil get the upper hand" --- LB "Do not let evil conquer you" --- NEB "Do not let evil defeat you" --- TEV, NCV, SEB "Do not let yourself be conquered by evil" --- NWT "Be not overpowered by evil" --- Berkeley "Don't allow yourself to be overpowered by evil" --- Phillips "Stop being conquered by evil" --- Williams WORD STUDY The Greek word nikao, which means "to be conquering, overcoming, vanquishing," appears 28 times in the pages of the New Testament writings. It is used 24 of those times by the apostle John (17 of which appear in Revelation). Both times that Paul uses it in this verse it appears in the Present Tense and the Imperative Mood. This means this is issued as a command which is to be carried out continuously. I Samuel 24:17 --- When Saul realized that David had spared his life, after Saul had pursued David to kill him, Saul said, "You have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil" (RSV). "To stoop to vengeance is to be ourselves conquered by evil. Evil can never be conquered by evil. If hatred is met with more hatred then hatred is only increased; but if hatred is met with love then an antidote for the poison is found. As Booker Washington said: 'I will not allow any man to make me lower myself by hating him'" (Barclay, p. 184). "He who attempts to overcome evil with evil, may perhaps surpass his enemy in doing injury, but it is to his own ruin; for by acting thus he carries on war for the devil" (Calvin, p. 477). "If the child of God should retaliate in kind for all acts of enmity against himself, he would shortly find himself engaging in all kinds of shameful and wicked conduct" (Coffman, p. 443). "Be not vanquished or subdued by injury received from others. Do not suffer your temper to be excited; your Christian principles to be abandoned; your mild, amiable, kind, and benevolent temper to be ruffled by any opposition or injury which you may experience. Maintain your Christian principles amidst all opposition, and thus show the power of the gospel. They are overcome by evil who suffer their temper to be excited, who become enraged and revengeful, and who engage in contention with those who injure them, Prov. 16:22" (Barnes, p. 290). "Do not let evil done to you so overcome you as to lead you to do evil in return. If you suffer yourself to be provoked to revenge, you will be yielding to the enemy -- overcome by that which is evil" (Lipscomb, p. 232). "Do not allow yourself to be overcome by the wickedness of your adversary; as would be the case, if you suffered yourself to be exasperated by him to personal revenge" (Shedd, p. 374). "Be not conquered by the evil conduct of your enemy towards you, which you will be, whenever you allow it to lead you to attempt either to avenge yourself on him, or to repay him with evil. In that event, you are conquered by evil" (Lard, p. 395). "Wrong is not defeated but doubly victorious when it is repelled with its own weapons" (Expos. Greek, p. 695). "Do not, by giving place to evil, become precisely the same character which thou condemnest in another. As soon as a man begins to avenge himself, he places himself on a par with the unprincipled man whose conduct he has so much reason to blame, and whose spirit he has so much cause to abominate. He who avenges himself receives into his own heart all the evil and disgraceful passions by which his enemy is rendered both wretched and contemptible. There is the voice of eternal reason in 'Avenge not yourselves -- overcome evil with good'" (Clarke, p. 143). Heaven

09-11-2004, 12:19 PM	#5
creedsister USER INFO » Status: Tree of Wisdom Posts: 8,290 Joined: Oct 2003 Currently: Offline	matt ch.13.verse 18.43 __________________ Hush child I,ll tell you why you have Loved Me when you were weak you have given me unselfishly Kept you From Falling Falling everywhere But Your Kness you set me free to live my life you become my Reason To Survive The Great Divide you Set Me Free Ooh Our Love Is Beautiful Ooh isn,t This Beautiful Child It Seems You Have Been My Everything

09-11-2004, 04:25 PM	#6
Ann Allusion USER INFO » Status: INK'ed Posts: 912 Joined: Jan 2003 Currently: Offline	Quote: Remember that by the fruits we know which tree is good and which tree is corrupt, and not by the words. a tree that is "planted" in poor soil may not bear fruit, or good quality fruit...yet if that tree is nutured and the soil enriched, shall that tree also not produce fruit?... instead of looking at the faults of those planted in poor soil...standing in shadow...should we not "trim" our branches back with understanding and forgiveness as Christ taught, not judgement , to allow these poorly producing trees the chance to also produce... i believe that God was telling mankind to be wary...be wise to the ways of the serpent, so they could understand and learn, not judge. We may be sheep in a sea of wolves...but even they could be tamed with kindness, eventually. it is Love that allows everything to grow and flourish...as the saying goes: "Love conquors All" Last edited by Ann Allusion : 09-11-2004 at 04:32 PM.

09-11-2004, 08:28 PM	#8
creedsister USER INFO » Status: Tree of Wisdom Posts: 8,290 Joined: Oct 2003 Currently: Offline	Cant Disagree With Ya, Ann matt ch.5 verse 3.12 __________________ Hush child I,ll tell you why you have Loved Me when you were weak you have given me unselfishly Kept you From Falling Falling everywhere But Your Kness you set me free to live my life you become my Reason To Survive The Great Divide you Set Me Free Ooh Our Love Is Beautiful Ooh isn,t This Beautiful Child It Seems You Have Been My Everything

09-12-2004, 01:21 AM	#10
HeavenBesideYou USER INFO » Status: Seeker Posts: 1,969 Joined: Sep 2004 Currently: Offline	Do not overcome by evil... In light, Calvin was not the main objective here... Nice to meet all of you, and a heartfelt handshake to Lith and Ann and some of my old colleauges. Karma is my middle name, so shoot me! PS... Light is life, if God so loves everyone of us, why is there a hell? Think aboout it... Heaven

09-11-2004, 08:17 AM	#2
Light is Life USER INFO » Status: Unspoken Posts: 29 Joined: Sep 2004 Currently: Offline	"He who attempts to overcome evil with evil, may perhaps surpass his enemy in doing injury, but it is to his own ruin; for by acting thus he carries on war for the devil" Calvin Which Calvin is this? The one of the reformation? This man was a shame to the Gospel... "Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. " Matthew 23:2,3

09-11-2004, 10:31 AM	#3
Ann Allusion USER INFO » Status: INK'ed Posts: 912 Joined: Jan 2003 Currently: Offline	Quote: "He who attempts to overcome evil with evil, may perhaps surpass his enemy in doing injury, but it is to his own ruin; for by acting thus he carries on war for the devil" Calvin Which Calvin is this? The one of the reformation? This man was a shame to the Gospel... :lol...sounds a bit judgemental there Light... not sure if it is the same "Calvin"...but could possibly be...seems to me that these particular words have quite the ring of Karma about them...kinda what goes around comes around, kinda thing. you have quoted a lot of interesting passages...heaven...nice to see you again btw... this one hit me too... Quote: "Do not, by giving place to evil, become precisely the same character which thou condemnest in another. (Clarke) many have quoted this in the context of "don't become that which you despise"...again...very Karmic. All scripture...in all religions....has had a common source from the very beginning...and tho "Karma" is not a Christian concept...according to the organised Christian "religion" it does have a place in all spiritual belief, i have noticed. "evil" is the greatest of negativities...and it must be counter balanced with the "good" (positive)...notice the word play here...evil with a "D" = Devil....and good - "O" = GOD...therefore...devil=evil...and God=good...just a bit more "word play" to think about...

09-11-2004, 11:47 AM	#4
Light is Life USER INFO » Status: Unspoken Posts: 29 Joined: Sep 2004 Currently: Offline	Quote: (Originally Posted by Ann Allusion) :lol...sounds a bit judgemental there Light... A man that understands that God creates elect and reprobate ones, and that the elect cannot lose their salvation, and then kill another man because of theological disagreement has just lost the salvation which he has never acquired. Either Calvin is our brother or Servetus... Calvin persecuted like the pharisees, Servetus was persecuted like Christ. "Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. " Matthew 23:28 "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. " Matthew 5:20 "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. " Matthew 7:15 "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. " Matthew 10:16 We are sheep in the midst of wolves and we must be ready to get who are the wolves among us. When they speak something good, acknowledge their words as good, but don't acknowledge them as good, because they speak and do not. Remember that by the fruits we know which tree is good and which tree is corrupt, and not by the words. It's really important to be wise as serpents, and to know the trees... Because the wolves are out there wearing our clothing, plotting to kill us inside and make us like them. We're not living in the times of Christ anymore, of course the pharisees will take now the label "Christian" upon themselves and say "We are disciples of Christ!". Outwardly History is always changing, but inwardly it is always the same history.

09-11-2004, 09:56 PM	#9
Light is Life USER INFO » Status: Unspoken Posts: 29 Joined: Sep 2004 Currently: Offline	Quote: (Originally Posted by Ann Allusion) i believe that God was telling mankind to be wary...be wise to the ways of the serpent, so they could understand and learn, not judge. We may be sheep in a sea of wolves...but even they could be tamed with kindness, eventually. I understand your feeling, but we should mix feelings with knowledge so that we may be able to feel how God feels. The same science that Paul has seen I have seen too. "Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? " Romans 9:19-21 Verily no one resists the will of God. The devil is not resisting the will of God since he was created to be who he is, that is, the devil. We should remember that we have a unchangeable personality and we can't flee from it, it's God who created us thus and we should stare at ourselves, know ourselves, and struggle to be who we really are. "But by the grace of God I am what I am..." I Corinthians 15:10 I AM what I AM Two I's. The second I relates to the unchangeable part of the being, the essence, the personality. The first relates to the changeable part, the mind and the soul. Right now the devil is speaking a truth by saying "I AM what I AM", otherwise God would be unrighteous offering no salvation to him. Before understanding this I had many wrong feelings, I thought "Jesus said that the devil is judged already, why God does not forgive him so that he may become good??", and I used to become quite sad. But later God revealed to me this mystery and I understood how knowledge is important to our emotional health. May God bless our souls with a wise spirit!

09-12-2004, 09:53 AM	#11
Light is Life USER INFO » Status: Unspoken Posts: 29 Joined: Sep 2004 Currently: Offline	Quote: (Originally Posted by HeavenBesideYou) In light, Calvin was not the main objective here... Nice to meet all of you, and a heartfelt handshake to Lith and Ann and some of my old colleauges. Karma is my middle name, so shoot me! PS... Light is life, if God so loves everyone of us, why is there a hell? Think aboout it... Heaven Well, God doesn't love everyone of us. The universe is dualistic, you have light and darkness, left and right, beginning and end, male and female, and you have human and inhuman beings too, angels and devils too, don't doubt. Don't try to love Adolph Hitler because he is unlovable. Don't try to love those terrorists that killed those children in Russia because they are unlovable. Such people are to be treated as viruses, it's like in The Matrix, the agents tell Morpheu that human beings are like viruses destroying themselves and their own planet, but the agents are the liars and true viruses that created a system of chaos in which no one understands that not everyone among us is one of us. Some are born agents to spread evil and contaminate human beings with them, keeping everyone far from understanding that the world is a lie. The agents don't feel, they are machines, don't doubt. I don't believe in hell as an outer place but as an inner place where the fire of indignation and wrath burns the souls of those who love lies and error.

09-12-2004, 10:35 PM	#12
creedsister USER INFO » Status: Tree of Wisdom Posts: 8,290 Joined: Oct 2003 Currently: Offline	EYE OF THE TIGER __________________ Hush child I,ll tell you why you have Loved Me when you were weak you have given me unselfishly Kept you From Falling Falling everywhere But Your Kness you set me free to live my life you become my Reason To Survive The Great Divide you Set Me Free Ooh Our Love Is Beautiful Ooh isn,t This Beautiful Child It Seems You Have Been My Everything

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