SEV Biblia, Chapter 12:16
Unnimes entre vosotros; no altivos, mas acomodndoos a los humildes. No seis sabios en vuestra propia opinin.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Romans 12:16
Verse 16. Be of the same mind] Live in a state of continual harmony and concord, and pray for the same good for all which you desire for yourselves. Mind not high things] Be not ambitious; affect nothing above your station; do not court the rich nor the powerful; do not pass by the poor man to pay your court to the great man; do not affect titles or worldly distinctions; much less sacrifice your conscience for them. The attachment to high things and high men is the vice of little, shallow minds. However, it argues one important fact, that such persons are conscious that they are of no worth and of no consequence in THEMSELVES, and they seek to render themselves observable and to gain a little credit by their endeavours to associate themselves with men of rank and fortune, and if possible to get into honourable employments; and, if this cannot be attained, they affect honourable TITLES.
But condescend to men of low estate.] Be a companion of the humble, and pass through life with as little noise and show as possible. Let the poor, godly man be your chief companion; and learn from his humility and piety to be humble and godly. The term sunapagomenoi, which we translate condescend, from sun, together, and apagw, to lead, signifies to be led, carried, or dragged away to prison with another; and points out the state in which the primitive Christians were despised and rejected of men, and often led forth to prison and death. False or man-pleasing professors would endeavour to escape all this disgrace and danger by getting into the favour of the great, the worldly, and the irreligious. There have not been wanting, in all ages of the Church, persons who, losing the savour of Divine things from their own souls by drinking into a worldly spirit, have endeavoured to shun the reproach of the cross by renouncing the company of the godly, speaking evil of the way of life, and perhaps sitting down in the chair of the scorner with apostates like themselves. And yet, strange to tell, these men will keep up a form of godliness! for a decent outside is often necessary to enable them to secure the ends of their ambition.
Be not wise in your own conceits.] Be not puffed up with an opinion of your own consequence; for this will prove that the consequence itself is imaginary. Be not wise, par eautoiv, by yourselves-do not suppose that wisdom and discernment dwell alone with you. Believe that you stand in need both of help and instruction from others.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 9-16 - The professed love of Christians to each other should be sincere, fre from deceit, and unmeaning and deceitful compliments. Depending of Divine grace, they must detest and dread all evil, and love and deligh in whatever is kind and useful. We must not only do that which is good but we must cleave to it. All our duty towards one another is summed u in one word, love. This denotes the love of parents to their children which is more tender and natural than any other; unforced unconstrained. And love to God and man, with zeal for the gospel, wil make the wise Christian diligent in all his wordly business, and in gaining superior skill. God must be served with the spirit, under the influences of the Holy Spirit. He is honoured by our hope and trust in him, especially when we rejoice in that hope. He is served, not only by working for him, but by sitting still quietly, when he calls us to suffer. Patience for God's sake, is true piety. Those that rejoice in hope, are likely to be patient in tribulation. We should not be cold in the duty of prayer, nor soon weary of it. Not only must there by kindness to friends and brethren, but Christians must not harbour ange against enemies. It is but mock love, which rests in words of kindness while our brethren need real supplies, and it is in our power to furnish them. Be ready to entertain those who do good: as there is occasion, we must welcome strangers. Bless, and curse not. It mean thorough good will; not, bless them when at prayer, and curse them a other times; but bless them always, and curse not at all. Tru Christian love will make us take part in the sorrows and joys of eac other. Labour as much as you can to agree in the same spiritual truths and when you come short of that, yet agree in affection. Look upo worldly pomp and dignity with holy contempt. Do not mind it; be not in love with it. Be reconciled to the place God in his providence puts yo in, whatever it be. Nothing is below us, but sin. We shall never fin in our hearts to condescend to others, while we indulge conceit of ourselves; therefore that must be mortified.
Greek Textus Receptus
το 3588 T-ASN αυτο 846 P-ASN εις 1519 PREP αλληλους 240 C-APM φρονουντες 5426 5723 V-PAP-NPM μη 3361 PRT-N τα 3588 T-APN υψηλα 5308 A-APN φρονουντες 5426 5723 V-PAP-NPM αλλα 235 CONJ τοις 3588 T-DPM ταπεινοις 5011 A-DPM συναπαγομενοι 4879 5734 V-PMP-NPM μη 3361 PRT-N γινεσθε 1096 5737 V-PNM-2P φρονιμοι 5429 A-NPM παρ 3844 PREP εαυτοις 1438 F-3DPM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
16. Condescend to men of low estate (toiv tapeinoiv sunapagomenoi). Rev., to things that are lowly. Toiv tapeinoiv to the lowly may mean either lowly men or lowly things. The verb literally means being carried off along with; hence yielding or submitting to, and so condescending. Compare Gal. ii. 13, and see on 2 Pet. iii. 17, in which passages it has a bad sense from the context. According to the original sense, the meaning will be, being led away with lowly things or people; i.e. being drawn into sympathy with them. Farrar suggests letting the lowly lead you by the hand. Meyer, who maintains the neuter, explains: "The lowly things ought to have for the Christian a force of attraction, in virtue of which he yields himself to fellowship with them, and allows himself to be guided by them in the determination of his conduct. Thus Paul felt himself compelled to enter into humble situations." On the other hand, Godet, maintaining the masculine, says: "The reference is to the most indigent and ignorant and least influential in the Church. It is to them the believer ought to feel most drawn. The antipathy felt by the apostle to every sort of spiritual aristocracy, to every caste-distinction within the Church, breaks out again in the last word." Condescend is a feeble and inferential rendering, open to construction in a patronizing sense; yet it is not easy to furnish a better in a single word. 65 The idea, then, fully expressed is, "set not your mind on lofty things, but be borne away (apo) from these by the current of your Christian sympathy along with (sun) things which are humble."In your own conceits (par eautoiv). Lit., with yourselves; in your own opinion. See ch. xi. 25, and compare Acts xxvi. 8, "incredible with you," i.e., in your judgment.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
12:16 {Be of the same mind} (to auto phronountes). Absolute or independent use of the participle again as with all the participles through verse #18, "thinking the same thing." {Set not your mind on high things} (m ta hupsla phronountes). "Not thinking the high things" (hupslos from huyos, height). Cf. #1Co 13:5. {Condescend to things that are lowly} (tois tapeinois sunapagomenoi). "Be carried away with (borne along with) the lowly things" (in contrast with ta hupsla, though the associative instrumental case may be masculine, "with lowly men." See #Ga 2:13; 2Pe 3:17 for the only other N.T. examples of this old verb. {Be not wise} (m ginesthe phronimoi). "Do not have the habit of becoming (ginesqe) wise in your own conceits" (par' heautois, beside yourselves). Note the imperative in the midst of infinitives and participles.
