Strong’s Greek 655 occurs once in the New Testament, in Romans 12:9. The verb carries the idea of a decisive, active loathing of evil. In the flow of Romans 12, it stands as the required negative counterpart to genuine, unhypocritical love. Paul moves from exposition (Romans 1–11) to exhortation, and the first moral imperative is this Spirit-empowered abhorrence of wickedness.

Paul’s Appeal in Romans 12:9

“Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good” (Romans 12:9).

1. Love and Hate Together: Paul does not treat love and hate as opposing virtues but as complementary. Genuine love is never sentimental tolerance; it carries a fierce intolerance toward evil that destroys God’s image-bearers.
2. Present-Tense Emphasis: The participle in Romans 12:9 reflects an ongoing stance. Believers are to keep on hating evil as a settled disposition, not an occasional impulse.
3. Corporate Application: The surrounding verses stress body life (Romans 12:4-8, 10-16). The congregation collectively must cultivate discernment, protecting the fellowship from moral corrosion.

Old Testament Foundations

• Psalm 97:10: “O you who love the LORD, hate evil!” The linkage of covenant love and moral revulsion forms a recurring biblical motif.
• Proverbs 8:13: “To fear the LORD is to hate evil.” Reverence for God produces active distaste for what contradicts His character.

These texts anticipate Paul’s call; apostolic teaching rests firmly on the Hebrew Scriptures.

Jewish and Greco-Roman Background

Second-Temple Judaism used strong language for shunning idolatry and injustice. In Greco-Roman ethics, philosophers such as Seneca praised moral indignation toward vice, yet Paul roots the believer’s abhorrence not in Stoic self-discipline but in transformed minds (Romans 12:2) and sacrificial mercy (Romans 12:1).

Early Church Reception

Church Fathers like Chrysostom saw Romans 12:9 as pastoral wisdom: “When love is unfeigned, evil cannot be endured.” The Didache (circa A.D. 100) echoes the verse, urging disciples to “hate all hypocrisy and everything not pleasing to the Lord.”

Biblical Theology of Hating Evil

1. Divine Pattern: God’s holiness includes hatred for evil (Psalm 5:4-5). Believers imitate their Father.
2. Christ’s Example: Hebrews 1:9 cites Psalm 45:7 about Messiah: “You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.” Jesus’ ministry embodies perfect balance—compassion toward sinners, uncompromising opposition to sin.
3. Spirit’s Work: Galatians 5 contrasts deeds of the flesh with fruit of the Spirit. Detesting evil aligns with crucifying the flesh (Galatians 5:24).

Practical Ministry Implications

• Preaching: Effective proclamation must expose wickedness while holding out grace.
• Church Discipline: Loving hatred of evil safeguards purity (1 Corinthians 5:6-8).
• Counseling: Disciples must learn to see sin as God sees it, cultivating new affections through Scripture, prayer, and community accountability.
• Social Ethics: Believers oppose societal evils—abortion, human trafficking, corruption—not from political zeal alone but from covenant love.

Spiritual Formation

1. Renewed Mind: Regular meditation on Scripture trains moral taste buds.
2. Prayer of Examen: Asking the Spirit to surface hidden compromise nurtures holy revulsion.
3. Sacramental Life: The Lord’s Supper calls for self-examination, reinforcing hatred of sin and love for Christ’s atoning work.

Contemporary Application

In an age of moral relativism, Romans 12:9 instructs the church to combine authentic affection with uncompromising discernment. The same grace that teaches us to “cling to what is good” empowers us to abhor evil, preserving the witness and health of Christ’s body.