Rejoice and Weep with Others Romans 12:15

Paul the apostle told the believing people in Rome not to be, “slothful in business”, to be, “fervent in spirit; serving the Lord” while “rejoicing in hope” being “patient in tribulation” and “continuing instant in prayer” as they were “distributing to the necessity of saints” and “given to hospitality”. He added, “Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not”, and in chapter twelve and verse fifteen of Romans, Paul tells the believers to, “rejoice” and “weep” with others where we read:

Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

The verse begins, “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, ...” Paul began with the word, “rejoice” which means “be glad exceedingly, thrive, salute and hail” “with them that do rejoice” or “alongside people who are glad exceedingly, thrive, salute and hail”. Paul exhorted the believers in Rome to “be exceedingly glad” with those who are “exceedingly glad”.

The verse goes on to say, “... and weep with them that weep.”. Paul continued with the words, “and weep” which means “mourn, bewail and lament as the sign of pain and grief” “with them that weep” or “with people who are mourning, bewailing and lamenting as a sign of pain and grief”. Paul instructed the believers to “lament and mourn” with people who “lament and mourn”.

When we meditate upon these words of Paul, we see the two extreme emotions people have as they live their lives. Sometimes there are occasions to “rejoice”, and other times there are occasions to “mourn”. As people who have received Jesus Christ as their personal “Savior and Lord”, the believers in Rome were to have compassion with those around them. If others experienced “exceedingly glad” things in their lives, the Christians were to be “exceedingly glad” with them, and if there were “lamentable” things which came into their lives, they were to “mourn” with them. Loving people includes both extremes, and Jesus is able to help those who believe in Him to identify with both.

Next time Paul tells the believers in Rome to, “be of the same mind one toward another”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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