Any one of us can be tempted to be vindictive from time to time especially if someone

has seriously disappointed us, harmed us or our families or friends, or tried to damage or
destroy our personal reputations. But no matter what evil others have done to us, we must
remember what the apostle Paul wrote in First Thessalonians 5:15: See that none
render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among
yourselves, and to all men.
The Greek tense in this verse is not a suggestion, but rather the strongest form of
command. When Paul wrote, See that none render evil for evil, it could be translated, I
am unquestionably commanding that none of you render evil for evil. It is absolutely clear
that Christians are commanded to abstain from all acts of retaliation and self-vindication.
The word none is all-inclusive, letting us know that this order is categorically directed to
every single person. This means that regardless of the circumstance, no one who calls
Jesus his Lord should be involved in the practice of rendering evil for evil.
The word render in this verse is from the word apodidomi, a compound of the
words apo anddidomi. The word apo means back, as to return something back to its
original owner or to sendsomething back to someone. The word didomi simply means to
give. When these two words are compounded into the word apodidomi as we find it in
this verse the new word means to send back, to return, or to pay back. In other
words, it is never our task to retaliate, to get even, to get revenge, to make
someone pay for what he did, or to settle the score with someone we think did evil
against us.
The word evil is the Greek word kakos. It describes an action that is harmful, hurtful,
or injurious orsomething done with an evil intent. This word describes the actions of
a person who intentionally or carelessly acts to cause some kind of damage or ruin in
someone elses life.
But this verse talks about evil for evil the Greek phrase kakon anti kakou which
carries the idea of a person who thinks, You did wrong to me, so now Im going to do
wrong to you. Im going to do to you exactly what you did to me!
In Gods view, such vindictive behavior is completely unacceptable for committed Christians,
even if someone has grievously wronged them.

Instead Paul wrote that we must ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves,
and to all men. The word ever is pantote, a word that means always, at all times,
or constantly. The word follow is the word dioko, which in historic Greek literature
meant to hunt; to pursue; to chase; or to track down and kill. It is the picture of an
outdoorsman who is so determined to hunt down an animal that he will stop at nothing to
pursue, chase, track down, and ultimately get his game!
Do hunters accidentally bag their game, or do they strategize and plan to get a good kill
each hunting season? Hunters strategize! They talk to other hunters about the best
places to hunt. They dress in camouflaged clothes. They often perch themselves high up on
tree branches and wait for hours upon hours for an unlucky deer to walk onto their path.
Once the deer comes within range,they shoot to kill!
Hunters hunt, hound, and stalk their prey until they finally get their game. Then they throw
the big catch in the back of their vehicle and head home with their trophy and the
prospect of many good venison meals in their future!
That is exactly what Paul means when he told us to ever follow that which is good: We
must hunt down good until weve bagged it and obtained the desired outcome.
The fact that what is good must be pursued means that doing the right thing does not
always come easy! But regardless of how hard it is to do it, you and I must always be
committed to doing what is good and right. The word good in this verse is the Greek
word agathos, which means anything that is good, beneficial, or profitable.
You may be tempted to resist being a blessing to or to do nothing at all for someone
you feel has done wrong to you. But as I just noted, it is never your job to pay someone
back for what he or she did to you and that includes withholding a blessing when you are
able to give it.
Paul plainly teaches that it is Gods will that we ever follow that which is good. That means
we must be dedicated to pursuing that which is good, beneficial, and profitable. But must we
really do good to all men? Must we seek to do good even to those who have done wrong to
us?
Paul answers that question when he wrote that we must behave like this both among
yourselves, and to all men. The phrase among yourselves in Greek is eis allelous, and it
unquestionably refers to the relationships that exist among the brethren in church. But we
are not only to be in the occupation of doing good to fellow brethren Paul also goes on to

say, to all men. This phrase all men includes those outside the Church, or those who
are outside of Christ and are therefore non-Christian.
If you feel someone has committed an injustice toward you or simply treated you badly, and
you find yourself wishing you could get back at that person for what he or she did, that is a
moment when you must take charge of your emotions. You must remind yourself that
vindictive behavior is neverGods will for your life. Regardless of the evil others have
committed against you, it is imperative to remember that retribution is not the way to do
business in the Kingdom of God.
It is a good reminder for all of us that we are in the business of redeeming the lost and
ministering to the broken not getting even with people when they upset us! At times, that
will require us to dig our heels in and reaffirm our commitment to obey Jesus despite what
our emotions are trying to dictate to us. But by the grace of God and the empowerment of
the Holy Spirit, this is possible to do or He would not have inspired Paul to write these
compelling words!