Note 9 at 1 Cor. 16:22: The word "Anathema" means "cursed," and the word "Maranatha" means "our Lord comes." So Paul is saying, "If anyone doth not dearly love the Lord, let him be Anathema (that is accursed), Maranatha (that is, the Lord cometh)" [Rhm].

Because of Paul's instruction in Romans 12:14 which said, "Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not," it is certain that Paul was not violating his own instructions. He probably was stating that those who do not love the Lord are already under the curse, as John wrote in John 3:36 (see note 4 at Jn. 3:36, p. 100).