Romans 12:11

Romans 12:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
• New International Version (NIV)Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.
• New King James Version (NKJV)not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;

Context of Romans 12:11

9Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another. Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, persistent in prayer. 13Share with the saints who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Romans 12:11 word by word

τῇ σπουδῇ μὴ ὀκνηροί, τῷ πνεύματι ζέοντες, τῷ κυρίῳ δουλεύοντες,Read the interlinear

• Do not letμήmē · notG3361
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• zealσπουδήspoudē · diligenceG4710
• subsideὀκνηρόςoknēros · lazyG3636
• keep your spiritual fervorζέωzeō · be ferventG2204
• keep your spiritual fervorπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• servingδουλεύωdouleuō · be a slaveG1398
• Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962

Cross-references for Romans 12:11

• Exodus 5:17“You are slackers!” Pharaoh replied. “Slackers! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’
• Proverbs 6:6Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise.
• Proverbs 10:26Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the slacker to those who send him.
• Proverbs 13:4The slacker craves yet has nothing, but the soul of the diligent is fully satisfied.
• Proverbs 18:9Whoever is slothful in his work is brother to him who destroys.
• Proverbs 22:29Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
• Proverbs 24:30I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.
• Proverbs 26:13The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!”
• Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
• Isaiah 56:10Israel’s watchmen are blind, they are all oblivious; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they are dreamers lying around, loving to slumber.
• Matthew 25:26‘You wicked, lazy servant!’ replied his master. ‘You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed.
• Acts 20:34You yourselves know that these hands of mine have ministered to my own needs and those of my companions.
• Ephesians 4:28He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:11and to aspire to live quietly, to attend to your own matters, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you.
• 2 Thessalonians 3:6Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who leads an undisciplined life that is not in keeping with the tradition you received from us.
• 1 Timothy 5:13At the same time they will also learn to be idle, going from house to house and being not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, discussing things they should not mention.

Commentaries on Romans 12:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11Not slothful in business - That God, who forbade working on the seventh day, has, by the same authority, enjoined it on the other six days. He who neglects to labor during the week is as culpable as he is who works on the Sabbath. An idle, slothful person can never be a Christian. Fervent in spirit - ͅ · Do nothing at any time but what is to the glory of God, and do every thing as unto him; and in every thing let your hearts be engaged. Be always in…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11Not slothful - The word rendered “slothful” refers to those who are slow, idle, destitute of promptness of mind and activity; compare Matthew 25:16. In business - ͂ͅ ͂ͅ tē spoudēThis is the same word which in Romans 12:8 is rendered “diligence.” It properly denotes haste, intensity, ardor of mind; and hence, also it denotes industry, labor. The direction means that we should be diligently occupied in our proper employment. It does not refer to any…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-16Verses 9-16 The professed love of Christians to each other should be sincere, free from deceit, and unmeaning and deceitful compliments. Depending on Divine grace, they must detest and dread all evil, and love and delight 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 up in one word, love. This denotes the love of parents to their children; which is more tender…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord: This means a deep commitment to God that motivates a person to serve faithfully and actively. Christians should eagerly serve the Lord by caring for and supporting others within the church.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. not slothful in business--The word rendered "business" means "zeal," "diligence," "purpose"; denoting the energy of action. serving the Lord--that is, the Lord Jesus (see Ep 6:5-8). Another reading--"serving the time," or "the occasion"--which differs in form but very slightly from the received reading, has been adopted by good critics [Luther, Olshausen, Fritzsche, Meyer]. But as manuscript authority is decidedly against it, so is internal evidence…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 12:11

• Commandments
• Industry
• Religion
• Slothfulness
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Affectioned
• Cheerfulness
• Cleave
• Curse
• Dissimulation
• Distribute
• Fervent
• Honest
• Instant
• Kindly

Commentaries on Romans 12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings