English Standard Version
Romans 5:4
4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
Romans 5:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
- New International Version (NIV)perseverance, character; and character, hope.
- New King James Version (NKJV)and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
- New Living Translation (NLT)And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
Context of Romans 5:4
2Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 6For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
Read all of Romans 5Romans 5:4 word by word
ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ δοκιμήν, ἡ δὲ δοκιμὴ ἐλπίδα·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Romans 5:4
- Romans 15:4For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
- 2 Corinthians 1:4who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
- 2 Corinthians 4:8We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;
- 2 Corinthians 6:9as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed;
- James 1:12Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
- 1 Peter 1:6In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,
- 1 Peter 5:10And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
- Joshua 10:24And when they brought those kings out to Joshua, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the chiefs of the men of war who had gone with him, "Come near; put your feet on the necks of these kings." Then they came near and put their feet on their necks.
- 1 Samuel 17:34But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock,
- Psalms 27:2When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.
- Psalms 42:4These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival.
- Psalms 71:14But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more.
- 2 Timothy 4:16At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them!
Commentaries on Romans 5:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4And patience, experience - ̓, Full proof, by trial, of the truth of our religion, the solidity of our Christian state, and the faithfulness of our God. In such cases we have the opportunity of putting our religion to the test; and, by every such test, it receives the deeper sterling stamp. The apostle uses here also a metaphor taken from the purifying, refining, and testing of silver and gold. Experience, hope - For we thus calculate, that he who has…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4And patience, experience - Patient endurance of trial produces experience. The word rendered “experience” ( ́ dokimēn) means trial, testing, or that thorough examination by which we ascertain the quality or nature of a thing, as when we test a metal by fire, or in any other way, to ascertain that it is genuine. It also means approbations, or the result of such a trial; the being approved, and accepted as the effect of a trying process. The meaning is…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4See also James 1:2–4; 1 Peter 1:6–7. The similarities in these passages indicate early Christian teaching common to all three of these writers.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-43-4. we glory in tribulation also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience--Patience is the quiet endurance of what we cannot but wish removed, whether it be the withholding of promised good (Ro 8:25), or the continued experience of positive ill (as here). There is indeed a patience of unrenewed nature, which has something noble in it, though in many cases the offspring of pride, if not of something lower. Men have been known to endure every form of…Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 5:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Romans 5
- 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
- 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries