God’s Word Translation
Romans 12:11
11Don’t be lazy in showing your devotion. Use your energy to serve the Lord.
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 sincerely. Hate evil. Hold on to what is good. 10Be devoted to each other like a loving family. Excel in showing respect for each other. Don’t be lazy in showing your devotion. Use your energy to serve the Lord. 12Be happy in your confidence, be patient in trouble, and pray continually. 13Share what you have with God’s people who are in need. Be hospitable.
Read all of Romans 12Romans 12:11 word by word
τῇ σπουδῇ μὴ ὀκνηροί, τῷ πνεύματι ζέοντες, τῷ κυρίῳ δουλεύοντες,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Romans 12:11
- Exodus 5:17“You’re lazy! ⌞Just plain⌟ lazy!” Pharaoh answered. “That’s why you keep saying, ‘Let us go offer sacrifices to the Lord.’
- Proverbs 6:6Consider the ant, you lazy bum. Watch its ways, and become wise.
- Proverbs 10:26Like vinegar to the teeth, like smoke to the eyes, so is the lazy person to those who send him ⌞on a mission⌟.
- Proverbs 13:4A lazy person craves food and there is none, but the appetite of hard-working people is satisfied.
- Proverbs 18:9Whoever is lazy in his work is related to a vandal.
- Proverbs 22:29Do you see a person who is efficient in his work? He will serve kings. He will not serve unknown people.
- Proverbs 24:30I passed by a lazy person’s field, the vineyard belonging to a person without sense.
- Proverbs 26:13A lazy person says, “There’s a ferocious lion out on the road! There’s a lion loose in the streets!”
- Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever presents itself for you to do, do it with ⌞all⌟ your might, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or skill in the grave where you’re going.
- Isaiah 56:10⌞Israel’s⌟ watchmen are blind. None of them know anything. All of them are like dogs that are unable to bark. They lie around dreaming; they love to sleep.
- Matthew 25:26“His master responded, ‘You evil and lazy servant! If you knew that I harvest where I haven’t planted and gather where I haven’t scattered,
- Acts 20:34You know that I worked to support myself and those who were with me.
- Ephesians 4:28Thieves must quit stealing and, instead, they must work hard. They should do something good with their hands so that they’ll have something to share with those in need.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:11Also, make it your goal to live quietly, do your work, and earn your own living, as we ordered you.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:6Brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ we order you not to associate with any believer who doesn’t live a disciplined life and doesn’t follow the tradition you received from us.
- 1 Timothy 5:13At the same time, they learn to go around from house to house since they have nothing else to do. Not only this, but they also gossip and get involved in other people’s business, saying things they shouldn’t say.
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
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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