New International Version
Romans 13:12
12The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Romans 13:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
- New Living Translation (NLT)The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.
Context of Romans 13:12
10Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. 11And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.
Read all of Romans 13Romans 13:12 word by word
ἡ νὺξ προέκοψεν ἡ δὲ ἡμέρα ἤγγικεν. ἀποθώμεθα οὖν τὰ ἔργα τοῦ σκότους, ἐνδυσώμεθα δὲ τὰ ὅπλα τοῦ φωτός.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- The nightνύξnux · nightG3571
- is far spentπροκόπτωprokoptō · to advanceG4298
- ·δέde · thenG1161
- the dayἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
- is at handἐγγίζωeggizō · to come nearG1448
- let usἀποτίθημιapotithēmi · to put asideG659
- thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- the worksἔργονergon · workG2041
- of darknessσκότοςskotos · darknessG4655
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- let us put onἐνδύωenduō · to put onG1746
- the armourὅπλονhoplon · weaponG3696
- of lightφῶςphōs · lightG5457
Cross-references for Romans 13:12
- 1 John 2:8Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.
- Isaiah 2:20In that day people will throw away to the moles and bats their idols of silver and idols of gold, which they made to worship.
- Isaiah 30:22Then you will desecrate your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, “Away with you!”
- Ezekiel 18:31Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel?
- Ephesians 4:22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
- Colossians 3:8But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
- James 1:21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
- 1 Peter 2:1Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.
- Job 24:14When daylight is gone, the murderer rises up, kills the poor and needy, and in the night steals forth like a thief.
- John 3:19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
- Ephesians 5:11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:5You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
- 1 John 1:5This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
- Romans 13:14Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.
- 2 Corinthians 6:7in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;
- Ephesians 6:11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
Commentaries on Romans 13:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12The night is far spent - If we understand this in reference to the heathen state of the Romans, it may be paraphrased thus: The night is far spent - heathenish darkness is nearly at an end. The day is at hand - the full manifestation of the Sun of righteousness, in the illumination of the whole Gentile world approaches rapidly. The manifestation of the Messiah is regularly termed by the ancient Jews יום yom, day, because previously to this all is night…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12The night - The word “night,” in the New Testament, is used to denote “night” literally (Matthew 2:14, etc.); the starry heavens Revelation 8:12; and then it denotes a state of “ignorance” and “crime,” and is synonymous with the word “darkness,” as such deeds are committed commonly in the night; 1 Thessalonians 5:5. In this place it seems to denote our present imperfect and obscure condition in this world as contrasted with the pure light of heaven The…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-14Verses 11-14 Four things are here taught, as a Christian's directory for his day's work. When to awake; Now; and to awake out of the sleep of carnal security, sloth, and negligence; out of the sleep of spiritual death, and out of the sleep of spiritual deadness. Considering the time; a busy time; a perilous time. Also the salvation nigh at hand. Let us mind our way, and mend our pace, we are nearer our journey's end. Also to make ourselves ready. The…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-13the day has drawn near: The word day comes from two sources: First, the Old Testament repeatedly predicts the Day of the LORD. This is the time when God brings his plan to its completion (see Isaiah 13:4–13; Jeremiah 3:18; 30:8–9; Joel 2:1–32; Obadiah 1:15–18). Second, moral teaching in the ancient world often used day and light to represent what is good. Night and darkness represented what is evil. Greeks, Romans, and Jews all used this contrast. Because…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. The night--of evil is far spent, the day--of consummated triumph over it is at hand: let us therefore cast off--as a dress the works of darkness--all works holding of the kingdom and period of darkness, with which, as followers of the risen Saviour, our connection has been dissolved. and let us put on the armour of light--described at length in Ep 6:11-18.Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 13:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Romans 13
- 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
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