Tree of Life Version
Romans 12:11
11Do not be lagging in zeal; be fervent in spirit. Keep serving 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
9Let love be without hypocrisy—detesting what is evil, holding fast to the good. 10Be tenderly devoted to one another in brotherly love; outdo one another in giving honor. Do not be lagging in zeal; be fervent in spirit. Keep serving the Lord, 12rejoicing in hope, enduring in distress, persisting in prayer, 13contributing to the needs of the kedoshim, extending hospitality.
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 5:17But he said, “Lazy! You’re lazy! That’s why you were saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to Adonai.’
- Proverbs 6:6Go to the ant, you slacker— consider its ways and be wise!
- Proverbs 10:26Like vinegar to the teeth or smoke to the eyes, so is a slacker to those who send him.
- Proverbs 13:4The slacker’s soul craves, yet has nothing, but the diligent soul will be satisfied.
- Proverbs 18:9One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys.
- Proverbs 22:29Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings. He will not stand before obscure people.
- Proverbs 24:30I passed by the field of the slacker, by the vineyard of one lacking judgment.
- Proverbs 26:13A slacker says, “There’s a lion on the road! A lion is in the streets!”
- Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever your hand finds to do, do with all your strength, for there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, where you are going.
- Isaiah 56:10His watchmen are all blind. All of them know nothing. All of them are mute dogs unable to bark, dreamers lying down, lovers of slumber,
- Matthew 25:26“But his master responded, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! You knew that I reap where I didn’t sow and gather where I scattered no seed?
- Acts 20:34You yourselves know that these hands of mine have provided for my own needs as well as for those with me.
- Ephesians 4:28The one who steals must steal no longer—instead he must work, doing something useful with his own hands, so he may have something to share with the one who has need.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:11and aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, just as we directed you—
- 2 Thessalonians 3:6Now we command you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, to keep away from every brother who behaves irresponsibly and not according to the tradition they received from us.
- 1 Timothy 5:13And at the same time, they also learn to be idle, going around from house to house—and not just idle, but also gossipers and busybodies, saying things they should not.
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
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