Romans 12:12

New King James Version

rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Be happy because of the hope you have. Be patient when you have troubles. Pray all the time.

Revised Standard Version
Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Reioyce in hope. Be paciet in tribulacion. Continue in prayer.

Hebrew Names Version
rejoicing in hope; enduring in oppression; continuing steadfastly in prayer;

International Standard Version
Be joyful in hope, patient in trouble, and persistent in prayer.Luke 10:20; 18:1; 21:19; Acts 2:42; 12:5; Romans 5:2; 15:13; Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 3:1; 4:4; Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 2:17; 5:16; 1 Timothy 6:11; Hebrews 3:6; 10:36; 12:1; James 1:4; 5:7; 1 Peter 2:19-20; 4:13;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,

New Century Version
Be joyful because you have hope. Be patient when trouble comes, and pray at all times.

Update Bible Version
rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing steadfastly in prayer;

Webster's Bible Translation
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing earnest in prayer;

English Standard Version
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

World English Bible
rejoicing in hope; enduring in oppression; continuing steadfastly in prayer;

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, continue instant in prayer.

Weymouth's New Testament
full of joyful hope, patient under persecution, earnest and persistent in prayer.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
ioiynge in hope, pacient in tribulacioun, bisy in preier,

English Revised Version
rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing stedfastly in prayer;

Berean Standard Bible
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, persistent in prayer.

Contemporary English Version
Let your hope make you glad. Be patient in time of trouble and never stop praying.

Amplified Bible
constantly rejoicing in hope [because of our confidence in Christ], steadfast and patient in distress, devoted to prayer [continually seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength],

American Standard Version
rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing stedfastly in prayer;

Bible in Basic English
Being glad in hope, quiet in trouble, at all times given to prayer,

Complete Jewish Bible
Rejoice in your hope, be patient in your troubles, and continue steadfastly in prayer.

Darby Translation
As regards hope, rejoicing: as regards tribulation, enduring: as regards prayer, persevering:

Etheridge Translation
Rejoice in your hope, sustain your afflictions, be constant in prayer;

Murdock Translation
Be joyful in your hope. Be patient under your afflictions. Be persevering in prayer.

King James Version (1611)
Reioycing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer.

New Living Translation
Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

New Life Bible
Be happy in your hope. Do not give up when trouble comes. Do not let anything stop you from praying.

New Revised Standard
Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Reioycing in hope, pacient in tribulation, continuing in prayer,

George Lamsa Translation
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
In hope, rejoicing, in tribulation, enduring, in prayer, persevering,

Douay-Rheims Bible
Rejoicing in hope. Patient in tribulation. Instant in prayer.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Reioycyng in hope, pacient in trouble, instant in prayer,

Good News Translation
Let your hope keep you joyful, be patient in your troubles, and pray at all times.

Christian Standard Bible®
Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer.

King James Version
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

Lexham English Bible
rejoicing in hope, enduring in affliction, being devoted to prayer,

Literal Translation
in hope, rejoicing; in affliction, enduring; in prayer, steadfastly continuing;

Young's Literal Translation
in the hope rejoicing; in the tribulation enduring; in the prayer persevering;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Reioyse in hope, be pacient in trouble. Continue in prayer.

Mace New Testament (1729)
be joyful in hope; be patient under affliction; persevere in prayer;

New English Translation
Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Keep your eye on our hope that God sent. Be patient during the pitching, and keep on praying.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,

Legacy Standard Bible
rejoicing in hope, persevering in affliction, being devoted to prayer,

Contextual Overview

¹ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. ³ For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. ⁴ For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, ⁵ so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. ⁶ Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; ⁷ or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; ⁸ he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. ⁹ Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Rejoicing: Romans 5:2, Romans 5:3, Romans 15:13, Psalms 16:9-11, Psalms 71:20-23, Psalms 73:24-26, Proverbs 10:28, Proverbs 14:32, Lamentations 3:24-26, Habakkuk 3:17, Habakkuk 3:18, Matthew 5:12, Luke 10:20, 1 Corinthians 13:13, Philippians 3:1, Philippians 4:4, Colossians 1:27, 1 Thessalonians 5:8, 1 Thessalonians 5:16, 2 Thessalonians 2:16, 2 Thessalonians 2:17, Titus 2:13, Titus 3:7, Hebrews 3:6, Hebrews 6:17-19, 1 Peter 1:3-8, 1 Peter 4:13, 1 John 3:1-3

patient: Romans 2:7, Romans 5:3, Romans 5:4, Romans 8:25, Romans 15:4, Psalms 37:7, Psalms 40:1, Luke 8:15, Luke 21:19, Colossians 1:11, 1 Thessalonians 1:3, 2 Thessalonians 1:4, 2 Thessalonians 3:5, 1 Timothy 6:11, 2 Timothy 3:10, Hebrews 6:12, Hebrews 6:15, Hebrews 10:36, Hebrews 12:1, James 1:3, James 1:4, James 5:7, James 5:10, James 5:11, 1 Peter 2:19, 1 Peter 2:20, 2 Peter 1:6, Revelation 13:10

continuing: Genesis 32:24-26, Job 27:8-10, Psalms 55:16, Psalms 55:17, Psalms 62:8, Psalms 109:4, Jeremiah 29:12, Jeremiah 29:13, Daniel 9:18, Daniel 9:19, Luke 11:5-13, Luke 18:1-8, Luke 18:9-43, Acts 1:14, Acts 2:42, Acts 6:4, Acts 12:5, 2 Corinthians 12:8, Ephesians 6:18, Ephesians 6:19, Philippians 4:6, Philippians 4:7, Colossians 4:2, Colossians 4:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Hebrews 5:7, James 5:15, James 5:16, 1 Peter 4:7, 1 John 5:14, 1 John 5:15

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 8:20 - General Job 2:10 - shall we receive Proverbs 15:15 - but Ecclesiastes 3:22 - nothing Acts 16:25 - sang Romans 8:24 - saved 2 Timothy 4:2 - be Hebrews 6:11 - of hope 1 Peter 1:6 - ye greatly Revelation 2:3 - hast patience Revelation 2:9 - tribulation

Cross-References

Genesis 12:8
And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.

Genesis 12:10
Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land.

Genesis 20:11
And Abraham said, "Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife.

Genesis 26:7
And the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, "She is my sister"; for he was afraid to say, "She is my wife," because he thought, "lest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to behold."

1 Samuel 27:1
And David said in his heart, "Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me anymore in any part of Israel. So I shall escape out of his hand."

Proverbs 29:25
The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.

Matthew 10:28
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Rejoicing in hope,.... Of the glory of God, than the hope of which nothing can make a believer more cheerful in this world; the saints' joy is therefore called the "rejoicing of the hope", Hebrews 3:6. This is placed between serving the Lord, and being patient in tribulation; for nothing tends more to animate the people of God to a cheerful serving of him, or to make them more patient under afflictions, than a hope of being for ever with the Lord:

patient in tribulation; whilst the saints are in this world they must expect tribulation; their way to heaven lies through it; and it becomes them to be patient under it, not murmuring against God, on the one hand, nor reviling of men, on the other.

Continuing instant in prayer: prayer is needful at all times, but especially in a time of tribulation and distress, whether inward or outward. This should be made without ceasing; saints should watch unto it with all perseverance; men should pray always, and not faint; never give out and over, or be discouraged. This advice is rightly given and placed here, to teach us that we are to go to the throne of grace continually for fresh supplies of grace, and strength to enable us to exercise the grace, and perform the duties exhorted to both in preceding and following verses.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Rejoicing in hope - That is, in the hope of eternal life and glory which the gospel produces; see the notes at Romans 5:2-3.

Patient in tribulation - In affliction patiently enduring all that maybe appointed. Christians may be enabled to do this by the sustaining influence of their hope of future glory; of being admitted to that world where there shall be no more death, and where all tears shall be wiped away from their eyes, Revelation 21:4; Revelation 7:17; compare James 1:4. See the influence of hope in sustaining us in affliction more fully considered in the notes at Romans 8:18-28.

Continuing instant in prayer - That is, be persevering in prayer; see Colossians 4:2; see the notes at Luke 18:1. The meaning of this direction is, that in order to discharge aright the duties of the Christian life, and especially to maintain a joyful hope, and to be sustained in the midst of afflictions, it is necessary to cherish a spirit of prayer, and to live near to God. How often a Christian should pray, the Scriptures do not inform us. Of David we are told that he prayed seven times a day Psalms 119:164; of Daniel, that he was accustomed to pray three times a day Daniel 6:10; of our Saviour we have repeated instances of his praying mentioned; and the same of the apostles. The following rules, perhaps, may guide us in this.

(1) Every Christian should have some time allotted for this service, and some place where he may be alone with God.

(2) It is not easy, perhaps not possible, to maintain a life of piety without regular habits of secret devotion.

(3) The morning, when we have experienced God’s protecting care, when the mind is fresh, and the thoughts are as yet clear and unoccupied with the world, when we go forth to the duties, trials, and temptations of the day; and the evening, when we have again experienced his goodness, and are about to commit ourselves to his protecting care, and when we need his pardoning mercy for the errors and follies of the day, seem to be times which commend themselves to all as appropriate seasons for private devotion.

(4) Every person will also find other times when private prayer will be needful, and when he will be inclined to it. In affliction, in perplexity, in moments of despondency, in danger, and want, and disappointment, and in the loss of friends, we shall feel the propriety of drawing near to God, and of pouring out the heart before him.

(5) Besides this, every Christian is probably conscious of times when he feels especially inclined to pray; he feels just like praying; he has a spirit of supplication; and nothing but prayer will meet the instinctive desires of his bosom. We are often conscious of an earnest desire to see and converse with an absent friend, to have communion with those we love; and we value such fellowship as among the happiest moments of life. So with the Christian. He may have an earnest desire to have communion with God; his heart pants for it; and he cannot resist the propensity to seek him, and pour out his desires before him. Compare the feelings expressed by David in Psalms 42:1-2, “As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee O God. My soul thirsteth for God for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God;” compare Psalms 63:1. Such seasons should be improved; they are the “spring times” of our piety; and we should expand every sail, that we may be “filled with all the fullness of God.” They are happy, blessed moments of our life; and then devotion is sweetest and most pure; and then the soul knows what it is to have fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ, 1 John 1:3.

(6) In addition to all this, Christians may be in the habit of praying to God without the formality of retirement, God locks upon the heart; and the heart may pour forth its secret desires to Him even when in business, when conversing with a friend, when walking, when alone, and when in society. Thus, the Christian may live a life of prayer; and it shall be one of the characteristics of his life that he prays! By this he shall be known; and in this he shall learn the way to possess peace in religion:

“In every joy that crowns my days,

In every pain I bear.

My heart shall find delight in praise,

Or seek relief in prayer.

“When gladness wings my favou’d hour,

Thy love my thoughts shall fill,

Resign’d when storms of sorrow lower,

My soul shall meet thy will,

“My lifted eye, without a tear.

The gathering storm shall see.

My steadfast heart shall know no fear,

That heart shall rest on thee.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Romans 12:12. Rejoicing in hope — Of that glory of God that to each faithful follower of Christ shall shortly be revealed.

Patient in tribulation — Remembering that what you suffer as Christians you suffer for Christ's sake; and it is to his honour, and the honour of your Christian profession, that you suffer it with an even mind.

Continuing instant in prayer — ηροσκαρτερουντες. Making the most fervent and intense application to the throne of grace for the light and power of the Holy Spirit; without which you can neither abhor evil, do good, love the brethren, entertain a comfortable hope, nor bear up patiently under the tribulations and ills of life.