the Week of Proper 20 / Ordinary 25
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New Living Translation
Romans 12:11
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- InternationalDevotionals:
- DailyParallel Translations
Don't be a recliner cowboy. Work hard at what the Lord calls you to do.
not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
not lagging behind in diligence, being fervent in spirit, serving the Lord,
Be not slow in your work, but be quick in spirit, as the Lord's servants;
as to diligent zealousness, not slothful; in spirit fervent; serving the Lord.
Do not lack diligence; be fervent in spirit; serve the Lord.
not lagging in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
Not slothful in business, servent in spirit, serving the Lord:
Do not be indolent when zeal is required. Be thoroughly warm-hearted, the Lord's own servants,
Not slouthfull in busines: feruent in spirit, seruing the Lord.
in diligence, not slothful, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
Be not slouthfull in the busynesse that ye haue in hande. Be feruent in the sprete. Applye youre selues vnto the tyme.
in business be not slothful, but of an active mind, making the best use of every incident.
Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.
never lagging behind in diligence; aglow in the Spirit, enthusiastically serving the Lord;
in diligence not slothful; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord.
Let not yt busynes which ye have in honde be tedious to you. Be fervet in ye sprete. Applye youre selves to ye tyme.
in diligence not slothful; fervent in spirit; serving as slaves to the Lord;
Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
in the diligence not slothful; in the spirit fervent; the Lord serving;
Do not be lazy but work hard, serving the Lord with all your heart.
Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord.
Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
Never give up. Eagerly follow the Holy Spirit and serve the Lord.
Don't be lazy when hard work is needed, but serve the Lord with spiritual fervor.
Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.
Not slouthfull to do seruice: seruent in spirit seruing the Lord,
Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit, serving the LORD;
not lagging in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
Never be lazy in showing such devotion. Be on fire with the Spirit. Serve the Lord.the time">[fn]
Be diligent, and not slothful, be fervent in spirit, be serving your Lord.
Be active; and not slothful. Be fervent in spirit. Be laborers for our Lord.
not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
Do not be lazy but always work hard. Work for the Lord with a heart full of love for Him.
in diligence not slothful; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord.
In business, not slothful, in spirit, fervent, to the Lord, doing service,
In carefulness not slothful. In spirit fervent. Serving the Lord.
Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
not lagging in diligence, being enthusiastic in spirit, serving the Lord,
Not lither in businesse, feruent in spirite, seruyng the Lorde,
As you serve the Lord, work hard and don't be lazy. Be excited about serving him!
not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
Work hard and do not be lazy. Serve the Lord with a heart full of devotion.
not slow in bisynesse, feruent in spirit, seruynge to the Lord,
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
slothful: Exodus 5:17, Proverbs 6:6-9, Proverbs 10:26, Proverbs 13:4, Proverbs 18:9, Proverbs 22:29, Proverbs 24:30-34, Proverbs 26:13-16, Ecclesiastes 9:10, Isaiah 56:10, Matthew 25:26, Acts 20:34, Acts 20:35, Ephesians 4:28, 1 Thessalonians 4:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:12, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12, 1 Timothy 5:13, Hebrews 6:10, Hebrews 6:11
fervent: Matthew 24:12, Acts 18:25, Colossians 4:12, Colossians 4:13, James 5:16, 1 Peter 1:22, 1 Peter 4:8, Revelation 2:4, Revelation 3:15, Revelation 3:16
serving: 1 Corinthians 7:22, Ephesians 6:5-8, Colossians 3:22-24, Colossians 4:1, Titus 2:9, Titus 2:10, Hebrews 12:28
Reciprocal: Ruth 2:7 - continued 2 Chronicles 35:13 - divided them speedily Nehemiah 3:20 - earnestly Nehemiah 4:15 - every one Psalms 112:5 - he will Proverbs 20:13 - Love Proverbs 31:15 - riseth Ecclesiastes 3:22 - nothing Acts 20:19 - Serving Romans 14:18 - in Hebrews 6:12 - ye 2 Peter 1:8 - barren Revelation 3:19 - be
Cross-References
Abram traveled through the land as far as Shechem. There he set up camp beside the oak of Moreh. At that time, the area was inhabited by Canaanites.
Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, "I will give this land to your descendants." And Abram built an altar there and dedicated it to the Lord , who had appeared to him.
And sure enough, when Abram arrived in Egypt, everyone noticed Sarai's beauty.
When the men who lived there asked Isaac about his wife, Rebekah, he said, "She is my sister." He was afraid to say, "She is my wife." He thought, "They will kill me to get her, because she is so beautiful."
There was no sparkle in Leah's eyes, but Rachel had a beautiful figure and a lovely face.
Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath.
No human wisdom or understanding or plan can stand against the Lord .
He is like a bouquet of sweet henna blossoms from the vineyards of En-gedi.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Not slothful in business,.... Meaning not worldly business, or the affairs of life; though slothfulness in this respect is scandalous to human nature, and especially in persons under a profession of religion; men should diligently pursue their lawful callings for the support of themselves and families, and the interest of Christ: but spiritual business, the affairs of piety and religion, the service of God, private and public, to which we should not be backward, nor slothful in the performance of; such as preaching, hearing, reading, praying, and other ordinances of God; yea, we should be ready and forward to every good work, and particularly, and which may be here greatly designed, ministering to the poor saints in their necessity; in doing which we show that kind, tender, affectionate, brotherly love, and give that honour and respect, at least that part of it, which is relief, required in the foregoing verse; see Hebrews 6:10. Remarkable is that saying of R. Tarphon m,
"The day is short, and the work great, והפועלים עצלים, "and workmen slothful", and the reward much, and the master of the house is urgent.''
Fervent in spirit; in their own spirits, for the glory of God, the honour of Christ, and the cause of religion, in imitation of Christ himself, and as Phinehas and Elijah were; which fervency of spirit is opposed to that lukewarmness of soul, Revelation 3:16, that coldness of affection, and leaving of the first love, Revelation 2:4, so much complained of, and resented by Christ in his people: or else in the Spirit of God; for there may be fervency in men's spirits, which comes not from the Spirit of God, as in the Jews, and particularly Saul, before his conversion, who had "a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge", Romans 10:2; but when "the love of God is shed abroad in the heart" by the Spirit of God, Romans 5:5, this will make a man's spirit fervent in the service of God, for which the apostle would have these believers concerned. A disciple of the wise men among the Jews is n said to be רתח, "fervent", because the law is as a boiling pot unto him; much more should a disciple of Christ be fervent, who has the Gospel of Christ, the love of God, and the grace of the Spirit to inflame his soul with true zeal and fervour.
Serving the Lord; some copies read, "serving time": the likeness of the words, καιρος and κυριος, especially in an abbreviation, may have occasioned this different reading; which should it be followed, is not to be understood in an ill sense, of temporizing, or time serving, of men's accommodating themselves, their sentiments and conduct, according to the times in which they live, in order to escape reproach and persecution; but of redeeming the time, improving every season to do good, and taking every opportunity of serving God. But as the reading our version follows is confirmed by authentic copies, and by the Syriac, and other Oriental versions, it is best to adhere to it: by "the Lord" is here meant either God, Father, Son, and Spirit, who are the alone object of divine service and religious worship; or the Lord Jesus Christ, who most frequently goes by the name of Lord in the New Testament; and who is the one Lord, whose we are and whom we should continually serve, being under the greatest obligations to him, not only as our Creator, but as our head, husband, and Redeemer. Very rightly does the apostle premise fervency in spirit to serving the Lord; for without the Spirit of God there is no true worshipping and serving of him, and which ought to be done with fervency as well as with constancy. The Syriac version renders it, "serve our Lord".
m Pirke Abot, c. 2. sect. 15. n T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 4. 1.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Not 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 - τῇ σπουδῇ tē spoudē. This 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 particular occupation, but is used in general sense to denote all the labor which we may have to do; or is a direction to be faithful and industrious in the discharge of all our appropriate duties; compare Ecclesiastes 9:10. The tendency of the Christian religion is to promote industry:
(1) It teaches the value of time.
(2) Presents numerous and important things to be done.
(3) It inclines people to be conscientious in the improvement of each moment.
(4) And it takes away the mind from those pleasures and pursuits which generate and promote indolence.
The Lord Jesus was constantly employed in filling up the great duties of his life, and the effect of his religion has been to promote industry wherever it has spread both among nations and individuals. An idle man and a Christian are names which do not harmonize. Every Christian has enough to do to occupy all his time; and he whose life is spent in ease and in doing nothing, should doubt altogether his religion. God has assigned us much to accomplish; and he will hold us answerable for the faithful performance of it; compare John 5:17; John 9:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:11; 2Th 3:10, 2 Thessalonians 3:12. All that would be needful to transform the idle, and vicious, and wretched, into sober and useful people, would be to give to them the spirit of the Christian religion; see the example of Paul, Acts 20:34-35.
Fervent - This word is usually applied to water, or to metals so heated as to bubble, or boil. It hence is used to denote ardor, intensity, or as we express it, a glow, meaning intense zeal, Acts 18:25.
In Spirit - In your mind or heart. The expression is used to denote a mind filled with intense ardor in whatever it is engaged. It is supposed that Christians would first find appropriate objects for their labor, and then engage in them with intense ardor and zeal.
Serving - Regarding yourselves as the servants of the Lord. This direction is to be understood as connected with the preceding, and as growing out of it. They were to be diligent and fervid, and in doing so were to regard themselves as serving the Lord, or to do it in obedience to the command of God, and to promote his glory. The propriety of this caution may easily be seen.
(1) The tendency of worldly employments is to take off the affections from God.
(2) People are prone to forget God when deeply engaged in their worldly employments. It is proper to recall their attention to him.
(3) The right discharge of our duties in the various employments of life is to be regarded as serving God. He has arranged the order of things in this life to promote employment. He has made industry essential to happiness and success; and hence, to be industrious from proper motives is to be regarded as acceptable service of God.
(4) He has required that all such employments should be conducted with reference to his will and to his honor, 1 Corinthians 10:31; Ephesians 6:5; Colossians 3:17, Colossians 3:22-24; 1 Peter 4:11. The meaning of the whole verse is, that Christians should be industrious, should be ardently engaged in some lawful employment, and that they should pursue it with reference to the will of God, in obedience to his commands, and to his glory.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Romans 12:11. Not 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 labour 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 — τω πνευματι ζεοντεςυ Do nothing at any time but what is to tho glory of God, and do every thing as unto him; and in every thing let your hearts be engaged. Be always in earnest, and let your heart ever accompany your hand.
Serving the Lord — Ever considering that his eye is upon you, and that you are accountable to him for all that you do, and that you should do every thing so as to please him. In order to this there must be simplicity in the INTENTION, and purity in the AFFECTIONS.
Instead of τω Κυριω δουλευοντες, serving the Lord, several MSS., as DFG, and many editions, have τω καιρω δουλευοντες, serving the time-embracing the opportunity. This reading Griesbach has received into the text, and most critics contend for its authenticity. Except the Codes Claromontanus, the Codex Augiensis, and the Codex Boernerianus, the first a MS. of the seventh or eighth century, the others of the ninth or tenth, marked in Griesbach by the letters DFG, all the other MSS. of this epistle have Κυριω, the Lord; a reading in which all the versions concur. Καιρω, the time, is not found in the two original editions; that of Complutum, in 1514, which is the first edition of the Greek Testament ever printed; and that of Erasmus, in 1516, which is the first edition published; the former having been suppressed for several years after it was finished at the press. As in the ancient MSS. the word Κυριω is written contractedly, ΚΩ, some appear to have read it καιρω instead of Κυριω; but I confess I do not see sufficient reason after all that the critics have said, to depart from the common reading.
