Romans 13:11

Do what I have just told you, especially since you know the significance of the time in which we are living. You know that it is time for you to be fully alert and active [MET], like people who have awakened from sleeping [MET], because the time when Christ will finally deliver us from this world’s pain/sin and sorrow is near. That time ◄is closer than/was not so close► when we first believed in Christ.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

In Context

10If you love people with whom you come in contact [PRS], you will not do any evil to them [LIT]. So, whoever loves others fulfills all that God’s laws require.

12Our time to live in this world [MTY] is almost ended [MET], like a night that is nearly ended. The time when Christ will return [MTY] is near. So we must quit doing wicked deeds [MET] such as people do in the darkness, and we must be doing the things that will help us resist Satan/evil [MET], as soldiers who put on their armor in the daytime get ready to resist their enemies.

Read all of Romans 13

Cross References

Isaiah 21:11I received this message from Yahweh about Edom: Someone from Edom has been calling/shouting to me saying, “Watchman, how long will it be before the night is ended? [DOU]”

Matthew 16:3Early in the morning you say, ‘It will be stormy weather today, because the sky is red, and dark clouds have formed.’ You understand how to predict the weather by looking at the sky, but you cannot seem to look at what is happening now, and by that understand what God is doing.

Matthew 25:5The bridegroom was delayed, and it became late at night. So all the virgins became sleepy and fell asleep.

Mark 13:35That man must always be ready, because he does not know whether his master will return in the evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or at dawn. Similarly, you also must always be ready, because you do not know when I will return.

1 Corinthians 7:29My fellow believers, this is what I mean: There is not much time left before Christ returns. So, from now on those men who are married should devote themselves to serving the Lord as much as they would if they were not married.

1 Corinthians 15:34Start thinking correctly again about these matters, as you should, and stop your sinful behavior which has resulted from your wrong thinking. I say that because it seems that some among you do not know God, and as a result they are thinking wrongly. I say that to make you ashamed.

Matthew Henry on Romans 13:8-11

Justice and Charity. ( a. d. 58.) 7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. 8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Romans 13:11