Romans 12:12 - Joy, Patience, Prayer

Romans 12 is a powerful chapter with some short, compelling verses like Romans 12:12: 

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."

This verse is similar to 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 which says, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 

These three commands keep us on track with the Lord.

1. Joyful in hope.

1 Thessalonians tells us to rejoice always, and Romans 12 tells us why: because we have hope. We know that The Best is Yet to Come.

2. Patient in affliction.

1 Thessalonians tells us to give thanks in all circumstances, and Romans 12 specifies patience in affliction. God knows our lives will be challenging, but we are thankful that He's in charge.

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Jesus, John 16:33

3. Faithful in prayer.

1 Thessalonians tells us to pray continually, and Romans 12 tells us to be faithful in prayer. 

We should live in an attitude of prayer, remembering God throughout our day. This helps us keep the good and bad things in proper perspective. 

💙 Beyond 1-minute for those who want more 💙

Christian joy:

For more on Christian joy, see We Need It: Joy. You might also want to check out the Bible Love Notes collection called Joy and Laughter.

Are you surprised at the repetition in Romans 12:12 and 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18?

God uses repetition to teach us important truths. See God’s Purpose for Repetition.

God also uses repetition to expand concepts and add different details. That’s one reason we need to study all that Scripture teaches about a subject, not just a verse or two. 

For more understanding on this, see Understanding Prayer in Context. And check out the Bible Love Notes Prayer Series.

What is the AMP?

We all have our favorite translations, but please don't get caught up in conspiracy theories about modern translations. We can gain insights by comparing different translations of a verse or passage.  See Is the KJV the Best English Translation?

The Amplified Bible is a unique translation that I've found helpful numerous times. If you aren't familiar with AMP, this explains it's method of translation:

“The Amplified Bible attempts to take both word meaning and context into account in order to accurately translate the original text from one language into another...it can be a valuable study tool, as the different 'alternate' renderings can give additional insight into the meaning of a text.” (Got Questions) 

Romans 12:12: “Constantly rejoicing in hope [because of our confidence in Christ], steadfast and patient in distress, devoted to prayer [continually seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength].” AMP

Bible Love Notes