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Selected Verse: Romans 13:13 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Ro 13:13 |
King James |
Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
Let us walk honestly--"becomingly," "seemingly"
as in the day--"Men choose the night for their revels, but our night is past, for we are all the children of the light and of the day (Th1 5:5): let us therefore only do what is fit to be exposed to the light of such a day."
not in rioting and drunkenness--varied forms of intemperance; denoting revels in general, usually ending in intoxication.
not in chambering and wantonness--varied forms of impurity; the one pointing to definite acts, the other more general.
not in strife and envying--varied forms of that venomous feeling between man and man which reverses the law of love. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Let us walk - To "walk" is an expression denoting "to live;" let us "live," or "conduct," etc.
Honestly - The word used here means rather in a "decent' or "becoming" manner; in a manner "appropriate" to those who are the children of light.
As in the day - As if all our actions were seen and known. People by day, or in open light, live decently; their foul and wicked deeds are done in the night. The apostle exhorts Christians to live as if all their conduct were seen, and they had nothing which they wished to conceal.
In rioting - Revelling; denoting the licentious conduct, the noisy and obstreperous mirth, the scenes of disorder and sensuality, which attend luxurious living.
Drunkenness - Rioting and drunkenness constitute the "first" class of sins from which he would keep them. It is scarcely necessary to add that these were common crimes among the pagan.
In chambering - "Lewd, immodest behavior." (Webster.) The Greek word includes illicit indulgences of all kinds, adultery, etc. The words chambering and wantonness constitute the "second" class of crimes from which the apostle exhorts Christians to abstain. That these were common crimes among the pagan, it is not necessary to say; see the Rom. 1 notes; also Eph 5:12 note. It is not possible, nor would it be proper, to describe the scenes of licentious indulgence of which all pagans are guilty. Since Christians were to be a special people, therefore the apostle enjoins on them purity and holiness of life.
Not in strife - Strife and envying are the "third" class of sins from which the apostle exhorts them. The word "strife" means "contention, disputes, litigations." The exhortation is that they should live in peace.
Envying - Greek, Zeal. It denotes any intense, vehement, "fervid" passion. It is not improperly rendered here by envying. These vices are properly introduced in connection with the others. They usually accompany each other. Quarrels and contentions come out of scenes of drunkenness and debauchery. But for such scenes, there would be little contention, and the world would be comparatively at peace. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Honestly (εὐσχημόνως)
Honest is originally honorable, and so here. Compare Wyclif's version of Co1 12:23 : "And the members that be unhonest have more honesty; for our honest members have need of none." From εὐ well, σχῆμα fashion. See on Mat 17:2. Hence becomingly. Compare Co1 14:40; Th1 4:12. The word refers more particularly to the outward life, and thus accords with walk, and in the day the time of observation.
Rioting (κώμοις)
Lit., revellings. See on Pe1 4:3.
Drunkenness (μέθαις)
See on Luk 21:34; see on Joh 2:10.
Wantonness (ἀσελγείαις)
See on lasciviousness, Mar 7:22. All these three are plural: riotings, drunkennesses, wantonnesses.
Envying (ζήλω)
Rev., jealousy. See on Jam 3:14. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Banqueting - Luxurious, elegant feasts. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Let us walk honestly, as in the day - Let us walk, ευσχημονες, decently, from εν, well, and σχημα, mien, habit, or dress. Let our deportment be decent, orderly, and grave; such as we shall not be ashamed of in the eyes of the whole world.
Not in rioting, and drunkenness - Μη κωμοις και μεθαις· Κωμος, rioting, according to Hesychius, signifies ασελγη ᾳσματα, πορνικα συμποσια, ῳδαι, unclean and dissolute songs, banquets, and such like. Μεθαις signifies drunken festivals, such as were celebrated in honor of their gods, when after they had sacrificed (μετα το θυειν, Suidas) they drank to excess, accompanied with abominable acts of every kind. See Suidas and Hesychius, under this word.
Not in chambering - This is no legitimate word, and conveys no sense till, from its connection in this place, we force a meaning upon it. The original word, κοιταις, signifies whoredoms and prostitution of every kind.
And wantonness - Ασελγειαις, All manner of uncleanness and sodomitical practices.
Not in strife and envying - Μη εριδι και ζηλῳ, Not in contentions and furious altercations, which must be the consequence of such practices as are mentioned above. Can any man suppose that this address is to the Christians at Rome? That they are charged with practices almost peculiar to the heathens? And practices of the most abandoned and dissolute sort? If those called Christians at Rome were guilty of such acts, there could be no difference except in profession, between them and the most abominable of the heathens. But it is impossible that such things should be spoken to the followers of Christ; for the very grace that brings repentance enables the penitent to cast aside and abominate all such vicious and abominable conduct.
The advices to the Christians may be found in the preceding chapter; those at the conclusion of this chapter belong solely to the heathens. |
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.
34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.
40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.