Romans 13:12
What does Romans 13:12 mean?
A plain-English look at Romans 13:12 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Romans 13:12 means
The imagery sharpens: the night is far gone; the day is at hand. Therefore, discard the works of darkness and dress in the armor of light. Paul pictures a soldier waking before dawn, shedding nightclothes of secrecy and sin, and arming for the coming day. Light calls for visibility, integrity, and readiness for spiritual conflict. The approaching day likely points to Christ’s return and the full arrival of God’s reign. Believers belong to that day even now, so their conduct should match it—transparent, courageous, and defensive against temptation, clothed with behaviors suited to the kingdom’s brightness.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000The night is far spent, and the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
KJV
King James Version · 1611The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901The night is far spent, and the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949The night is far gone, and the day is near: so let us put off the works of the dark, arming ourselves with light,
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862the night did advance, and the day came nigh; let us lay aside, therefore, the works of the darkness, and let us put on the armour of the light;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752The night is passed And the day is at hand. Let us, therefore cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890The night is far spent, and the day is near; let us cast away therefore the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Context
Flowing from the call to awaken (v.11), verse 12 uses night and day imagery to urge decisive change. It prepares for the concrete contrasts of verse 13 by commanding a wardrobe change: off with darkness, on with light. The “armor” language suggests both defense and readiness. This momentum builds to the climactic instruction in verse 14 to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ,” which will explain the deepest way to clothe oneself for the day. The section is moving from metaphor toward specific moral applications and, finally, to a Christ-centered solution.
v.11And this, knowing the season, that already it is time for you to awake out of sleep: for now is salvation nearer to us than when wefirstbelieved.
v.12This passage
v.13Let us walk becomingly, as in the day; not in revelling and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and jealousy.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 1 John 1:5
And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
- Ephesians 5:11
and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them;
- Revelation 1:3
Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein: for the time is at hand.
- Job 24:14
The murderer riseth with the light; He killeth the poor and needy; And in the night he is as a thief.
- 1 John 2:8
Again, a new commandment write I unto you, which thing is true in him and in you; because the darkness is passing away, and the true light already shineth.
- Colossians 3:8
but now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth:
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