Devine Scripture

Romans 5:4

What does Romans 5:4 mean?

A plain-English look at Romans 5:4 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Romans 5:4 means

Steadfastness, forged in hardship, yields approvedness—proven character refined by testing. Approvedness then strengthens hope. The sequence shows God’s wise design: He uses pressure to reveal genuine faith, and that verified faith looks ahead with greater confidence to God’s promised future. Hope here is not naive optimism; it is the settled expectation that God will finish what He began. The believer’s character, shaped through perseverance, becomes a living witness to the reality of grace. Each stage supports the next: endurance displays authenticity; authenticity breeds expectancy. This maturing process confirms that trials are neither wasted nor random, but tools in the Redeemer’s hand to prepare His children for glory.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

and stedfastness, approvedness; and approvedness, hope:

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

and stedfastness, approvedness; and approvedness, hope:

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And waiting gives experience; and experience, hope:

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and the endurance, experience; and the experience, hope;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And patience trial; and trial hope;

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

and endurance, experience; and experience, hope;

Context

This verse completes the inner chain that began in v3. Paul wants readers to see a coherent process: tribulation leads to endurance, endurance to tested character, and tested character to hope. Yet such a progression needs assurance that hope will not disappoint. Therefore the next verse (v5) grounds this confidence in God’s love poured out by the Holy Spirit. The argument is moving from the effects of trials to the cause of assurance, preparing for the supreme historical demonstration of God’s love in Christ’s death (vv6–8).

v.3And not only so, but we also rejoice in our tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh stedfastness;

v.4This passage

v.5and hope putteth not to shame; because the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given unto us.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • 1 Samuel 17:34

    And David said unto Saul, Thy servant was keeping his father’s sheep; and when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock,

  • Romans 15:4

    For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that through patience and through comfort of the scriptures we might have hope.

  • 2 Corinthians 6:9

    as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;

  • 2 Corinthians 1:4

    who comforteth us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

  • James 1:12

    Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been approved, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to them that love him.

  • Psalms 27:2

    When evil-doers came upon me to eat up my flesh, Even mine adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell.

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