The Meaning of Romans 13:11 Explained

Romans 13:11

KJV: 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.

YLT: And this, knowing the time, that for us, the hour already is to be aroused out of sleep, for now nearer is our salvation than when we did believe;

Darby: This also, knowing the time, that it is already time that we should be aroused out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

ASV: And 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 we first believed.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Romans 13:11 Mean?

Study Notes

nearer
"Nearer" in the sense of the full result of salvation in glory. Also, 1 John 3:2 .
salvation
The Heb. and (Greek - ἀλεκτοροφωνία , safety, preservation, healing, and soundness). Salvation is the great inclusive word of the Gospel, gathering into itself all the redemptive acts and processes: as justification, redemption, grace, propitiation, imputation, forgiveness, sanctification, and glorification. Salvation is in three tenses:
(1) The believer has been saved from the guilt and penalty of sin Luke 7:50 ; 1 Corinthians 1:18 ; 2 Corinthians 2:15 ; Ephesians 2:5 ; Ephesians 2:8 ; 2 Timothy 1:9 and is safe.
(2) the believer is being saved from the habit and dominion of sin Romans 6:14 ; Philippians 1:19 ; Philippians 2:12 ; Philippians 2:13 ; 2 Thessalonians 2:13 ; Romans 8:2 ; Galatians 2:19 ; Galatians 2:20 ; 2 Corinthians 3:18 .
(3) The believer is to be saved in the sense of entire conformity to Christ. Romans 13:11 ; Hebrews 10:36 ; 1 Peter 1:5 ; 1 John 3:2 . Salvation is by grace through faith, is a free gift, and wholly without works; Romans 3:27 ; Romans 3:28 ; Romans 4:1-8 ; Romans 6:23 ; Ephesians 2:8 . The divine order is: first salvation, then works; Ephesians 2:9 ; Ephesians 2:10 ; Titus 3:5-8 .

Verse Meaning

"This" refers to the duties urged earlier, not only in this chapter but in chapter12also. It is important that we follow God"s will carefully because the final phase of our salvation will take place very soon (i.e, glorification, cf. 1 Peter 1:9). We must be ready to meet the Lord and to give an account of our stewardship to Him (cf. Romans 14:10; Philippians 3:20; 1 Thessalonians 5:6; 1 Corinthians 15:34). It is possible for us to go through our lives as believers lethargic and insensible, but such a condition is not wise in view of what lies ahead of us.

Context Summary

Romans 13:8-14 - Love Fulfills The Law
The one debt which can never be discharged is love. Because we can never be out of debt to God, we are called upon to show unending love to man. So long as we love we cannot injure; and therefore the man who is always caring for others as much as, or more than, he does for himself (and this latter is the Christian ideal) is fulfilling that ancient law.
We resemble soldiers slumbering in their tents while dawn is flushing the sky. Presently the bugle rings out its awakening note. The long night of the world is ending, the dawn is on the sky, and all the malignity of men and demons cannot postpone it by a single hour. Let us put off the garments which only befit the darkness, and array ourselves in the armor of the day! What is that armor? In a word, it is Jesus Christ-His character and method, His unselfishness and purity-so that when men see us, they may involuntarily turn to Him. [source]

Chapter Summary: Romans 13

1  Subjection, and many other duties, we owe to the authorities
8  Love is the fulfillment of the law
11  The acts of darkness are out of season in the time of the Gospel

Greek Commentary for Romans 13:11

And this [και τουτο]
Either nominative absolute or accusative of general reference, a common idiom for “and that too” (1 Corinthians 6:6, 1 Corinthians 6:8, etc.). [source]
Knowing [ειδοτες]
Second perfect active participle, nominative plural without a principal verb. Either we must supply a verb like ποιησωμεν — poiēsōmen (let us do it) or ποιησατε — poiēsate (do ye do it) or treat it as an independent participle as in Romans 12:10. The season (τον καιρον — ton kairon). The critical period, not χρονος — chronos (time in general). High time Like our the “hour” has come, etc. MSS. vary between ημας — hēmas (us) and υμας — humās (you), accusative of general reference with εγερτηναι — egerthēnai (first aorist passive infinitive of εγειρω — egeirō to awake, to wake up), “to be waked up out of sleep” Nearer to us (εγγυτερον ημων — egguteron hēmōn). Probably so, though ημων — hēmōn can be taken equally well with η σωτηρια — hē sōtēria (our salvation is nearer). Final salvation, Paul means, whether it comes by the second coming of Christ as they all hoped or by death. It is true of us all. [source]
The season [τον καιρον]
The critical period, not χρονος — chronos (time in general). [source]
High time [ωρα]
Like our the “hour” has come, etc. MSS. vary between ημας — hēmas (us) and υμας — humās (you), accusative of general reference with εγερτηναι — egerthēnai (first aorist passive infinitive of εγειρω — egeirō to awake, to wake up), “to be waked up out of sleep” Nearer to us (εγγυτερον ημων — egguteron hēmōn). Probably so, though ημων — hēmōn can be taken equally well with η σωτηρια — hē sōtēria (our salvation is nearer). Final salvation, Paul means, whether it comes by the second coming of Christ as they all hoped or by death. It is true of us all. [source]
Nearer to us [εγγυτερον ημων]
Probably so, though ημων — hēmōn can be taken equally well with η σωτηρια — hē sōtēria (our salvation is nearer). Final salvation, Paul means, whether it comes by the second coming of Christ as they all hoped or by death. It is true of us all. [source]
And that knowing the time - now []
Referring to the injunction of Romans 13:8. Knowing, seeing that ye know. The time ( τὸν καιρόν ), the particular season or juncture. Rev., season. See on Matthew 12:1. Now ( ἤδη ), better, already. [source]
Our salvation [ἡμῶν ἡ σωτηρία]
Others, however, and better, as Rev., construe ἡμῶν ofus (salvation of us, i.e., our ) with nearer, and render salvation is nearer to us. This is favored by the order of the Greek words. The other rendering would lay an unwarranted emphasis on our. The reference is apparently to the Lord's second coming, rather than to future glory. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 13:11

1 Thessalonians 1:5 How that [οτι]
It is not certain whether οτι — hoti here means “because” (θυια — quia) as in 2 Thessalonians 3:7; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Romans 8:27 or declarative οτι — hoti “how that,” knowing the circumstances of your election (Lightfoot) or explanatory, as in Acts 16:3; 1 Thessalonians 2:1; 1 Corinthians 16:15; 2 Corinthians 12:3.; Romans 13:11. [source]
1 John 2:8 Shineth [φαίνει]
See on John 1:5. Compare Revelation 1:16; Revelation 8:12; Revelation 21:23; 2 Peter 1:19. See also Romans 13:11sqq.; Titus 2:11; Titus 3:4. [source]

What do the individual words in Romans 13:11 mean?

And this knowing the time that [it is the] hour already for you out of sleep to awaken now for nearer [is] of us the salvation than when first we believed
Καὶ τοῦτο εἰδότες τὸν καιρόν ὅτι ὥρα ἤδη ὑμᾶς ἐξ ὕπνου ἐγερθῆναι νῦν γὰρ ἐγγύτερον ἡμῶν σωτηρία ὅτε ἐπιστεύσαμεν

τοῦτο  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
εἰδότες  knowing 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: οἶδα  
Sense: to see.
καιρόν  time 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: καιρός  
Sense: due measure.
ὅτι  that  [it  is  the] 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
ὥρα  hour 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ὥρα  
Sense: a certain definite time or season fixed by natural law and returning with the revolving year.
ἤδη  already 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ἤδη  
Sense: now, already.
ὑμᾶς  for  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 2nd Person Plural
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
ἐξ  out  of 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐκ 
Sense: out of, from, by, away from.
ὕπνου  sleep 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ὕπνος  
Sense: sleep.
ἐγερθῆναι  to  awaken 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Passive
Root: ἐγείρω  
Sense: to arouse, cause to rise.
νῦν  now 
Parse: Adverb
Root: νῦν  
Sense: at this time, the present, now.
ἐγγύτερον  nearer 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ἐγγύτερον  
Sense: nearer.
ἡμῶν  [is]  of  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
σωτηρία  salvation 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: σωτηρία  
Sense: deliverance, preservation, safety, salvation.
  than 
Parse: Conjunction
Root:  
Sense: either, or, than.
ὅτε  when  first 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ὅτε  
Sense: when whenever, while, as long as.
ἐπιστεύσαμεν  we  believed 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: πιστεύω  
Sense: to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in.