The Meaning of Romans 14:12 Explained

Romans 14:12

KJV: So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

YLT: so, then, each of us concerning himself shall give reckoning to God;

Darby: So then each of us shall give an account concerning himself to God.

ASV: So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Discover Romans 14:12

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Romans 14:12?

MEANING: What does Romans 14:12 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Romans 14:12 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Romans 14:12?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

So  then  every one  of us  shall give  account  of  himself  to God. 

What does Romans 14:12 Mean?

Verse Meaning

In this summary statement Paul identified the personal responsibility of every Christian to give account of himself or herself to God. We will not have to answer for our fellow Christians or anyone else, but we will have to account for our own deeds.
"We stand before God in the awful loneliness of our own souls; to God we can take nothing but the self and the character which in life we have been building up." [1]
In this pericope ( Romans 14:1-12) the apostle stressed the folly of judging our fellow Christians who relate to amoral practices differently from the way we do. There is a strong emphasis on recognizing Jesus" lordship in our lives in these verses (cf. Romans 12:1-2). The word "Lord" occurs seven times in Romans 14:5-9.

Context Summary

Romans 14:1-12 - Consideration Toward Brethren
The weak conscience needs further instruction. It is anemic and requires the hilltop, with its further view and bracing air; but in the meantime its owner must be guided by its promptings. A man must not take a certain course merely because others do so, unless he can justify their bolder faith and larger freedom. By thought and prayer and the study of God's Word, conscience becomes educated and strengthened, and ceases to worry as to whether we should be vegetarian or not; whether we should observe saints' days, or adopt a specific method of observing the Sabbath. Some people are constantly wondering and questioning about such things, as though their eternal salvation depended on minute observances.
Such would have found but scant comfort from the Apostle. He would have said, "Do the best you know, and when you have once adopted a certain method of life, follow it humbly, until some wider view is opened before you by the Spirit of God." The main principle for us all is to live and die to please our Lord. He is our Master, and it will be for Him to allot our rewards. In the meantime let us not judge one another, but live in love, leaving each to work out the plan of his own life as his Master directs. [source]

Chapter Summary: Romans 14

1  Men may not condemn one another for disputable matters;
13  but must take heed that they give no offense in them;
15  which the apostle proves unlawful by many reasons

Greek Commentary for Romans 14:12

Shall give account [λογον δωσει]
So Aleph A C rather than αποδωσει — apodōsei of Textus Receptus. Common use of λογος — logos for account (bookkeeping, ledger) as in Luke 16:2. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 14:12

Revelation 20:13 Death and Hades [ο τανατος και ο αιδης]
“An inseparable pair” (Swete) as in Revelation 1:18; Revelation 6:8; Revelation 20:14. So in Matthew 16:18 “the gates of Hades” means the power of death. Etymologically Hades is the unseen world where all who die are as opposed to this visible world, but in actual use Hades is sometimes treated as the abode of the unrighteous (Luke 16:23). Charles thinks that this is true here, though there is nothing to show it apart from the personification of death and Hades and the casting of both into the lake of fire in Revelation 20:14. Here again “each man” (εκαστος — hekastos) receives judgment according to his deeds (Matthew 16:27; 1 Corinthians 3:13; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 2:6; Romans 14:12; 1 Peter 1:17; Revelation 2:23). [source]

What do the individual words in Romans 14:12 mean?

So then each of us concerning himself account will give - to God
Ἄρα οὖν ἕκαστος ἡμῶν περὶ ἑαυτοῦ λόγον δώσει τῷ Θεῷ

Ἄρα  So 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἄρα  
Sense: therefore, so then, wherefore.
ἕκαστος  each 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἕκαστος  
Sense: each, every.
ἡμῶν  of  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
περὶ  concerning 
Parse: Preposition
Root: περί 
Sense: about, concerning, on account of, because of, around, near.
ἑαυτοῦ  himself 
Parse: Reflexive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἑαυτοῦ  
Sense: himself, herself, itself, themselves.
λόγον  account 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: λόγος  
Sense: of speech.
δώσει  will  give 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: διδῶ 
Sense: to give.
τῷ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: ὁ  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεῷ  to  God 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.

What are the major concepts related to Romans 14:12?

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Similar Scriptures for Romans 14:12

1 Peter 4:5 [15]
Matthew 12:36 [13]
Matthew 16:27 [10]
Galatians 6:5 [6]
Luke 16:2 [6]
Ecclesiastes 11:9 [5]
Matthew 18:23-35 [2]