Romans 15:13 Text
King James Version (KJV)
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
World English Bible (WEB)
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
What Romans 15:13 Means
This verse is written as a prayer, or blessing, from Paul for his readers. He calls God 'the God of hope', meaning that hope is part of who God is and something he supplies, not something people must produce on their own. He asks that God fill them with joy and peace as they believe, so these gifts are connected to trust. The goal is that they 'abound in hope', which means to overflow, and the power behind it is the Holy Spirit. The KJV says 'through the power' and the WEB says 'in the power'; both stress that the source is not human effort. In Paul's usage, hope is not wishful thinking but confident expectation based on what God has promised. The prayer shows that hope, joy, and peace are shared experiences, given to a community.
Context of Romans 15:13
Paul, an apostle, wrote Romans, probably from Corinth in the mid-50s AD, to churches in Rome that included both Jewish and non-Jewish believers. This blessing falls near the end of the letter, after Paul has urged the two groups to welcome one another and has quoted the Old Testament about the nations hoping in the Messiah. A section about his travel plans follows. To read the whole book, see random verse from Romans.
How to Apply Romans 15:13
If hope feels thin right now, you can borrow Paul's prayer and say it for yourself or a friend, changing 'you' to 'me' as needed. Hope is described here as something God gives, so asking is a fair place to begin. Look also for small signs of his work, and share them with someone.
Related Verses
- Romans 5:5 – And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
- Romans 8:24 – For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
- Psalm 71:5 – For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD : thou art my trust from my youth.
- Romans 15:4 – For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Looking for more verses on this theme? Browse Bible Verses About Hope, each with a short note on its context.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'the God of hope' mean?
It means God is the source of hope. Paul does not describe hope as wishful thinking but as confident expectation grounded in God's promises, which he gives to believers through the Holy Spirit.
Is Romans 15:13 a promise or a prayer?
It is a prayer, or blessing, that Paul offers for the Roman Christians. It expresses what God is able and willing to do, and Christians often pray it for themselves and others, but it is not written as a guarantee of constant good feelings.
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