Romans 12:12 (KJV)

Passage

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

Nearby Context

Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

Romans 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

Romans 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

Romans 12:13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

Romans 12:14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "rejoicing", "hope", "patient", "tribulation", "continuing", "instant", and "prayer". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "rejoicing" and "hope", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 11's "Not slothful in business fervent in spirit..." into verse 13's "Distributing to the necessity of saints given...", so "rejoicing" and "hope" belong inside that flow. In Romans context, the local focus is righteousness by faith, union with Christ, life in the Spirit, and God's covenant faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "rejoicing" and "hope" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.