Read & explore together
The Day Is Near
Romans 13:11–14 urges believers to live with alertness and purpose. The passage uses pictures of waking up, leaving darkness, and getting dressed to show that faith affects everyday behaviour now.
Understanding the passage
The setting of these words
In this part of Romans, the writer gives direct instruction. These verses speak about time, salvation drawing nearer, the night passing, and the day coming near. The passage then connects that urgency to conduct, naming behaviours to avoid and calling believers to put on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 13:11–14Main takeaway
Because salvation is nearer and the day is near, believers are called to reject dark behaviour and live in a way that fits the Lord Jesus Christ.
Follow the letter’s teaching
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Wake up to the timeThe passage begins with urgency: “it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep”. The wording calls believers to wake up and live alertly.
Explanation
The passage begins with urgency: “it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep”. The wording calls believers to wake up and live alertly. The reason given is that “salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed”. The focus is on recognising the time and responding to it.
02Leave darkness, put on lightVerse 12 continues the time picture. “The night is far gone, and the day is near” contrasts what is passing with what is approaching.
Explanation
Verse 12 continues the time picture. “The night is far gone, and the day is near” contrasts what is passing with what is approaching. Because of that, believers are told to “throw off the deeds of darkness” and “put on the armor of light”. Behaviour is pictured as something taken off and put on.
03Walk properly in the dayThe next verse explains what proper daytime living does not look like. It names reveling, drunkenness, sexual promiscuity, lustful acts, strife, and jealousy.
Explanation
The next verse explains what proper daytime living does not look like. It names reveling, drunkenness, sexual promiscuity, lustful acts, strife, and jealousy. These are set against the call to “walk properly, as in the day”. The list shows that this teaching reaches actions, desires, and relationships.
04Put on the Lord Jesus ChristThe final command goes beyond avoiding certain sins. The passage says, “put on the Lord Jesus Christ”.
Explanation
The final command goes beyond avoiding certain sins. The passage says, “put on the Lord Jesus Christ”. It also says, “make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts.” The movement across the verses is from urgency, to changed conduct, to a life shaped by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What reason does the passage give for waking up and living alertly?
Look for the words about time and how salvation is “nearer to us than when we first believed”.
02What are believers told to throw off and to put on, and how do those images explain the message?
Notice the clothing and armour language, and connect it with darkness and light.
03How does verse 14 go beyond simply avoiding wrong actions?
Compare “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” with “make no provision for the flesh” and consider the positive and negative parts together.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Romans 13:11–14
11Do this, knowing the time, that it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep, for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed.
12The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let’s therefore throw off the deeds of darkness, and let’s put on the armor of light.
13Let’s walk properly, as in the day; not in reveling and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and lustful acts, and not in strife and jealousy.
14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts.