Romans 13:13

13 let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy.

Romans 13:13 Meaning and Commentary

Romans 13:13

Let us walk honestly as in the day
Being under the day of the Gospel dispensation, and the day of grace having dawned, and the daystar of spiritual light and knowledge being risen in our hearts, and we being exposed to the view of all men in broad daylight, ought not to lie down and sleep, but to arise and be active, and walk decently with the armour of light on us, as becomes the Gospel of Christ; not naked and unclothed, which would expose us and the Gospel to shame and contempt:

not in rioting;
the Syriac and Arabic versions read, "in singing", or "songs"; meaning lewd ones, sung at riotous feasts and banquets, made not for refreshment, but for pleasure and debauchery, what the Romans F9 call "comessations"; feasts after supper in the night season, and design all sorts of nocturnal revels: "Comus", the word here used, is with the Heathens the god of feasts, perhaps the same with "Chemosh", the god of the Moabites, ( 1 Kings 11:33 ) .

And drunkenness;
which always attended such unseasonable and immoderate festivals:

not in chambering;
in unlawful copulations, fornication, adultery, and all the defilements of the bed:

and wantonness;
lasciviousness, unnatural lusts, as sodomy

not in strife and envying;
contention and quarrels, which are usually the consequences of luxury and uncleanness.


FOOTNOTES:

F9 Seutonius in Vita Vitell. c. 13.

Romans 13:13 In-Context

11 Besides this you know what hour it is, how it is full time now for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed;
12 the night is far gone, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light;
13 let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.