"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
— Romans 15:13 (NIV)
Romans 15:13 is the "God of hope" blessing. This page gives the verse, where it sits in Romans 15, and a plain reading. For more on the theme, see Bible verses about the God of hope, Bible verses about hope, and Love and hope.
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The verse
The King James says, "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."
"Hope" is elpis (G1680), confident expectation. "Joy" is chara (G5479) and "peace" is eirēnē (G1515). "Trust" is pisteuō (G4100), to believe. "Overflow" is perisseuō (G4052), to abound or have more than enough, and "power" is dynamis (G1411).
Where it sits in Romans 15
Paul is writing to a church of Jewish and Gentile believers. In Romans 15:4 he says, "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope."
In Romans 15:7 he says, "Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God." He then quotes the Old Testament four times to show the Gentiles praising God, ending with Isaiah: "The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope" (Romans 15:12). Verse 13 is the blessing that closes that section.
What the verse is saying
Paul names God as "the God of hope," the one hope comes from. He prays that God would fill the believers with joy and peace, and he ties both to trust: "as you trust in him."
The goal is more than enough hope, and the source is not the readers' own effort but "the power of the Holy Spirit." For more, see Romans 8:28, Jeremiah 29:11, and Bible verses about peace.
Questions people ask
What does Romans 15:13 say?
In the NIV it says, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." The KJV says, "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."
Who wrote Romans 15:13?
The apostle Paul wrote it in his letter to the church in Rome.
What does "God of hope" mean?
It names God as the source of hope. Paul has just quoted Isaiah, "in him the Gentiles will hope" (Romans 15:12), and then calls God the God of hope.
Is Romans 15:13 a prayer or a blessing?
It is a prayer-blessing. Paul asks God to fill his readers with joy, peace, and hope, the way a benediction closes a section of a letter.
What verse goes with Romans 15:13?
Romans 8:28 says God works in all things for the good of those who love him. Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."
