When it is said
Paul wrote these words as a prayer for the church in Rome.
Anyone may pray them over someone they love as a blessing, at any time.
Where it comes from
Author known
The end of a long plea
In Romans 15, Paul asks the strong to bear with the weak and urges the Christians in Rome to welcome one another as Christ welcomed them. He gathers verses about the nations praising God, ending with Isaiah’s promise of a ruler in whom the nations will hope. Then he turns to “the God of hope” in prayer.
Romans 15:1-13
St John Chrysostom’s reading
St John Chrysostom preached on this verse in his sermons on Romans and called it the prayer that closes Paul’s argument. In his reading, Paul wanted the Christians in Rome to lose their discouragement with one another and never to be cast down by temptation. Overflowing hope would bring that about, and with it joy as well as comfort in their troubles.
The Scripture in it
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Bible text: Berean Standard Bible, public domain.
In Greek
ὁ δὲ Θεὸς τῆς ἐλπίδος πληρώσαι ὑμᾶς
πάσης χαρᾶς καὶ εἰρήνης ἐν τῷ πιστεύειν,
εἰς τὸ περισσεύειν ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ ἐλπίδι
ἐν δυνάμει Πνεύματος Ἁγίου.
From the Patriarchal Greek text of 1904, on Elpenor (ellopos.net).