Romans 5:4
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
American King James Version (AKJV)
And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
American Standard Version (ASV)
and stedfastness, approvedness; and approvedness, hope:
Basic English Translation (BBE)
And waiting gives experience; and experience, hope:
Webster's Revision
And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
World English Bible
and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope:
English Revised Version (ERV)
and patience, probation; and probation, hope:
Clarke's Romans 5:4 Bible Commentary
And patience, experience - Δὀκιμεν, Full proof, by trial, of the truth of our religion, the solidity of our Christian state, and the faithfulness of our God. In such cases we have the opportunity of putting our religion to the test; and, by every such test, it receives the deeper sterling stamp. The apostle uses here also a metaphor taken from the purifying, refining, and testing of silver and gold.
Experience, hope - For we thus calculate, that he who has supported us in the past will support us in those which may yet come; and as we have received so much spiritual profiting by means of the sufferings through which we have already passed, we may profit equally by those which are yet to come: and this hope prevents us from dreading coming trials; we receive them as means of grace, and find that all things work together for good to them that love God.
Barnes's Romans 5:4 Bible Commentary
And patience, experience - Patient endurance of trial produces experience. The word rendered "experience" (δοκιμήν dokimēn) means trial, testing, or that thorough examination by which we ascertain the quality or nature of a thing, as when we test a metal by fire, or in any other way, to ascertain that it is genuine. It also means approbations, or the result of such a trial; the being approved, and accepted as the effect of a trying process. The meaning is, that long afflictions borne patiently show a Christian what he is; they test his religion, and prove that it is genuine. Afflictions are often sent for this purpose, and patience in the midst of them shows that the religion which can sustain them is from God.
And experience, hope - The result of such long trial is to produce hope. They show that religion is genuine; that it is from God; and not only so, but they direct the mind onward to another world; and sustain the soul by the prospect of a glorious immortality there. The various steps and stages of the benefits of afflictions are thus beautifully delineated by the apostle in a manner which accords with the experience of all the children of God.
Wesley's Romans 5:4 Bible Commentary
5:4 And patience works more experience of the sincerity of our grace, and of God's power and faithfulness.