The surprising thing here is that "glory" isn't just about future hope, but about embracing present difficulties. Paul's point is that our struggles themselves, when faced with God’s strength, forge an unshakeable endurance, which is a deeply worthy thing to boast in.
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul just established that believers have peace with God through Jesus Christ and can stand firm in God's grace, holding onto the hope of future glory. Now, he pushes further, arguing that even present sufferings, rather than undermining this hope, actually strengthen it. He explains that trials, by God's power, cultivate endurance, which in turn proves the genuineness of our faith and deepens our reliance on Him. This tested faith solidifies our hope, making it unshakable, especially as the Holy Spirit floods our hearts with the assurance of God's immense love for us.
The idea of 'rejoicing' in suffering sounds almost impossible. How can we find joy when things are tough?
The Bible doesn't tell us to pretend suffering isn't painful. The word used here, 'glory,' isn't about ignoring hardship, but about finding a deep, triumphant joy within it. It's a confidence that God is working something good through the trial, even when it hurts. This isn't a superficial happiness, but a profound assurance rooted in faith.
What's the point of all this hardship? Does it actually lead to anything good?
Paul lays out a powerful chain reaction: suffering produces endurance. This isn't just about 'toughing it out.' The original language points to a deep, steadfast perseverance – the kind that doesn't give up or crumble under pressure. Think of it like a muscle: it only gets stronger when it's challenged. God uses trials to build this resilience in us, shaping our character and deepening our reliance on Him.
Understand the original words
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thlipsis · Greek Noun
Afflictions, trials, or troubles faced by believers in a fallen world; these are seen as opportunities for spiritual refinement rather than signs of divine abandonment.
hypomonē · Greek Noun
The capacity to remain steadfast and remain under pressure; the perseverance of faith despite hardships or delay.
dokimē · Greek Noun
The quality of integrity and proven virtue that emerges when faith is tested and refined through trials.
kataischynō · Greek Verb
To be disappointed or brought to public disgrace; in this context, it refers to the certainty that God’s promises will not fail, thus preventing the believer's hope from being proven empty.
agapē · Greek Noun
The self-giving, covenant-keeping affection of God that is the source of all redemption and the motivation for the believer's life.
Pneuma Hagion · Greek Noun
The third person of the Trinity; He is the personal presence of God who indwells the believer, applying Christ’s work and empowering the Christian life.
Paul is writing to Roman believers who are experiencing suffering and persecution. He's not just offering comfort, but showing how these very trials are God's tools to forge endurance, prove the genuineness of faith, and ultimately deepen their hope in Christ, painting a picture of suffering as a catalyst for spiritual growth, not a deterrent to joy.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
The central event of Christianity, where Jesus' death and resurrection offer salvation and a new covenant, initiating the age of the Spirit for believers.
c. AD 30s onwards
Early Church Persecution
Believers in Jesus faced intense opposition, imprisonment, and social ostracism from both Jewish authorities and Roman powers, testing their faith.
c. AD 40s-50s
Paul's Missionary Journeys
The Apostle Paul traveled extensively, establishing churches and facing numerous hardships, including beatings, shipwrecks, and imprisonment, all for the sake of the Gospel.
c. AD 50
Council of Jerusalem
A pivotal moment addressing the inclusion of Gentiles in the church and the requirements for new believers, highlighting early church tensions and decisions.
c. AD 60-64
Paul's Imprisonment and Writings
Paul wrote letters like Romans from prison, offering profound theological insights and pastoral guidance to churches dealing with various struggles and persecutions.
This passage directly echoes Romans 5:3 by instructing believers to 'count it all joy' when facing trials, highlighting the connection between suffering and the development of perseverance. It shows this isn't a unique Pauline idea but a foundational truth for all believers.
Matthew 5:10-12Jesus' Beatitudes connect the suffering and persecution of believers with blessings and joy, similar to how Paul connects suffering with rejoicing. This highlights that enduring hardship for righteousness' sake is a mark of the kingdom and a source of future reward.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5Paul describes God as the 'Father of mercies and God of all comfort' who comforts us in our troubles, so that we can comfort others. This shows that suffering is not just for our own endurance but also equips us to minister to others who are suffering, a deeper purpose for affliction.
Hebrews 12:7-11This passage explains that God disciplines us as a Father disciplines his children, not for his pleasure, but for our good, so that we may share in his holiness. It provides a theological framework for understanding that suffering can be a purposeful tool for spiritual growth and conformity to God's character.
henryRomans 5:1-5: "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:"
5:1-5 A blessed change takes place in the sinner's state, when he becomes a true believer, whatever he has been. Being justified by faith he has peace with God. The holy, righteous God, cannot be at peace with a sinner, while under the guilt of sin. Justification takes away the guilt, and so makes way for peace. This is through our Lord Jesus Christ; through him as the great Peace-maker, th…
pulpitRomans 5:3: "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;"
Verses 3-5. - And not only so, but we glory in tribulations (or, our tribulations) also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Ghost which is given to us. The peace, the joy, the hope, that come of faith might be supposed unable to stand…
The surprising thing here is that "glory" isn't just about future hope, but about embracing present difficulties. Paul's point is that our struggles themselves, when faced with God’s strength, forge an unshakeable endurance, which is a deeply worthy thing to boast in.
Paul just established that believers have peace with God through Jesus Christ and can stand firm in God's grace, holding onto the hope of future glory. Now, he pushes further, arguing that even present sufferings, rather than undermining this hope, actually strengthen it. He explains that trials, by God's power, cultivate endurance, which in turn proves the genuineness of our faith and deepens our reliance on Him. This tested faith solidifies our hope, making it unshakable, especially as the Holy Spirit floods our hearts with the assurance of God's immense love for us.
Paul just established that believers have peace with God through Jesus Christ and can stand firm in God's grace, holding onto the hope of future glory. Now, he pushes further, arguing that even present sufferings, rather than undermining this hope, actually strengthen it. He explains that trials, by God's power, cultivate endurance, which in turn proves the genuineness of our faith and deepens our reliance on Him. This tested faith solidifies our hope, making it unshakable, especially as the Holy Spirit floods our hearts with the assurance of God's immense love for us.
"Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our heart…" — The surprising thing here is that "glory" isn't just about future hope, but about embracing present difficulties. Paul's point is that our struggles themselves, when faced with God’s strength, forg…
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Last reviewed October 2026
