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)
The "hope" here isn't just wishful thinking; it's a confident expectation that won't lead to embarrassment. This certainty flows not from our own efforts, but from the overwhelming love of God that's actively filling our hearts through the Holy Spirit given to us.
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 is explaining how believers can rejoice even in suffering. He’s just said that suffering produces endurance, endurance proves faithful character, and this character leads to a sure hope of God's glory. Now, he assures us that this hope is solid and won't disappoint because of the overflowing love of God poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.
Ever felt let down by your own expectations or the promises of others? Christian hope is different, and Paul tells us why.
Paul declares that Christian "hope does not put us to shame." This isn't a wishful thinking kind of hope, but a confident expectation. It's grounded not in our circumstances or our own ability, but in God's faithfulness. Unlike human hopes that can crumble when faced with reality, this hope is built on the solid rock of God's character and promises. When life gets tough, this hope doesn't falter because its ultimate fulfillment is guaranteed by God himself.
What fuels this unshakeable hope? It's not something we generate, but something divinely bestowed and experienced.
The reason our hope doesn't disappoint is because of the incredible love of God "poured into our hearts." This isn't a meager trickle, but an abundant outpouring. It's the deep, certain knowledge of God's immense love for us, experienced directly. This divine love fills us, motivates us, and assures us that God, who loved us enough to give us this love, will certainly bring us to the fulfillment of our hope. It's a love that transforms our inner lives.
How do we actually feel this divine love and hold onto this unwavering hope? The Holy Spirit is key.
This extraordinary love isn't just a concept; it's made real and deeply felt in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is God's active presence within us, given specifically for this purpose. He doesn't just remind us of God's love; He actively applies it, making it a living reality that sustains our hope. The Spirit assures us of God's favor and empowers us to live in the confidence of future glory, making our hope not just a belief, but an experienced assurance.
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Understand the original words
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.
This verse directly echoes Psalm 22:5, which speaks of ancestors who trusted in God and were not put to shame, highlighting the historical precedent for the unwavering hope promised in Romans.
1 Peter 1:3This passage speaks of a 'living hope' through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which aligns with Romans 5:5 by connecting hope to God's action and its enduring nature.
Galatians 4:6This verse describes God sending the Spirit of his Son into believers' hearts, crying 'Abba! Father!', which complements Romans 5:5 by showing the Spirit's role in assuring us of God's love and our relationship with Him.
John 15:9Jesus tells his disciples to 'abide in my love,' directly linking abiding in God's love to maintaining connection and fruitfulness, mirroring the concept of God's love being poured into our hearts.
1 John 4:19This foundational verse states that 'We love because he first loved us,' clearly establishing the source of our ability to love and hope as God's prior, abundant love, which is the very essence of what Romans 5:5 describes as 'shed abroad' in our hearts.
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…
clarkeRomans 5:5: "And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."
And hope maketh not ashamed - A hope that is not rationally founded will have its expectation cut off; and then shame and confusion will be the portion of its possessor. But our hope is of a different kind; it is founded on the goodness and truth of God; and our religious experience shows us that we have not misapplied it; nor exercised it on wrong or imprope…
The "hope" here isn't just wishful thinking; it's a confident expectation that won't lead to embarrassment. This certainty flows not from our own efforts, but from the overwhelming love of God that's actively filling our hearts through the Holy Spirit given to us.
Paul is explaining how believers can rejoice even in suffering. He’s just said that suffering produces endurance, endurance proves faithful character, and this character leads to a sure hope of God's glory. Now, he assures us that this hope is solid and won't disappoint because of the overflowing love of God poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.
Paul is explaining how believers can rejoice even in suffering. He’s just said that suffering produces endurance, endurance proves faithful character, and this character leads to a sure hope of God's glory. Now, he assures us that this hope is solid and won't disappoint because of the overflowing love of God poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.
"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." — The "hope" here isn't just wishful thinking; it's a confident expectation that won't lead to embarrassment. This certainty flows not from our own efforts, but from the overwhelming love of God that's…
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Last reviewed October 2026