Romans 13:13
ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ εὐσχημόνως περιπατήσωμεν μὴ κώμοις καὶ μέθαις μὴ κοίταις καὶ ἀσελγείαις μὴ ἔριδι καὶ ζήλῳ
A Verse That Sounds Like Careful Instruction
This verse feels orderly and deliberate.
Paul first describes how believers should walk, and then he lists behaviors that do not belong to that way of life.
walk properly → not this → not this → not this
Greek creates rhythm here through repetition. The repeated negative word μὴ keeps returning like a warning marker throughout the sentence.
Transliteration
hōs en hēmera euschēmonōs peripatēsōmen mē kōmois kai methais mē koitais kai aselgeiais mē eridi kai zēlō
Literal Translation
“As in daytime, let us walk properly — not in revelries and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.”
Grammar Focus — The Repeated Negative μὴ
One small word shapes the entire structure of this verse:
μὴ
This word means:
“not”
Greek repeats it three times:
μὴ κώμοις καὶ μέθαις
“not in revelries and drunkenness”
μὴ κοίταις καὶ ἀσελγείαις
“not in immorality and sensuality”
μὴ ἔριδι καὶ ζήλῳ
“not in strife and jealousy”
The repetition creates rhythm and emphasis. Each phrase feels separated and weighty.
Greek could have used one negative for the whole list, but repeating μὴ makes every warning stand out individually.
Vocabulary Builder — Walking and Conduct
| Greek Word | Pronunciation | Meaning | Beginner Insight |
|---|---|---|---|
| εὐσχημόνως | euschēmonōs | properly / decently | Describes honorable outward conduct. |
| περιπατήσωμεν | peripatēsōmen | let us walk | Greek often uses “walk” metaphorically for daily living. |
| κώμοις | kōmois | revelries | Public partying or wild celebration. |
| ζήλῳ | zēlō | jealousy | Can describe envy, rivalry, or possessive zeal. |
The Daytime Image
The verse begins with an important comparison:
ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ
Literally:
“as in daytime”
Daytime symbolizes openness, visibility, and honorable conduct.
Greek uses the image of daylight to frame everything that follows.
How the List Becomes More Personal
The verse moves through three categories:
public excess
revelries and drunkenness
private immorality
sexual impurity and sensuality
inner attitudes
strife and jealousy
Greek gradually moves from outward behavior toward inward relational problems.
The structure becomes increasingly personal as the verse progresses.
Beginner Practice Activity
Match the Greek word with its meaning.
| Greek | Your Match |
|---|---|
| περιπατήσωμεν | A. jealousy |
| ζήλῳ | B. let us walk |
| κώμοις | C. revelries |
Small Observation Challenge: Which Greek word is repeated three times to structure the warnings?
Listening to the Rhythm of the Warnings
This verse teaches beginners how Greek repetition can shape tone and structure.
The repeated μὴ divides the sentence into clear warning sections. The image of daytime creates a moral atmosphere for the entire verse. And the movement from outward behavior to inward jealousy gives the list growing personal depth.
As you continue reading Greek, you begin noticing that small repeated words often control the rhythm and emotional force of an entire sentence.
