12:11a
(New American Standard Bible🙂 not lagging behind in diligence: The Greek is more literally “About the diligence/zeal, not lazy.” It indicates that we should not become lazy in regard to the diligent serving we do for God. Here are other ways to translate this clause:
Never be lacking in zeal (New International Version)
-or-
About your enthusiasm ⌊for the Lord⌋, do not let it become laziness
(New American Standard Bible🙂 diligence: There are several ways to interpret the Greek word that the New American Standard Bible translates as diligence :
(1) It means doing something earnestly, without stopping here. It has the same meaning as in 12:8 (New International Version (2011): “diligently”). For example:
diligence (New American Standard Bible)
(Good News Translation, New American Standard Bible, New Living Translation (2004), New Century Version)
(2) It means zeal here, “enthusiastic devotion to something.” Believers should be eager to do what the Lord wants them to do. For example:
zeal (Revised Standard Version)
(Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, New International Version, English Standard Version, New American Bible, Revised Edition, NET Bible, Revised English Bible)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because 12:11b has the Greek word that clearly means “having zeal,” so it would not be fitting to have the meaning of “zeal” again here.
Some languages must say in what one is diligent. For example:
be diligent ⌊in what you do for him⌋
12:11b
keep your spiritual fervor: There are two ways to interpret the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as spiritual :
(1) It refers to the spirit of a person here.
(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Standard Bible, King James Version, New Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, New American Bible, Revised Edition, God’s Word, NET Bible, New Century Version)
(2) It refers to the Holy Spirit here. The clause indicates that the Holy Spirit gives us fervor. For example:
be aglow with the Spirit (Revised Standard Version)
(Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, Revised English Bible)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because the other commands in these verses are human-centered.
The Greek is more literally “boiling.” Here it indicates that our spirits should be “stirred up” or excited. For example:
be enthusiastic (NET Bible)
spiritual fervor: Here this word spiritual refers to the inner being of a person. For example:
Your insides
-or-
heart/liver
12:11c
serving: Here this word refers to working for someone because you were told to do it. It refers to doing whatever work that God has given to you, including worshiping, praying, giving tithes, and helping others. This word refers to every believer, not just those who have a job in the church such as pastor or elder. Here are other ways to translate this word:
be a servant of
-or-
do the things commanded of us to do
See how you translated this word in 1:9 or 9:12.
the Lord: The word Lord refers to someone who has authority over people. Here this phrase refers to Jesus or God. In some languages it is more natural to indicate who this Lord is. For example:
the Lord ⌊Jesus/God⌋
See how you translated the word Lord in 4:8 or 11:34.
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