From today's reading from Romans 13

[Kathrin]

Dies anybody here know what exactly is meant by licentiousness?

(Romans 13:13:let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy.

Thank you

Kathrin

 

[TimothyH]

It means sexually promiscuous or lacking restraint.

-Tim-

 

[Fidelis]

Dies anybody here know what exactly is meant by licentiousness?

(Romans 13:13:let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy.

Thank you

Kathrin

“License” in general, refers to behavior that is without limit or standard. As used in Romans 13:13, it seems to refer to unbridled sexual behavior. Here are some other English translations of that same verse:

Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition
Let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy.

New Jerusalem Bible
Let us live decently, as in the light of day; with no orgies or drunkenness, no promiscuity or licentiousness, and no wrangling or jealousy.

Knox Bible
Let us pass our time honourably, as by the light of day, not in revelling and drunkenness, not in lust and wantonness, not in quarrels and rivalries.

New International Version
Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.

New Living Translation
Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy.

English Standard Version
Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.

New American Standard Bible
Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.

King James Bible
Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Let us walk with decency, as in the daylight: not in carousing and drunkenness; not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy.

American Standard Version
Let us walk becomingly, as in the day; not in revelling and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and jealousy.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Let us walk honestly, as in the day: not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and impurities, not in contention and envy:

 

[Kathrin]

I was mostly wondering, does it mostly or exclusively refer to sexual actions, or also to other kinds of behavior. I went to a mass where I am in Switzerland, and in the German language the word used here is Ausschweifungen, which can also be translated as excesses in general, like “curving away from” something.
Maybe I was wodnering, does it only refer to sinful behavior, or also to things that aren’t necessarily sinful per se.
Maybe this is a question of interpretation, but I thought it also may have had to do with the context in which the letter was written.

 

[Kathrin]

in German the word is Ausschweifungen, which can also mean excesses

 

[Fidelis]

That sounds about right, as this English/German dictionary seems to imply. By any chance, is the word “begehen” also present in the biblical text? It looks like that would refer to sexual excesses in particular.

The Greek word, koitais, when used elsewhere in the NT, refers to illicit sexual activity (see 1 Corinthians 6:9,10; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:3-5; Colossians 3:5).

 

[Kathrin]

I WAS wondering whether it refers particularly to sexual kinds of excesses.
I had the feeling the interpretation must also ahgve to do with the context in which the letter was written.

. By any chance, is the word “begehen” also present in the biblical text? It looks like that would refer to sexual excesses in particular.

It just lists the things that they should be without: “ohne massloses Essen und Trinken, ohne Unzucht und Ausschweifung”.

Unzucht definitely refers to sexual acts, Ausschweifung (I see now it is used in the singular) I wasn’t sure.

Anyway thanks for the (name removed by moderator)ut