Romans 9:19

Romans 9:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
• New International Version (NIV)One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?”

Context of Romans 9:19

17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “I raised you up for this very purpose, to display My power in [dealing with] you, and so that My name would be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18So then, He has mercy on whom He wills (chooses), and He hardens [the heart of] whom He wills. You will say to me then, “Why does He still blame me [for sinning]? For who [including myself] has [ever] resisted His will and purpose?” 20On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers [arrogantly] back to God and dares to defy Him? Will the thing which is formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21Does the potter not have the right over the clay, to make from the same lump [of clay] one object for honorable use [something beautiful or distinctive] and another for common use [something ordinary or menial]?

Romans 9:19 word by word

Ἐρεῖς μοι οὖν· τί οὖν ἔτι μέμφεται; τῷ γὰρ βουλήματι αὐτοῦ τίς ἀνθέστηκεν;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Thou wilt sayἐρῶereō · to sayG2046
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• unto meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• Whyτίςtis · which?G5101
• doth heμέμφομαιmemphomai · to blameG3201
• yetἔτιeti · stillG2089
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• hath resistedἀνθίστημιanthistēmi · to opposeG436
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• willβούλημαboulēma · planG1013

Cross-references for Romans 9:19

• Romans 3:8And why not say, (as some slanderously report and claim that we teach) “Let us do evil so that good may come of it”? Their condemnation [by God] is just.
• 1 Corinthians 15:12Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how is it that some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
• James 1:13Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God” [for temptation does not originate from God, but from our own flaws]; for God cannot be tempted by [what is] evil, and He Himself tempts no one.
• Romans 3:5But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? God is not wrong to inflict His wrath [on us], is He? (I am speaking in purely human terms.)
• Genesis 50:20As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present outcome, that many people would be kept alive [as they are this day].
• 2 Chronicles 20:6and said, “O Lord, God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven? And do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand, there is no one able to take a stand against You.
• Job 9:12Behold, He snatches away; who can restrain or turn Him back? Who will say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’
• Job 23:13But He is unique and unchangeable, and who can turn Him? And what His soul desires, that He does.
• Psalms 76:10For the wrath of man shall praise You; With a remnant of wrath You will clothe and arm Yourself.
• Isaiah 10:6I send Assyria against a godless nation And commission it against the people of My wrath To take the spoil and to seize the plunder, And to trample them down like mud in the streets.
• Isaiah 46:10Declaring the end and the result from the beginning, And from ancient times the things which have not [yet] been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will do all that pleases Me and fulfills My purpose,’
• Daniel 4:35All the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing. But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth; And no one can hold back His hand Or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’
• Mark 14:21For the Son of Man goes [to the cross] just as it is written [in Scripture] of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”
• Acts 2:23this Man, when handed over [to the Roman authorities] according to the predetermined decision and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross and put to death by the hands of lawless and godless men.
• Acts 4:27For in this city there were gathered together against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,

Commentaries on Romans 9:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19Why doth he yet find fault? - The apostle here introduces the Jew making an objection similar to that in Romans 3:7; : If the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory, that is, if God's faithfulness is glorified by my wickedness, why yet am I also judged as a sinner? Why am I condemned for that which brings so much glory to him? The question here is: If God's glory be so highly promoted and manifested by our obstinacy, and he suffers…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-24Verses 14-24 Whatever God does, must be just. Wherein the holy, happy people of God differ from others, God's grace alone makes them differ. In this preventing, effectual, distinguishing grace, he acts as a benefactor, whose grace is his own. None have deserved it; so that those who are saved, must thank God only; and those who perish, must blame themselves only, Hos 13:9. God is bound no further than he has been pleased to bind himself by his own…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-33n this section, Paul addresses a serious question. Many Jews did not believe in Jesus. If God had promised salvation to Israel, how could Jesus truly fulfill God’s plan when so few Jews believed (9:1–5)? In response, Paul uses the Old Testament to show that God always planned to save only a remnant, that is, a smaller group within Israel (9:6–29). Paul also explains that many Jews did not accept Christ because they refused to trust in him (9:30–10:21)…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. Thou shalt say then unto me, Why--"Why then" is the true reading. doth he yet find fault? for who hath resisted--"Who resisteth" his will?--that is, "This doctrine is incompatible with human responsibility"; If God chooses and rejects, pardons and punishes, whom He pleases, why are those blamed who, if rejected by Him, cannot help sinning and perishing? This objection shows quite as conclusively as the former the real nature of the doctrine objected…Read the comment
• Calvin’s Commentaries · v. 1919. Thou wilt then say, etc. Here indeed the flesh especially storms, that is, when it hears that they who perish have been destined by the will of God to destruction. Hence the Apostle adopts again the words of an opponent; for he saw that the mouths of the ungodly could not be restrained from boldly clamouring against the righteousness of God: and he very fitly expresses their mind; for being not content with defending themselves, they make God guilty…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 9:19

• Anthropomorphisms
• Murmuring
• Predestination

In the dictionaries

• Continual
• Fault
• Resist
• Sovereignty
• Bible, the
• Election
• Paul, the Apostle
• Predestination
• Romans, Epistle to the
• Will, Volition

Commentaries on Romans 9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings