Romans 9:21

Romans 9:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
• New International Version (NIV)Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?

Context of Romans 9:21

19One of you will say to me, “Then why does God still find fault? For who can resist His will?” 20But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, “Why did You make me like this?” Does not the potter have the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special occasions and another for common use? 22What if God, intending to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the vessels of His wrath, prepared for destruction? 23What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the vessels of His mercy, whom He prepared in advance for glory—

Romans 9:21 word by word

ἢ οὐκ ἔχει ἐξουσίαν ὁ κεραμεὺς τοῦ πηλοῦ ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ φυράματος ποιῆσαι ὃ μὲν εἰς τιμὴν σκεῦος ὃ δὲ εἰς ἀτιμίαν;¶Read the interlinear

• ·ἤē · orG2228
• Does notοὐou · noG3756
• theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• potterκεραμεύςkerameus · potterG2763
• haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• the rightἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
• to makeποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• fromἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• sameαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• lumpφύραμαphurama · lumpG5445
• of clayπηλόςpēlos · clayG4081
• oneὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• vesselσκεῦοςskeuos · vesselG4632
• ·μένmen · on the other handG3303
• forεἰςeis · towardG1519
• special occasionsτιμήtimē · honorG5092
• andδέde · thenG1161
• common useἀτιμίαatimia · dishonourG819

Cross-references for Romans 9:21

• Romans 9:11Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand,
• Proverbs 16:4The LORD has made everything for His purpose— even the wicked for the day of disaster.
• Isaiah 64:8But now, O LORD, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand.
• Jeremiah 18:3So I went down to the potter’s house and saw him working at the wheel.
• Romans 9:22What if God, intending to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the vessels of His wrath, prepared for destruction?
• Jeremiah 22:28Is this man Coniah a despised and shattered pot, a jar that no one wants? Why are he and his descendants hurled out and cast into a land they do not know?
• Hosea 8:8Israel is swallowed up! Now they are among the nations like a worthless vessel.
• Acts 9:15“Go!” said the Lord. “This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings, and before the people of Israel.
• 2 Timothy 2:20A large house contains not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay. Some indeed are for honorable use, but others are for common use.

Commentaries on Romans 9:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Hath not the potter power over the clay - The apostle continues his answer to the Jew. Hath not God shown, by the parable of the potter, Jeremiah 18:1, etc., that he may justly dispose of nations, and of the Jews in particular, according as he in his infinite wisdom may judge most right and fitting; even as the potter has a right, out of the same lump of clay, to make one vessel to a more honorable and another to a less honorable use, as his own judgment…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. 20-21See Isaiah 29:16 and Isaiah 45:9–10.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2120-21. Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made--"didst thou make" me thus?--(Is 45:9).Read the comment
• Calvin’s Commentaries · v. 2121. Has not the worker of the clay? etc. The reason why what is formed ought not to contend with its former, is, that the former does nothing but what he has a right to do. By the word power, he means not that the maker has strength to do according to his will, but that this privilege rightly and justly belongs to him. For he intends not to claim for God any arbitrary power but what ought to be justly ascribed to him. And further, bear this in mind…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 9:21

• Clay
• Infidelity
• Pottery
• Power
• Predestination
• Presumption
• Reprobacy

In the dictionaries

• Clay
• Continual
• Election of Grace
• Fault
• Pottery
• Predestination
• Resist
• Sovereignty
• Apocalyptic Literature
• Authority in Religion

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