Romans 9:8

Romans 9:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
• New International Version (NIV)In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.
• English Standard Version (ESV)This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.
• New King James Version (NKJV)That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.

Context of Romans 9:8

6Now it is not as though the word of God has failed, because not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7Neither is it the case that all of Abraham’s children are his descendants. On the contrary, your offspring will be traced through Isaac. That is, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but the children of the promise are considered to be the offspring. 9For this is the statement of the promise: At this time I will come, and Sarah will have a son. 10And not only that, but Rebekah conceived children through one man, our father Isaac.

Romans 9:8 word by word

τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν, οὐ τὰ τέκνα τῆς σαρκὸς ταῦτα τέκνα τοῦ θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐπαγγελίας λογίζεται εἰς σπέρμα.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thatοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• They which are the childrenὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• They which are the childrenτέκνονteknon · childG5043
• of the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
• notοὐou · noG3756
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• of the promiseἐπαγγελίαepaggelia · promiseG1860
• are countedλογίζομαιlogizomai · to countG3049
• forεἰςeis · towardG1519
• the seedσπέρμαsperma · seed: offspringG4690

Cross-references for Romans 9:8

• Romans 4:11And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while still uncircumcised. This was to make him the father of all who believe but are not circumcised, so that righteousness may be credited to them also.
• Galatians 4:22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and the other by a free woman.
• Genesis 31:15Are we not regarded by him as outsiders? For he has sold us and has certainly spent our purchase price.
• Psalms 22:30Their descendants will serve him; the next generation will be told about the Lord.
• Psalms 87:6When he registers the peoples, the Lord will record, “This one was born there.”Selah
• John 1:13who were born, not of natural descent, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.
• Galatians 3:26for through faith you are all sons of God in Christ Jesus.
• Galatians 4:28Now you too, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.
• 1 John 3:1See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children — and we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know him.

Commentaries on Romans 9:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8That is, They which are the children of the flesh - Whence it appears that not the children who descend from Abraham's loins, nor those who were circumcised as he was, nor even those whom he might expect and desire, are therefore the Church and people of God; but those who are made children by the good pleasure and promise of God, as Isaac was, are alone to be accounted for the seed with whom the covenant was established.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-13Verses 6-13 The rejection of the Jews by the gospel dispensation, did not break God's promise to the patriarchs. The promises and threatenings shall be fulfilled. Grace does not run in the blood; nor are saving benefits always found with outward church privileges. Not only some of Abraham's seed were chosen, and others not, but God therein wrought according to the counsel of his own will. God foresaw both Esau and Jacob as born in sin, by nature children…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. 7-97-9. Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children--"Not in the line of mere fleshly descent from Abraham does the election run; else Ishmael, Hagar's child, and even Keturah's children, would be included, which they were not." but--the true election are such of Abraham's seed as God unconditionally chooses, as exemplified in that promise. in Isaac shall thy seed be called--(Ge 21:12).Read the comment
• Calvin’s Commentaries · v. 88. That is, They are not, etc. He now gathers from God’s answer a proposition, which includes the whole of what he had in view. For if Isaac, and not Ishmael, was the seed, though the one as well as the other was Abraham’s son, it must be that all natural sons are not to be regarded as the seed, but that the promise is specially fulfilled only in some, and that it does not belong commonly and equally to all. He calls those the children of the flesh, who…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 9:8

• Adoption
• Circumcision
• Covenant
• Predestination
• Righteous
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Children of God
• Continual
• Fault
• Resist
• Bible, the
• Election
• Flesh
• Heredity

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