Darby Bible
Romans 9:31
31But Israel, pursuing after a law of righteousness, has not attained to [that] law.
Romans 9:31 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
- New International Version (NIV)but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal.
- English Standard Version (ESV)but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law.
- New King James Version (NKJV)but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness.
Context of Romans 9:31
29And according as Esaias said before, Unless [the] Lord of hosts had left us a seed, we had been as Sodom, and made like even as Gomorrha. 30What then shall we say? That [they of the] nations, who did not follow after righteousness, have attained righteousness, but [the] righteousness that is on the principle of faith. But Israel, pursuing after a law of righteousness, has not attained to [that] law. 32Wherefore? Because [it was] not on the principle of faith, but as of works. They have stumbled at the stumblingstone, 33according as it is written, Behold, I place in Zion a stone of stumbling and rock of offence: and he that believes on him shall not be ashamed.
Read all of Romans 9Romans 9:31 word by word
Ἰσραὴλ δὲ διώκων νόμον δικαιοσύνης εἰς νόμον οὐκ ἔφθασεν.Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Romans 9:31
- Romans 9:30What then shall we say? That [they of the] nations, who did not follow after righteousness, have attained righteousness, but [the] righteousness that is on the principle of faith.
- Romans 10:2For I bear them witness that they have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
- Galatians 3:21[Is] then the law against the promises of God? Far be the thought. For if a law had been given able to quicken, then indeed righteousness were on the principle of law;
- Philippians 3:6as to zeal, persecuting the assembly; as to righteousness which [is] in [the] law, found blameless;
- Romans 3:20Wherefore by works of law no flesh shall be justified before him; for by law [is] knowledge of sin.
- Romans 4:14For if they which [are] of law be heirs, faith is made vain, and the promise made of no effect.
- Romans 11:7What [is it] then? What Israel seeks for, that he has not obtained; but the election has obtained, and the rest have been blinded,
- Galatians 3:10For as many as are on the principle of works of law are under curse. For it is written, Cursed is every one who does not continue in all things which [are] written in the book of the law to do them;
- Galatians 5:3And I witness again to every man [who is] circumcised, that he is debtor to do the whole law.
- James 2:10For whoever shall keep the whole law and shall offend in one [point], he has come under the guilt of [breaking] all.
Commentaries on Romans 9:31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31But Israel, which followed after - But the Jews, who have hitherto been the people of God, though they have been industrious in observing a rule by which they supposed they could secure the blessings of God's peculiar kingdom, yet have not come up to the true and only rule by which those blessings can be secured.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 30-33Verses 30-33 The Gentiles knew not their guilt and misery, therefore were not careful to procure a remedy. Yet they attained to righteousness by faith. Not by becoming proselytes to the Jewish religion, and submitting to the ceremonial law; but by embracing Christ, and believing in him, and submitting to the gospel. The Jews talked much of justification and holiness, and seemed very ambitious to be the favourites of God. They sought, but not in the right…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 31who pursued a law of righteousness: The phrase law of righteousness is an idiom. It means trying to become righteous by obeying the law. Paul is describing people who believed that careful law-keeping could put them in a right relationship with God.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 30-3130-31. What shall we say then?--"What now is the result of the whole?" The result is this--very different from what one would have expected. That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained--"attained" to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith--As we have seen that "the righteousness of faith" is the righteousness which justifies (see on Ro 3:22, &c.), this verse must mean that "the Gentiles, who while strangers to Christ…Read the comment
- Calvin’s Commentaries · v. 3131. But Israel, by pursuing, etc. Paul openly states what seemed incredible, — that it was no wonder that the Jews gained nothing by sedulously following after righteousness; for by running out of the way, they wearied themselves in vain. But in the first place it seems to me that the law of righteousness is here an instance of transposition, and means the righteousness of the law; (There seems to be no necessity for this transposition. “A law (not the…Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 9:31
In the dictionaries
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
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