EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Romans 11:8
8It says this in the Bible: ‘God caused them to be like people who are sleeping. Even until this day, their eyes cannot really see, and their ears cannot really hear.’
Romans 11:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.
- New International Version (NIV)as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear, to this very day.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)as it is written, "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Just as it is written: “God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, To this very day.”
Context of Romans 11:8
6This shows that God has not chosen them because of any good things that they have done. If that was true, we could not say that God was really being kind to them. It would not be his gift. 7So we can say this: Israel's people did not all find what they were looking for. Only those people that God had chosen received it. But the other people of Israel became unable to understand God's message. It says this in the Bible: ‘God caused them to be like people who are sleeping. Even until this day, their eyes cannot really see, and their ears cannot really hear.’ 9King David says this: ‘They enjoy eating lots of good food together. I pray that God will catch them while they are eating! I want those good things to lead them into trouble. I want God to punish them because of what they have done. 10I want their eyes to become dark so that they cannot see. I want their bodies always to be in pain, like slaves.’
Read all of Romans 11Romans 11:8 word by word
καθὼς γέγραπται· ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ὁ θεὸς πνεῦμα κατανύξεως, ὀφθαλμοὺς τοῦ μὴ βλέπειν καὶ ὦτα τοῦ μὴ ἀκούειν ἕως τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- According asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
- it is writtenγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- hath givenδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
- themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- the spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- of slumberκατάνυξιςkatanuxis · stuporG2659
- eyesὀφθαλμόςophthalmos · eyeG3788
- that they shouldβλέπωblepō · to seeG991
- notμήmē · notG3361
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- earsοὖςous · earG3775
- that they shouldἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
- untoἕωςheōs · untilG2193
- thisσήμερονsēmeron · todayG4594
- dayἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
Cross-references for Romans 11:8
- Isaiah 29:10It is the Lord who has caused you to be like that. He has caused you to be completely asleep. He has shut the eyes of your prophets and he has covered the heads of your seers.
- Deuteronomy 29:4But until now the Lord has not let you understand why he did that. You saw and you heard those things, but you did not understand.
- Isaiah 6:9The Lord said, ‘Go! Tell my message to those people: “You will continue to listen, but you will never understand! You will continue to look, but you will not see anything!”
- Jeremiah 5:21Tell them, “Hear this message, you foolish and stupid people. You have eyes, but you do not see properly. You have ears, but you do not hear properly.” ’
- Ezekiel 12:2‘Son of man, you are living among a people who refuse to obey me. They have eyes, but they do not see anything. They have ears, but they do not hear anything. They refuse to listen to me.
- Mark 4:11Jesus replied, ‘God has let you understand how he rules in the lives of his people. But these other people only listen to stories.
- Luke 8:10Jesus replied, ‘God has let you know what these stories mean. You understand how God rules in the lives of his people. But other people only listen to my stories. They look, but they do not really see clearly. They hear the words, but they do not really understand.’
- Acts 28:26“Go and say to this people, ‘You will listen and listen. But you will not understand. You will look and look. But you will not see anything.’
- 2 Kings 17:34Even today, they still do things in the same way that they have always done them. They do not truly worship the Lord. They do not obey his rules, his laws or his teaching. They do not obey the commands that the Lord gave to the descendants of Jacob. Jacob was the man that the Lord gave a new name to. He gave him the name ‘Israel’.
- 2 Corinthians 3:14But those Israelite people could not think properly. Even today, they still do not understand the message of God's old agreement. When they read it, they are like people who have a cloth that covers their minds. It continues like that unless they believe in Christ. Then Christ removes the cloth so that they understand.
Commentaries on Romans 11:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8God hath given them the spirit of slumber - As they had wilfully closed their eyes against the light, so God has, in judgment, given them up to the spirit of slumber. The very word and revelation of God, which should have awakened their consciences, and opened their eyes and ears, have had a very different effect; and because they did not receive the truth in the love thereof, that which would otherwise have been the savour of life unto life, has become…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8According as it is written - That is, they are blinded in accordance with what is written. The fact and the manner accord with the ancient declaration. This is recorded in Isaiah 29:10, and in Deuteronomy 29:4. The same sentiment is found also substantially in Isaiah 6:9-10. The principal place referred to here, however, is doubtless Isaiah 29:10, “For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes; the prophets and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-8The others were hardened: Scripture describes this hardening as something God allows or brings about as part of his judgment. God permits people to remain unresponsive when they persist in rejecting his message. See Acts 13:46–48; 18:6.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-107-10. What then?--How stands the fact? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for--better, "What Israel is in search of (that is, Justification, or acceptance with God--see on Ro 9:31); this he found not; but the election (the elect remnant of Israel) found it, and the rest were hardened," or judicially given over to the "hardness of their own hearts."Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 11:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Romans 11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- 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
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- 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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