English Standard Version
Romans 9:14
14What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means!
Romans 9:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
- New International Version (NIV)What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all!
- New King James Version (NKJV)What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not!
- New Living Translation (NLT)Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not!
Context of Romans 9:14
12she was told, "The older will serve the younger." 13As it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 15For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." 16So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
Read all of Romans 9Romans 9:14 word by word
Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν; μὴ ἀδικία παρὰ τῷ θεῷ; μὴ γένοιτο.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Romans 9:14
- Romans 3:1Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?
- Romans 2:5But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.
- Romans 3:5But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.)
- Genesis 18:25Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?"
- Deuteronomy 32:4"The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.
- 2 Chronicles 19:7Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality or taking bribes."
- Job 8:3Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert the right?
- Job 34:10"Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding: far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.
- Job 35:2"Do you think this to be just? Do you say, 'It is my right before God,'
- Psalms 92:15to declare that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
- Psalms 145:17The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.
- Jeremiah 12:1Righteous are you, O Lord, when I complain to you; yet I would plead my case before you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?
- Revelation 15:3And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, "Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!
- Revelation 16:7And I heard the altar saying, "Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!"
Commentaries on Romans 9:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14What shall we say then? - To what conclusion shall we come on the facts before us? Shall we suggest that God's bestowing peculiar privileges in this unequal manner, on those who otherwise are in equal circumstances, is inconsistent with justice and equity? By no means. Whatever God does is right, and he may dispense his blessings to whom and or what terms he pleases.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. 14-16God’s choice is not unfair because God does not owe anything to sinful human beings (see study note on 4:4–5). Anything God gives is an act of mercy, not a payment that people deserve.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid--This is the first of two objections to the foregoing doctrine, that God chooses one and rejects another, not on account of their works, but purely in the exercise of His own good pleasure: "This doctrine is inconsistent with the justice of God." The answer to this objection extends to Ro 9:19, where we have the second objection.Read the comment
- Calvin’s Commentaries · v. 1414. What then shall we say? etc. The flesh cannot hear of this wisdom of God without being instantly disturbed by numberless questions, and without attempting in a manner to call God to an account. We hence find that the Apostle, whenever he treats of some high mystery, obviates the many absurdities by which he knew the minds of men would be otherwise possessed; for when men hear anything of what Scripture teaches respecting predestination, they are…Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 9:14
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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Commentaries