God’s Word Translation
Romans 9:14
14What can we say—that God is unfair? That’s unthinkable!
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!
- English Standard Version (ESV)What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means!
- New King James Version (NKJV)What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not!
Context of Romans 9:14
12a choice based on God’s call and not on anything people do. 13The Scriptures say, “I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau.” What can we say—that God is unfair? That’s unthinkable! 15For example, God said to Moses, “I will be kind to anyone I want to. I will be merciful to anyone I want to.” 16Therefore, God’s choice does not depend on a person’s desire or effort, but on God’s 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 3:1Is there any advantage, then, in being a Jew? Or is there any value in being circumcised?
- Romans 2:5Since you are stubborn and don’t want to change the way you think and act, you are adding to the anger that God will have against you on that day when God vents his anger. At that time God will reveal that his decisions are fair.
- Romans 3:5But if what we do wrong shows that God is fair, what should we say? Is God unfair when he vents his anger on us? (I’m arguing the way humans would.)
- Genesis 18:25It would be unthinkable for you to do such a thing, to treat the innocent and the guilty alike and to kill the innocent with the guilty. That would be unthinkable! Won’t the judge of the whole earth do what is fair?”
- Deuteronomy 32:4He is a rock. What he does is perfect. All his ways are fair. He is a faithful God, who does no wrong. He is honorable and reliable.
- 2 Chronicles 19:7May you have the fear of the Lord in you. Be careful about what you do. The Lord our God is never unjust. He is impartial and never takes bribes.”
- Job 8:3Does God distort justice, or does the Almighty distort righteousness?
- Job 34:10“You people who have understanding, listen to me. It is unthinkable that God would ever do evil or that the Almighty would ever do wicked things.
- Job 35:2“Do you think this is right when you say, ‘My case is more just than God’s,’
- Psalms 92:15They make it known that the Lord is decent. He is my rock. He is never unfair.
- Psalms 145:17The Lord is fair in all his ways and faithful in everything he does.
- Jeremiah 12:1O Lord, even if I would argue my case with you, you would always be right. Yet, I want to talk to you about your justice. Why do wicked people succeed? Why do treacherous people have peace and quiet?
- Revelation 15:3and singing the song of God’s servant Moses and the song of the lamb. They sang, “The things you do are spectacular and amazing, Lord God Almighty. The way you do them is fair and true, King of the Nations.
- Revelation 16:7Then I heard the altar answer, “Yes, Lord God Almighty, your judgments are true and fair.”
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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