New English Translation
Romans 10:20
20And Isaiah is even bold enough to say, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I became well known to those who did not ask for me.”
Romans 10:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
- New International Version (NIV)And Isaiah boldly says, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, "I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me."
- New King James Version (NKJV)But Isaiah is very bold and says: “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”
Context of Romans 10:20
18But I ask, have they not heard? Yes, they have: Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. 19But again I ask, didn’t Israel understand? First Moses says, “I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation; with a senseless nation I will provoke you to anger.” And Isaiah is even bold enough to say, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I became well known to those who did not ask for me.” 21But about Israel he says, “All day long I held out my hands to this disobedient and stubborn people!”
Read all of Romans 10Romans 10:20 word by word
Ἠσαΐας δὲ ἀποτολμᾷ καὶ λέγει· εὑρέθην ἐν τοῖς ἐμὲ μὴ ζητοῦσιν, ἐμφανὴς ἐγενόμην τοῖς ἐμὲ μὴ ἐπερωτῶσιν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- EsaiasἩσαΐαςHēsaias · IsaiahG2268
- is very boldἀποτολμάωapotōlmaō · be boldG662
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- I was foundεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147
- of themὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- that soughtζητέωzēteō · to seekG2212
- meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- notμήmē · notG3361
- I was madeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- manifestἐμφανήςemphanēs · revealedG1717
- that askedἐπερωτάωeperōtaō · to questionG1905
Cross-references for Romans 10:20
- Proverbs 28:1The wicked person flees when there is no one pursuing, but the righteous person is as confident as a lion.
- Isaiah 58:1“Shout loudly! Don’t be quiet! Yell as loud as a trumpet! Confront my people with their rebellious deeds; confront Jacob’s family with their sin!
- Ephesians 6:19Pray for me also, that I may be given the message when I begin to speak – that I may confidently make known the mystery of the gospel,
- Romans 9:30What shall we say then? – that the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness obtained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith,
- Isaiah 65:1“I made myself available to those who did not ask for me; I appeared to those who did not look for me. I said, ‘Here I am! Here I am!’ to a nation that did not invoke my name.
- Isaiah 49:6he says, “Is it too insignificant a task for you to be my servant, to reestablish the tribes of Jacob, and restore the remnant of Israel? I will make you a light to the nations, so you can bring my deliverance to the remote regions of the earth.”
- Isaiah 52:15his form was so marred he no longer looked human – so now he will startle many nations. Kings will be shocked by his exaltation, for they will witness something unannounced to them, and they will understand something they had not heard about.
- Isaiah 55:4Look, I made him a witness to nations, a ruler and commander of nations.”
- Matthew 20:16So the last will be first, and the first last.”
- Matthew 22:9So go into the main streets and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’
- Luke 14:23So the master said to his slave, ‘Go out to the highways and country roads and urge people to come in, so that my house will be filled.
- 1 John 4:19We love because he loved us first.
Commentaries on Romans 10:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20But Esaias (the Greek orthography for Isaiah) is very bold - Speaks out in the fullest manner and plainest language, Isaiah 65:1, notwithstanding the danger to which such a declaration exposed him, among a crooked, perverse, and dangerous people: I was found of them that sought me not; I put my salvation in the way of those (the Gentiles) who were not seeking for it, and knew nothing of it: thus, the Gentiles which followed not after righteousness have…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20But Esaias - Isaiah 65:1-2. Is very bold - Expresses the doctrine openly, boldly, without any reserve. The word ̓́ apotolmaōmeans to dare, to be venturesome, to be bold. It means here that however unpopular the doctrine might be, or however dangerous it was to avow that the Jews were extremely wicked, and that God for their wickedness would cast them off, yet that Isaiah had long since done it. This was the point which Paul was establishing; and against…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-21Verses 18-21 Did not the Jews know that the Gentiles were to be called in? They might have known it from Moses and Isaiah. Isaiah speaks plainly of the grace and favour of God, as going before in the receiving of the Gentiles. Was not this our own case? Did not God begin in love, and make himself known to us when we did not ask after him? The patience of God towards provoking sinners is wonderful. The time of God's patience is called a day, light as day…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20This quotation is from Isaiah 65:1. In the book of Isaiah, the phrase "those who did not seek Me" refers to the people of Israel. As in Romans 9:25–26 Paul applies them to the Gentiles to show that God has made it possible for them to be a part of the people of God.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. But Esaias is very bold, and saith--that is, is still plainer, and goes even the length of saying. I was found of them that sought me not--until I sought them. I was made--"became" manifest unto them that asked not after me--until the invitation from Me came to them. That the calling of the Gentiles was meant by these words of the prophet (Is 65:1) is manifest from what immediately follows, "I said, Behold Me, behold Me, unto a nation that was not…Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 10:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Romans 10
- 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
- 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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