Romans 9:19

Romans 9:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
• New International Version (NIV)One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?”

Context of Romans 9:19

17For the scripture says to Pharaoh: “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may demonstrate my power in you, and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18So then, God has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden. You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who has ever resisted his will?” 20But who indeed are you – a mere human being – to talk back to God? Does what is molded say to the molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21Has the potter no right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special use and another for ordinary use?

Romans 9:19 word by word

Ἐρεῖς μοι οὖν· τί οὖν ἔτι μέμφεται; τῷ γὰρ βουλήματι αὐτοῦ τίς ἀνθέστηκεν;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Thou wilt sayἐρῶereō · to sayG2046
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• unto meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• Whyτίςtis · which?G5101
• doth heμέμφομαιmemphomai · to blameG3201
• yetἔτιeti · stillG2089
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• hath resistedἀνθίστημιanthistēmi · to opposeG436
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• willβούλημαboulēma · planG1013

Cross-references for Romans 9:19

• Romans 3:8And why not say, “Let us do evil so that good may come of it”? – as some who slander us allege that we say. (Their condemnation is deserved!)
• 1 Corinthians 15:12Now if Christ is being preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead?
• James 1:13Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one.
• Romans 3:5But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is he? (I am speaking in human terms.)
• Genesis 50:20As for you, you meant to harm me, but God intended it for a good purpose, so he could preserve the lives of many people, as you can see this day.
• 2 Chronicles 20:6He prayed: “O Lord God of our ancestors, you are the God who lives in heaven and rules over all the kingdoms of the nations. You possess strength and power; no one can stand against you.
• Job 9:12If he snatches away, who can turn him back? Who dares to say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
• Job 23:13But he is unchangeable, and who can change him? Whatever he has desired, he does.
• Psalms 76:10Certainly your angry judgment upon men will bring you praise; you reveal your anger in full measure.
• Isaiah 10:6I sent him against a godless nation, I ordered him to attack the people with whom I was angry, to take plunder and to carry away loot, to trample them down like dirt in the streets.
• Isaiah 46:10who announces the end from the beginning and reveals beforehand what has not yet occurred, who says, ‘My plan will be realized, I will accomplish what I desire,’
• Daniel 4:35All the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he wishes with the army of heaven and with those who inhabit the earth. No one slaps his hand and says to him, ‘What have you done?’
• Mark 14:21For the Son of Man will go as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for him if he had never been born.”
• Acts 2:23this man, who was handed over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you executed by nailing him to a cross at the hands of Gentiles.
• Acts 4:27“For indeed both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together in this city against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed,

Commentaries on Romans 9:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19Why doth he yet find fault? - The apostle here introduces the Jew making an objection similar to that in Romans 3:7; : If the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory, that is, if God's faithfulness is glorified by my wickedness, why yet am I also judged as a sinner? Why am I condemned for that which brings so much glory to him? The question here is: If God's glory be so highly promoted and manifested by our obstinacy, and he suffers…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. 1-33n this section, Paul addresses a serious question. Many Jews did not believe in Jesus. If God had promised salvation to Israel, how could Jesus truly fulfill God’s plan when so few Jews believed (9:1–5)? In response, Paul uses the Old Testament to show that God always planned to save only a remnant, that is, a smaller group within Israel (9:6–29). Paul also explains that many Jews did not accept Christ because they refused to trust in him (9:30–10:21)…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. Thou shalt say then unto me, Why--"Why then" is the true reading. doth he yet find fault? for who hath resisted--"Who resisteth" his will?--that is, "This doctrine is incompatible with human responsibility"; If God chooses and rejects, pardons and punishes, whom He pleases, why are those blamed who, if rejected by Him, cannot help sinning and perishing? This objection shows quite as conclusively as the former the real nature of the doctrine objected…Read the comment
• Calvin’s Commentaries · v. 1919. Thou wilt then say, etc. Here indeed the flesh especially storms, that is, when it hears that they who perish have been destined by the will of God to destruction. Hence the Apostle adopts again the words of an opponent; for he saw that the mouths of the ungodly could not be restrained from boldly clamouring against the righteousness of God: and he very fitly expresses their mind; for being not content with defending themselves, they make God guilty…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 9:19

• Anthropomorphisms
• Murmuring
• Predestination

In the dictionaries

• Continual
• Fault
• Resist
• Sovereignty
• Bible, the
• Election
• Paul, the Apostle
• Predestination
• Romans, Epistle to the
• Will, Volition

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