Romans 9:20

Romans 9:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
• New International Version (NIV)But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ ”
• English Standard Version (ESV)But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?”

Context of Romans 9:20

18So then, God has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden. 19You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who has ever resisted his will?” But 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? 22But what if God, willing to demonstrate his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience the objects of wrath prepared for destruction?

Romans 9:20 word by word

ὦ ἄνθρωπε, μενοῦνγε, σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ ἀνταποκρινόμενος τῷ θεῷ; μὴ ἐρεῖ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι· τί με ἐποίησας οὕτως;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·μήmē · notG3361
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Nay butμενοῦνγεmenounge · ratherG3304
• Oὦō · oh!G5599
• manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• whoτίςtis · which?G5101
• artεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• thouσύsu · youG4771
• that repliest againstἀνταποκρίνομαιantapokrinomai · to contradictG470
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• Shallἐρῶereō · to sayG2046
• the thing formedπλάσμαplasma · formed thingG4110
• to him that formedπλάσσωplassō · to moldG4111
• hast thou madeποιέωpoieō · to do/make: makeG4160
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• thusοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779

Cross-references for Romans 9:20

• Romans 2:1Therefore you are without excuse, whoever you are, when you judge someone else. For on whatever grounds you judge another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge practice the same things.
• Micah 6:8He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord really wants from you: He wants you to promote justice, to be faithful, and to live obediently before your God.
• 1 Corinthians 7:16For how do you know, wife, whether you will bring your husband to salvation? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will bring your wife to salvation?
• James 2:20But would you like evidence, you empty fellow, that faith without works is useless?
• Job 33:13Why do you contend against him, that he does not answer all a person’s words?
• Job 36:23Who has prescribed his ways for him? Or said to him, ‘You have done what is wicked’?
• Job 38:2“Who is this who darkens counsel with words without knowledge?
• Job 40:2“Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let the person who accuses God give him an answer!”
• Job 42:2“I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted;
• Matthew 20:15Am I not permitted to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
• Job 16:3Will there be an end to your windy words? Or what provokes you that you answer?
• 1 Corinthians 1:20Where is the wise man? Where is the expert in the Mosaic law? Where is the debater of this age? Has God not made the wisdom of the world foolish?
• 1 Timothy 6:5and constant bickering by people corrupted in their minds and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a way of making a profit.
• Isaiah 29:16Your thinking is perverse! Should the potter be regarded as clay? Should the thing made say about its maker, “He didn’t make me”? Or should the pottery say about the potter, “He doesn’t understand”?
• Isaiah 45:9One who argues with his creator is in grave danger, one who is like a mere shard among the other shards on the ground! The clay should not say to the potter, “What in the world are you doing? Your work lacks skill!”

Commentaries on Romans 9:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Nay but, O man, who art thou - As if he had said: Weak, ignorant man, darest thou retort on the infinitely good and righteous God? Reflect on thyself; and tell me, after thou hast abused the grace of God, and transgressed his laws, wilt thou cavil at his dispensations? God hath made, created, formed the Jewish nation; and shall the thing formed, when it hath corrupted itself, pretend to correct the wise and gracious Author of its being, and say, Why hast…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. 20-21See Isaiah 29:16 and Isaiah 45:9–10.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2120-21. Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made--"didst thou make" me thus?--(Is 45:9).Read the comment
• Calvin’s Commentaries · v. 2020. But, O man! who art thou? etc. (“But” is not sufficiently emphatical here; μενοῦνγε; “yes, verily,” in Romans 10:18; “yea, rather,” in Luke 11:28; “doubtless,” in Philippians 3:8; it may be rendered here, “nay, rather.” — Ed.) As it is a participle in Greek, we may read what follows in the present tense, who disputest, or contendest, or strivest in opposition to God; for it is expressed in Greek according to this meaning, — “Who art thou who enterest…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 9:20

• Infidelity
• Murmuring
• Predestination
• Presumption

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Continual
• Fault
• Resist
• Sovereignty
• Bible, the
• Election
• Form
• Paul, the Apostle

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