Romans 10:2

Romans 10:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
• New Living Translation (NLT)I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal.

Context of Romans 10:2

1Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

Romans 10:2 word by word

μαρτυρῶ γὰρ αὐτοῖς ὅτι ζῆλον θεοῦ ἔχουσιν ἀλλ᾽ οὐ κατ᾽ ἐπίγνωσιν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• I bearμαρτυρέωmartureō · to testifyG3140
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• they haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• a zealζῆλοςzēlos · zealG2205
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• notοὐou · noG3756
• according toκατάkata · according toG2596
• knowledgeἐπίγνωσιςepignōsis · knowledgeG1922

Cross-references for Romans 10:2

• 2 Corinthians 8:3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own,
• Galatians 4:15Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.
• Colossians 4:13I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.
• 2 Kings 10:16Jehu said, “Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord.” Then he had him ride along in his chariot.
• John 16:2They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.
• Acts 21:20When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law.
• Acts 22:3“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.
• Acts 26:9“I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
• Galatians 1:14I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
• Galatians 4:17Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them.
• Philippians 3:6as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.
• Romans 10:3Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.
• Romans 9:31but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal.
• Psalms 14:4Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on the Lord.
• Proverbs 19:2Desire without knowledge is not good— how much more will hasty feet miss the way!
• Isaiah 27:1In that day, the Lord will punish with his sword— his fierce, great and powerful sword— Leviathan the gliding serpent, Leviathan the coiling serpent; he will slay the monster of the sea.

Commentaries on Romans 10:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2They have a zeal of God - They believe their law to have come immediately from God himself, and are jealous of its glory and excellence; they conscientiously observe its rites and ceremonies, but they do not consider the object and end of those rites; they sin more through ignorance than malice; and this pleads in their excuse. By this fine apology for them, the apostle prepares them for the harsher truths which he was about to deliver.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2For I bear them record - To bear record means to be a witness; to give evidence. This, Paul was well qualified to do. He had been a Jew of the strictest order Acts 26:5; Philemon 3:5, and he well knew the extraordinary exertions which they put forth to obey the commands of the Law. A zeal of God - A zeal for God. Thus, John 2:17,” The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up;” an earnest desire for the honor of the sanctuary has wholly absorbed my attention…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2zealous: This means a strong and sincere commitment to God and to what God desires (see Numbers 25:6–13). This kind of passion can be good and faithful. In Paul’s time, however, much Jewish zeal was misdirected. Many people did not understand that Jesus Christ is the central point of God’s plan. Because of this, their passion did not lead them to the truth. Paul points to his own life as an example. Before he trusted Christ, Paul showed great zeal, but it…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. For I bear them record--or, "witness," as he well could from his own sad experience. that they have a zeal of--"for" God, but not according to knowledge--(Compare Ac 22:3; 26:9-11; Ga 1:13, 14). He alludes to this well-meaning of his people, notwithstanding their spiritual blindness, not certainly to excuse their rejection of Christ and rage against His saints, but as some ground of hope regarding them. (See 1Ti 1:13).Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 10:2

• Bigotry
• Justification
• Religion
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Confession
• Difference
• Establish
• Faith
• Provoke
• Rich
• Zeal
• Bible, the

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