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?
• 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?”
• New Living Translation (NLT)Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?”

Context of Romans 9:19

17For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” 20But 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?’ ” 21Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common 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 3:8Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is just!
• 1 Corinthians 15:12But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
• James 1:13When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;
• Romans 3:5But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.)
• Genesis 50:20You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
• 2 Chronicles 20:6and said: “Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you.
• Job 9:12If he snatches away, who can stop him? Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
• Job 23:13“But he stands alone, and who can oppose him? He does whatever he pleases.
• Psalms 76:10Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise, and the survivors of your wrath are restrained.
• Isaiah 10:6I send him against a godless nation, I dispatch him against a people who anger me, to seize loot and snatch plunder, and to trample them down like mud in the streets.
• Isaiah 46:10I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’
• Daniel 4:35All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?”
• Mark 14:21The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
• Acts 2:23This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.
• Acts 4:27Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire 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