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?
• 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?”
• New Living Translation (NLT)No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?”

Context of Romans 9:20

18Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. 19One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” 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?’ ” 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? 22What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his 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 2:1You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
• Micah 6:8He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
• 1 Corinthians 7:16How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
• James 2:20You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?
• Job 33:13Why do you complain to him that he responds to no one’s words?
• Job 36:23Who has prescribed his ways for him, or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’?
• Job 38:2“Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge?
• Job 40:2“Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!”
• Job 42:2“I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
• Matthew 20:15Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
• Job 16:3Will your long-winded speeches never end? What ails you that you keep on arguing?
• 1 Corinthians 1:20Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
• 1 Timothy 6:5and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
• Isaiah 29:16You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not make me”? Can the pot say to the potter, “You know nothing”?
• Isaiah 45:9“Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker, those who are nothing but potsherds among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘The potter has no hands’?

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