Romans 9:21

Romans 9:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
• New International Version (NIV)Does 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?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?
• New Living Translation (NLT)When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?

Context of Romans 9:21

19You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?” 20But 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?” Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? 22What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,

Romans 9:21 word by word

ἢ οὐκ ἔχει ἐξουσίαν ὁ κεραμεὺς τοῦ πηλοῦ ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ φυράματος ποιῆσαι ὃ μὲν εἰς τιμὴν σκεῦος ὃ δὲ εἰς ἀτιμίαν;¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• ·ἤē · orG2228
• Hathἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• notοὐou · noG3756
• the potterκεραμεύςkerameus · potterG2763
• powerἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
• over the clayπηλόςpēlos · clayG4081
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the sameαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• lumpφύραμαphurama · lumpG5445
• to makeποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• oneμένmen · on the other handG3303
• vesselσκεῦοςskeuos · vesselG4632
• untoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• honourτιμήtimē · honorG5092
• andδέde · thenG1161
• dishonourἀτιμίαatimia · dishonourG819

Cross-references for Romans 9:21

• Romans 9:11(for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls),
• Proverbs 16:4The Lord has made all for Himself, Yes, even the wicked for the day of doom.
• Isaiah 64:8But now, O Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.
• Jeremiah 18:3Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel.
• Romans 9:22What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
• Jeremiah 22:28“Is this man Coniah a despised, broken idol— A vessel in which is no pleasure? Why are they cast out, he and his descendants, And cast into a land which they do not know?
• Hosea 8:8Israel is swallowed up; Now they are among the Gentiles Like a vessel in which is no pleasure.
• Acts 9:15But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.
• 2 Timothy 2:20But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.

Commentaries on Romans 9:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Hath not the potter power over the clay - The apostle continues his answer to the Jew. Hath not God shown, by the parable of the potter, Jeremiah 18:1, etc., that he may justly dispose of nations, and of the Jews in particular, according as he in his infinite wisdom may judge most right and fitting; even as the potter has a right, out of the same lump of clay, to make one vessel to a more honorable and another to a less honorable use, as his own judgment…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. 2121. Has not the worker of the clay? etc. The reason why what is formed ought not to contend with its former, is, that the former does nothing but what he has a right to do. By the word power, he means not that the maker has strength to do according to his will, but that this privilege rightly and justly belongs to him. For he intends not to claim for God any arbitrary power but what ought to be justly ascribed to him. And further, bear this in mind…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 9:21

• Clay
• Infidelity
• Pottery
• Power
• Predestination
• Presumption
• Reprobacy

In the dictionaries

• Clay
• Continual
• Election of Grace
• Fault
• Pottery
• Predestination
• Resist
• Sovereignty
• Apocalyptic Literature
• Authority in Religion

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