Romans 9:7

Romans 9:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
• New International Version (NIV)Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named."
• New Living Translation (NLT)Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,” though Abraham had other children, too.

Context of Romans 9:7

5of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen. 6But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” 8That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. 9For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.”

Romans 9:7 word by word

οὐδ᾽ ὅτι εἰσὶν σπέρμα Ἀβραὰμ πάντες τέκνα, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Neitherοὐδέoude · norG3761
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• they areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• the seedσπέρμαsperma · seed: offspringG4690
• of AbrahamἈβραάμAbraam · AbrahamG11
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• childrenτέκνονteknon · childG5043
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• Inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• IsaacἸσαάκIsaak · IsaacG2464
• shallκαλέωkaleō · to call: callG2564
• thyσύsu · youG4771

Cross-references for Romans 9:7

• Luke 3:8Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
• Luke 16:24“Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’
• John 8:37“I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you.
• Philippians 3:3For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,
• Genesis 21:12But God said to Abraham, “Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called.
• Hebrews 11:18of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,”

Commentaries on Romans 9:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Neither because they are the seed of Abraham, etc. - Nor can they conclude, because they are the natural descendants of Abraham, that therefore they are all of them, without exception, the children in whom the promise is to be fulfilled. But, in Isaac shall thy seed be called - The promise is not confined to immediate natural descent, but may be accomplished in any part of Abraham's posterity. For Abraham had several sons besides Isaac, Genesis 25:1…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-13Verses 6-13 The rejection of the Jews by the gospel dispensation, did not break God's promise to the patriarchs. The promises and threatenings shall be fulfilled. Grace does not run in the blood; nor are saving benefits always found with outward church privileges. Not only some of Abraham's seed were chosen, and others not, but God therein wrought according to the counsel of his own will. God foresaw both Esau and Jacob as born in sin, by nature children…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7This quotation is from Genesis 21:12. God spoke these words to Abraham when he hesitated to follow Sarah’s advice. She told him to send away his son Ishmael, who had been born to the slave woman Hagar. God reassured Abraham that Isaac, Sarah’s child, was the son through whom God would fulfill his promises.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-97-9. Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children--"Not in the line of mere fleshly descent from Abraham does the election run; else Ishmael, Hagar's child, and even Keturah's children, would be included, which they were not." but--the true election are such of Abraham's seed as God unconditionally chooses, as exemplified in that promise. in Isaac shall thy seed be called--(Ge 21:12).Read the comment
• Calvin’s Commentaries · v. 77. But, “In Isaac shall thy seed be called.” Paul mentions this, to show that the hidden election of God overrules the outward calling, and that it is yet by no means inconsistent with it, but, on the contrary, that it tends to its confirmation and completion. That he might then in due order prove both, he in the first place assumes, that the election of God is not tied to the natural descendants of Abraham, and that it is not a thing that is included in…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 9:7

• Circumcision
• Covenant
• Hypocrisy
• Isaac
• Predestination
• Quotations and Allusions

In the dictionaries

• Abraham
• Isaac
• Continual
• Fault
• Resist
• Bible, the
• Children of Israel
• Election
• Heredity
• 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