New Living Translation
Romans 9:12
12he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.) She was told, “Your older son will serve your younger son.”
Romans 9:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
- New International Version (NIV)not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)she was told, "The older will serve the younger."
- New King James Version (NKJV)it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.”
Context of Romans 9:12
10This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he married Rebekah, she gave birth to twins. 11But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes; he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.) She was told, “Your older son will serve your younger son.” 13In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.” 14Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not!
Read all of Romans 9Romans 9:12 word by word
οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τοῦ καλοῦντος, ἐρρέθη αὐτῇ ὅτι ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Romans 9:12
- Genesis 25:22But the two children struggled with each other in her womb. So she went to ask the Lord about it. “Why is this happening to me?” she asked.
- 2 Samuel 8:14He placed army garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. In fact, the Lord made David victorious wherever he went.
- 1 Kings 22:47(There was no king in Edom at that time, only a deputy.)
Commentaries on Romans 9:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12The elder shall serve the younger - These words, with those of Malachi, Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated, are cited by the apostle to prove, according to their typical signification, that the purpose of God, according to election, does and will stand, not of works, but of him that calleth; that is, that the purpose of God, which is the ground of that election which he makes among men, unto the honor of being Abraham's seed, might appear to remain…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. 12“The older will serve the younger”: God spoke these words to Rebekah before the twins were born (Genesis 25:23). Esau was the older twin, so he was Isaac’s natural heir. However, Esau sold his birthright to his brother Jacob. By doing this, Esau gave up his position as the firstborn. This action fulfilled what God had promised before the twins were born.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 10-1310-13. And not only this; but when Rebecca, &c.--It might be thought that there was a natural reason for preferring the child of Sarah, as being Abraham's true and first wife, both to the child of Hagar, Sarah's maid, and to the children of Keturah, his second wife. But there could be no such reason in the case of Rebecca, Isaac's only wife; for the choice of her son Jacob was the choice of one of two sons by the same mother and of the younger in…Read the comment
- Calvin’s Commentaries · v. 1212. The elder shall serve the younger See how the Lord makes a difference between the sons of Isaac, while they were as yet in their mother’s womb; for this was the heavenly answer, by which it appeared that God designed to show to the younger peculiar favor, which he denied to the elder. Though this indeed had reference to the right of primogeniture, yet in this, as the symbol of something greater, was manifested the will of God: and that this was the…Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 9:12
In the dictionaries
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
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