Romans 9:16

Romans 9:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
• New International Version (NIV)It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.

Context of Romans 9:16

14Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! 15For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it. 17For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.” 18So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.

Romans 9:16 word by word

ἄρα οὖν οὐ τοῦ θέλοντος οὐδὲ τοῦ τρέχοντος ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἐλεῶντος θεοῦ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Soἄραara · thereforeG686
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• notοὐou · noG3756
• of him that willethθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• norοὐδέoude · norG3761
• of him that runnethτρέχωtrechō · to runG5143
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• that sheweth mercyἐλεέωeleeō · to have mercyG1653

Cross-references for Romans 9:16

• Romans 9:11But 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;
• Genesis 27:1One day when Isaac was old and turning blind, he called for Esau, his older son, and said, “My son.” “Yes, Father?” Esau replied.
• Psalms 110:3When you go to war, your people will serve you willingly. You are arrayed in holy garments, and your strength will be renewed each day like the morning dew.
• Isaiah 65:1The Lord says, “I was ready to respond, but no one asked for help. I was ready to be found, but no one was looking for me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am!’ to a nation that did not call on my name.
• Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike.
• Luke 10:21At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.
• John 1:12But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
• John 3:8The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
• 1 Corinthians 1:26Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you.
• Ephesians 2:4But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,
• Philippians 2:13For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:13As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth.
• James 1:18He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.
• 1 Peter 2:9But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

Commentaries on Romans 9:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16So then it is not of him that willeth, etc. - I conclude, therefore, from these several instances, that the making or continuing any body of men the peculiar people of God, is righteously determined; not by the judgment, hopes, or wishes of men, but by the will and wisdom of God alone. For Abraham judged that the blessing ought, and he willed, desired, that it might be given to Ishmael; and Isaac also willed, designed, it for his first-born, Esau: and…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. 14-16God’s choice is not unfair because God does not owe anything to sinful human beings (see study note on 4:4–5). Anything God gives is an act of mercy, not a payment that people deserve.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. So then it is not of him that willeth--hath the inward desire nor of him that runneth--maketh active effort (compare 1Co 9:24, 26; Php 2:16; 3:14). Both these are indispensable to salvation, yet salvation is owing to neither, but is purely "of God that showeth mercy." See on Php 2:12, 13, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling: for it is God which, out of His own good pleasure, worketh in you both to will and to do."Read the comment
• Calvin’s Commentaries · v. 1616. It is not then of him who wills, etc. From the testimony adduced he draws this inference, that beyond all controversy our election is not to be ascribed to our diligence, nor to our striving, nor to our efforts, but that it is wholly to be referred to the counsel of God. That none of you may think that they who are elected are elected because they are deserving, or because they had in any way procured for themselves the favor of God, or, in short…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 9:16

• Grace of God
• Predestination
• Works

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Continual
• Election of Grace
• Fault
• Resist
• Sovereignty
• Bible, the
• Election
• Games

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