New Living Translation
Romans 9:7
7Being 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.
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 King James Version (NKJV)nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.”
Context of Romans 9:7
5Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are their ancestors, and Christ himself was an Israelite as far as his human nature is concerned. And he is God, the one who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. 6Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God’s people! 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. 8This means that Abraham’s physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham’s children. 9For God had promised, “I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
Read all of Romans 9Romans 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 3:8Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.
- Luke 16:24“The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’
- John 8:37Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message.
- Philippians 3:3For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort,
- Genesis 21:12But God told Abraham, “Do not be upset over the boy and your servant. Do whatever Sarah tells you, for Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.
- Hebrews 11:18even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.”
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
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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