New Living Translation
Romans 9:8
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.
Romans 9:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
- New International Version (NIV)In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.
- English Standard Version (ESV)This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.
- New King James Version (NKJV)That 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.
Context of Romans 9:8
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! 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. This 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.” 10This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he married Rebekah, she gave birth to twins.
Read all of Romans 9Romans 9:8 word by word
τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν, οὐ τὰ τέκνα τῆς σαρκὸς ταῦτα τέκνα τοῦ θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐπαγγελίας λογίζεται εἰς σπέρμα.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thatοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- They which are the childrenὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- They which are the childrenτέκνονteknon · childG5043
- of the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
- notοὐou · noG3756
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- of the promiseἐπαγγελίαepaggelia · promiseG1860
- are countedλογίζομαιlogizomai · to countG3049
- forεἰςeis · towardG1519
- the seedσπέρμαsperma · seed: offspringG4690
Cross-references for Romans 9:8
- Romans 4:11Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith.
- Galatians 4:22The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife.
- Genesis 31:15He has reduced our rights to those of foreign women. And after he sold us, he wasted the money you paid him for us.
- Psalms 22:30Our children will also serve him. Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord.
- Psalms 87:6When the Lord registers the nations, he will say, “They have all become citizens of Jerusalem.” Interlude
- John 1:13They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
- Galatians 3:26For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
- Galatians 4:28And you, dear brothers and sisters, are children of the promise, just like Isaac.
- 1 John 3:1See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him.
Commentaries on Romans 9:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8That is, They which are the children of the flesh - Whence it appears that not the children who descend from Abraham's loins, nor those who were circumcised as he was, nor even those whom he might expect and desire, are therefore the Church and people of God; but those who are made children by the good pleasure and promise of God, as Isaac was, are alone to be accounted for the seed with whom the covenant was established.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. 1-33n this section, Paul addresses a serious question. Many Jews did not believe in Jesus. If God had promised salvation to Israel, how could Jesus truly fulfill God’s plan when so few Jews believed (9:1–5)? In response, Paul uses the Old Testament to show that God always planned to save only a remnant, that is, a smaller group within Israel (9:6–29). Paul also explains that many Jews did not accept Christ because they refused to trust in him (9:30–10:21)…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. 88. That is, They are not, etc. He now gathers from God’s answer a proposition, which includes the whole of what he had in view. For if Isaac, and not Ishmael, was the seed, though the one as well as the other was Abraham’s son, it must be that all natural sons are not to be regarded as the seed, but that the promise is specially fulfilled only in some, and that it does not belong commonly and equally to all. He calls those the children of the flesh, who…Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 9:8
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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