Romans 9:20

Romans 9:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
• New International Version (NIV)But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ ”
• English Standard Version (ESV)But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?”

Context of Romans 9:20

18Therefore he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 19Thou wilt say then to me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 21Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour? 22What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

Romans 9:20 word by word

ὦ ἄνθρωπε, μενοῦνγε, σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ ἀνταποκρινόμενος τῷ θεῷ; μὴ ἐρεῖ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι· τί με ἐποίησας οὕτως;Read the interlinear

• butμενοῦνγεmenounge · ratherG3304
• Oὦō · oh!G5599
• manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• whoτίςtis · which?G5101
• artεἶei · you areG1488
• thouσύsu · youG4771
• againstἀνταποκρίνομαιantapokrinomai · to contradictG470
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• ·μήmē · notG3361
• Shallἐρῶereō · to sayG2046
• formedπλάσμαplasma · formed thingG4110
• formedπλάσσωplassō · to moldG4111
• madeποιέωpoieō · to do/make: makeG4160
• meμέme · meG3165
• thusοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779

Cross-references for Romans 9:20

• Romans 2:1Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whoever thou art that judgest: for in that thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
• Micah 6:8He hath shown thee, O man, what is good; and what the LORD doth require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
• 1 Corinthians 7:16For how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
• James 2:20But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
• Job 33:13Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.
• Job 36:23Who hath directed him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?
• Job 38:2Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
• Job 40:2Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him ? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.
• Job 42:2I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withheld from thee.
• Matthew 20:15Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own? Is thy eye evil, because I am good?
• Job 16:3Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?
• 1 Corinthians 1:20Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
• 1 Timothy 6:5Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing gain to be godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
• Isaiah 29:16Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing formed say of him that formed it, He had no understanding?
• Isaiah 45:9Woe to him that contendeth with his Maker! Let the potsherd contend with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

Commentaries on Romans 9:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Nay but, O man, who art thou - As if he had said: Weak, ignorant man, darest thou retort on the infinitely good and righteous God? Reflect on thyself; and tell me, after thou hast abused the grace of God, and transgressed his laws, wilt thou cavil at his dispensations? God hath made, created, formed the Jewish nation; and shall the thing formed, when it hath corrupted itself, pretend to correct the wise and gracious Author of its being, and say, Why hast…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. 20-21See Isaiah 29:16 and Isaiah 45:9–10.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2120-21. Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made--"didst thou make" me thus?--(Is 45:9).Read the comment
• Calvin’s Commentaries · v. 2020. But, O man! who art thou? etc. (“But” is not sufficiently emphatical here; μενοῦνγε; “yes, verily,” in Romans 10:18; “yea, rather,” in Luke 11:28; “doubtless,” in Philippians 3:8; it may be rendered here, “nay, rather.” — Ed.) As it is a participle in Greek, we may read what follows in the present tense, who disputest, or contendest, or strivest in opposition to God; for it is expressed in Greek according to this meaning, — “Who art thou who enterest…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 9:20

• Infidelity
• Murmuring
• Predestination
• Presumption

In the dictionaries

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