Romans 9:21

Romans 9:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
• New International Version (NIV)Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?

Context of Romans 9:21

19You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?” 20But who in the world are you, O man, who talks back to God? Will what is formed say to the one who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?” Does the potter have no right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honor and another for common use? 22Now what if God, willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath designed for destruction? 23And what if He did so to make known the riches of His glory on vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory?

Romans 9:21 word by word

ἢ οὐκ ἔχει ἐξουσίαν ὁ κεραμεὺς τοῦ πηλοῦ ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ φυράματος ποιῆσαι ὃ μὲν εἰς τιμὴν σκεῦος ὃ δὲ εἰς ἀτιμίαν;¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• ·ἤē · orG2228
• Hathἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• notοὐou · noG3756
• the potterκεραμεύςkerameus · potterG2763
• powerἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
• over the clayπηλόςpēlos · clayG4081
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the sameαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• lumpφύραμαphurama · lumpG5445
• to makeποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• oneμένmen · on the other handG3303
• vesselσκεῦοςskeuos · vesselG4632
• untoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• honourτιμήtimē · honorG5092
• andδέde · thenG1161
• dishonourἀτιμίαatimia · dishonourG819

Cross-references for Romans 9:21

• Romans 9:11Yet before the sons were even born and had not done anything good or bad—so that God’s purpose and choice might stand not because of works but because of Him who calls—
• Proverbs 16:4Adonai works everything out for his own purpose— even the wicked for a day of disaster.
• Isaiah 64:8Do not be angry much more, Adonai, or remember iniquity forever. Oh, please see, we are all Your people!
• Jeremiah 18:3So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was making a work on the wheels.
• Romans 9:22Now what if God, willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath designed for destruction?
• Jeremiah 22:28Is this man Coniah a despised, shattered pot— a jar with no delight in it? Why are he and his seed cast out into the land they do not know?
• Hosea 8:8Israel has been swallowed up! Now they are among the nations, like an ornament with no delight in it.
• Acts 9:15But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a choice instrument to carry My name before nations and kings and Bnei-Yisrael.
• 2 Timothy 2:20Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay—some for honor and some for common use.

Commentaries on Romans 9:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Hath not the potter power over the clay - The apostle continues his answer to the Jew. Hath not God shown, by the parable of the potter, Jeremiah 18:1, etc., that he may justly dispose of nations, and of the Jews in particular, according as he in his infinite wisdom may judge most right and fitting; even as the potter has a right, out of the same lump of clay, to make one vessel to a more honorable and another to a less honorable use, as his own judgment…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. 2121. Has not the worker of the clay? etc. The reason why what is formed ought not to contend with its former, is, that the former does nothing but what he has a right to do. By the word power, he means not that the maker has strength to do according to his will, but that this privilege rightly and justly belongs to him. For he intends not to claim for God any arbitrary power but what ought to be justly ascribed to him. And further, bear this in mind…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 9:21

• Clay
• Infidelity
• Pottery
• Power
• Predestination
• Presumption
• Reprobacy

In the dictionaries

• Clay
• Continual
• Election of Grace
• Fault
• Pottery
• Predestination
• Resist
• Sovereignty
• Apocalyptic Literature
• Authority in Religion

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