Romans 10 15

Romans 10:15 kjv

And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Romans 10:15 nkjv

And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!"

Romans 10:15 niv

And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

Romans 10:15 esv

And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"

Romans 10:15 nlt

And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, "How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!"

Romans 10 verses

Romans 10 15 Meaning

Romans 10:15 explains the logical and necessary progression for individuals to come to faith: one must be sent to preach, for people to hear the Gospel, believe, and call upon the Lord for salvation. It highlights the divine appointment and essential role of messengers who carry the "Gospel of peace" and "glad tidings of good things." The verse, by quoting Isaiah 52:7, emphasizes the profound joy and beauty associated with these heralds of good news, signifying that their very arrival brings hope and is deemed beautiful due to the glorious message they bear.

Romans 10 15 Context

Romans 10 is nestled within Paul's discourse on Israel's past, present, and future in chapters 9-11. Chapter 10 specifically addresses Israel's failure to attain righteousness through the law, contrasting it with the righteousness available through faith in Christ, which is offered to both Jew and Gentile. Paul expresses his heartfelt desire for Israel's salvation (Rom 10:1). He then explains that while Israel pursued a "righteousness based on works," they missed "the righteousness of God by faith" (Rom 10:3-5). The core argument moves to the accessibility of salvation: if one confesses with their mouth and believes in their heart, they will be saved (Rom 10:9-10). The passage transitions in verses 12-13, affirming that there is "no distinction between Jew and Greek" and "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." This sets the stage for a rhetorical series of questions in verse 14, leading directly into verse 15. Paul meticulously outlines the logical sequence required for salvation: first, people must call on the Lord; to do that, they must believe; to believe, they must hear; to hear, someone must preach; and for someone to preach, they must be sent. Romans 10:15 thus solidifies the final, essential step in this divine chain: the necessity of the messenger's mission, underscored by an Old Testament prophecy highlighting the beauty and significance of such a messenger.

Romans 10 15 Word analysis

• And how shall they preach: This is a rhetorical question building on the previous ones in Rom 10:14. It highlights the indispensable role of authorized messengers in the spread of the Gospel.
  • κηρύσσω (kērussō): "preach," "proclaim," "announce as a herald." It implies a public, authoritative declaration of a message. It is not merely teaching but making a proclamation as an ambassador or representative.
• except they be sent?: This phrase emphasizes the divine authorization and commissioning required for effective Gospel proclamation. The authority to preach comes from being divinely appointed and dispatched.
  • ἀποστέλλω (apostellō): "to send away," "dispatch," "commission." This Greek verb is related to the noun "apostle" (apostolos), meaning "one who is sent." It signifies an official commissioning for a specific mission, granting the messenger the authority of the sender. True evangelists are not self-appointed but divinely chosen.
• as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them: This introduces a direct quotation from Isa 52:7, demonstrating continuity between Old Testament prophecy and New Testament reality. The beauty is not of the physical feet but a metonymy for the entire person of the messenger, or more precisely, the act of their coming and the message they bear.
  • γέγραπται (gegraptai): "it is written." A perfect passive indicative verb, signifying a completed action with continuing results, denoting scripture as permanently authoritative. Paul consistently uses this phrase to validate his arguments with divine testimony.
  • ὡραῖος (hōraios): "beautiful," "lovely," "fair," but also carries a sense of "timely," "seasonable." In the context of Isaiah, it described messengers bringing tidings of God's restoration from Babylonian captivity; Paul applies it to the Messianic deliverance. The beauty is the spiritual impact of the news.
  • οἱ πόδες (hoi podes): "the feet." A synecdoche, where the part represents the whole person. The "feet" symbolize movement, journey, and the arrival of the messenger. The welcome they receive reflects the importance of their mission.
• that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!: This defines the content and nature of the message. The good news is fundamentally about peace and positive, life-changing realities.
  • εὐαγγελίζομαι (euangelizomai): "to announce good news," "to evangelize," "to bring good tidings." This is the verbal form of "gospel" (euangelion). It stresses the active delivery of life-altering, beneficial news.
  • εἰρήνη (eirēnē): "peace," a holistic term in both Hebrew (shalom) and Greek, encompassing well-being, wholeness, prosperity, security, and especially reconciliation with God and with others. It's the central outcome of the Gospel message.
  • ἀγαθός (agathos): "good," "beneficial," "virtuous." The plural "good things" emphasizes the manifold blessings and redemptive benefits that flow from the Gospel: salvation, righteousness, eternal life, joy, hope.

Romans 10 15 Bonus section

The historical-cultural context for Romans 10:15 highlights a stark contrast for the Jewish audience. They prized knowledge of the Torah, passed down through tradition. The idea of Gentiles being brought into covenant through faith proclaimed by messengers was deeply counter-cultural and often offensive. Paul's use of Isaiah, a prophet revered by Jews, to validate the calling of Christian evangelists (many of whom were taking the message to Gentiles) was a powerful polemic. It implied that the true "good news" now transcended ethnic boundaries and ceremonial law, fulfilling the ancient promise in an unexpected way. Furthermore, the early church's practice of sending missionaries (apostles) mirrored the rabbinic concept of shaliach, an emissary with the full authority of the sender. This would have resonated with the original Jewish-Christian readers, affirming the legitimate authority of those spreading the Gospel.

Romans 10 15 Commentary

Romans 10:15 succinctly closes a vital chain of logic for salvation, establishing the ultimate dependence on divinely appointed messengers. Paul asserts that faith, which is essential for calling upon God for salvation, cannot arise without hearing, and hearing requires preaching, which in turn demands a sender. This implies that the Great Commission (Matt 28:19-20) is not merely a suggestion but a foundational requirement for humanity's salvation. The messengers are not just speakers but heralds bearing God's authority and His life-transforming news.

The powerful quotation from Isaiah 52:7 is recontextualized by Paul. In its original setting, it celebrated the swift approach of a messenger declaring Judah's liberation from exile and God's reign. Paul applies this "beauty" to the coming of anyone who proclaims the new and greater liberation found in Christ's finished work. The "feet" symbolize the active, physical journeying required to disseminate the Good News. The beauty is derived not from physical aesthetics, but from the immense joy and redemptive hope their message brings: peace with God and the restoration of "good things" (all spiritual blessings in Christ). This verse emphasizes the profound spiritual impact of the messenger, whose arrival is met with deep appreciation because of the message of reconciliation and abundant life they carry. It serves as an affirmation of the crucial role of missions and evangelism in God's plan.