Romans 10 16

Romans 10:16 kjv

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

Romans 10:16 nkjv

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "LORD, who has believed our report?"

Romans 10:16 niv

But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?"

Romans 10:16 esv

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?"

Romans 10:16 nlt

But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, "LORD, who has believed our message?"

Romans 10 verses

Romans 10 16 Meaning

Romans 10:16 signifies a profound tension within God's redemptive plan, specifically addressing the reception of the Gospel by Israel. Despite the clear preaching of the good news, as elaborated in earlier verses of the chapter, not all Israelites have responded with obedient faith. The verse uses a quotation from Isaiah to highlight this historical pattern of unbelief, portraying a prophetic lament concerning who has truly accepted and acted upon God's revealed message. It underscores that simply hearing the message does not guarantee belief and obedience, raising questions about human responsibility and divine sovereignty in the face of widespread rejection.

Romans 10 16 Context

Romans 10:16 is situated within Paul's fervent discourse concerning Israel's spiritual state and their place in God's salvation plan (Rom 9-11). Chapters 9-11 address the paradox of Israel's rejection of Christ despite being God's chosen people, contrasting with the inclusion of Gentiles. Chapter 10 particularly emphasizes Israel's failure to attain righteousness through the Law, coupled with their rejection of God's provided righteousness through faith in Christ (Rom 10:3-4). Paul establishes that salvation is accessible to all, Jew and Gentile alike, through confessing Christ as Lord and believing in His resurrection (Rom 10:9-13). He then builds an argument about the necessity of preaching the Gospel (Rom 10:14-15), implying that Israel indeed had the opportunity to hear. Verse 16 serves as a direct, sorrowful observation: despite hearing, a majority of Israel did not obey the Gospel. The quotation from Isaiah 53:1 underlines that this unbelief is not a new phenomenon but a pattern witnessed throughout their history, prophetically anticipated.

Romans 10 16 Word analysis

• But: (alla) - Introduces a strong contrast. It signals a shift from the possibility and universal availability of the Gospel (Rom 10:11-15) to the lamentable reality of its reception among the Israelites.
• they have not all: (ouk pantes) - A crucial negation, emphasizing partial but widespread non-compliance. Paul doesn't say no one has believed, acknowledging the remnant (Rom 11:5) and early Jewish converts, but rather not everyone. It points to a majority, while maintaining the truth of individual exceptions. This distinction prevents generalization to total rejection, reflecting the ongoing struggle for Israel.
• obeyed: (hypakouō / ὑπακούω) - More than just intellectual assent to information, hypakouō implies a hearing that leads to a volitional submission or compliance. It denotes hearing, heeding, and acting accordingly. For the Gospel, it means to accept the message, submit to Christ's Lordship, and live by its principles. Its failure means active resistance or willful neglect despite understanding.
• the gospel: (to euangelion / τὸ εὐαγγέλιον) - The "good news" of Jesus Christ: His death for sins, resurrection, and offer of salvation through faith. It is a powerful, life-changing message demanding a response. This specific gospel (which includes the call to faith in Christ) is what many Israelites failed to obey, as opposed to simply having knowledge of God's laws.
• For: (gar / γάρ) - Introduces the supporting evidence or reason for the previous statement. It links Israel's present unbelief directly to the prophetic past.
• Isaiah says: (ēdē Isaias legei) - A direct appeal to prophetic authority from the OT. This establishes the divine nature and historical consistency of the observed unbelief, showing it was foreseen. By quoting Isaiah 53:1, Paul ties Israel's contemporary rejection of Christ to the same unbelief toward God's Suffering Servant, linking it directly to their past covenant failures.
• Lord: (Kyrie / Κύριε) - Address to God, expressing awe and often lament or petition. Here, in the context of the Isaiah quote, it is a cry of despair to God concerning the general lack of belief in His prophetic word.
• who has believed: (tis episteusen / τίς ἐπίστευσεν) - A rhetorical question anticipating a negative answer (i.e., "very few"). It highlights the scarcity of true belief in proportion to the magnitude of the "report" and divine revelation. It laments the hard-heartedness, even when God's truth is declared.
• our report?: (tē akoē hēmōn / τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν) - "Our report" refers to the message or proclamation from God, delivered by His prophets (and in Paul's context, by the apostles). It encompasses the divine revelation, whether through prophecy or the apostolic witness to Christ. It implies that the message was clear, audible, and widely presented, yet its impact was minimal.

Romans 10 16 Bonus section

The specific choice of Isaiah 53:1 for the quote is profoundly significant. This passage describes the Suffering Servant, whom Christians understand to be Jesus Christ, who through His suffering brings redemption. To "believe our report" in this context is to accept this divine revelation of redemption through substitutionary suffering, rather than a different path (like striving for righteousness by law, as Rom 9:31-32 implies Israel did). Therefore, the non-belief isn't just about general disregard but specifically a rejection of God's radical way of salvation through humility and sacrifice, embodied in Christ. This rejection underscores a profound spiritual blindness (as echoed in 2 Cor 4:4), despite direct encounter with God's manifest power and message. The question "who has believed our report?" highlights that for some, divine truth, no matter how clearly revealed or powerfully demonstrated, may remain unaccepted.

Romans 10 16 Commentary

Romans 10:16 acts as a somber pivot, addressing the lamentable reality of Israel's non-response to the Gospel despite extensive opportunities. Having passionately argued for the universal availability of salvation through faith in Christ and the necessity of preaching this message (Rom 10:14-15), Paul directly confronts the evidence of widespread unbelief among his own people. The emphasis is on disobedience rather than mere lack of information, suggesting a conscious rejection of God's revealed will in Christ.

Paul reinforces this contemporary failure by quoting Isaiah 53:1. This is significant because Isaiah 53 describes the suffering and redemptive work of the "Servant of the Lord," implicitly fulfilled in Jesus. By recalling this ancient prophecy, Paul demonstrates that Israel's inability or unwillingness to "believe our report" (the prophetic witness to Christ) is not a new phenomenon but a continuation of a historical pattern of unbelief in God's saving message. This serves as both an explanation for the present situation and a testament to God's foresight.

The verse also implicitly touches on the paradox of human responsibility and divine sovereignty. Even with the powerful "report" of the Gospel proclaimed by commissioned messengers, and despite God's genuine desire for all to come to repentance (2 Pet 3:9), individual response varies greatly. "Not all obeyed" confirms human freedom to reject, even while the preceding "who has believed our report?" underscores the deep-seated spiritual condition that often hinders faith. It warns against assuming that simply hearing the Word is enough; true belief necessitates obedience, a complete surrender to its truth.

• Example: A doctor prescribes life-saving medicine, clearly explains its benefits, but the patient chooses not to take it, prioritizing old habits.
• Example: An ambassador delivers a peace treaty, meticulously details the terms for reconciliation, but the receiving nation refuses to sign, holding onto grievances.