Romans 10:17 kjv
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:17 nkjv
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:17 niv
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
Romans 10:17 esv
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Romans 10:17 nlt
So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.
Romans 10 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rom 10:14-15 | How then will they call on Him... And how are they to preach unless they are sent? | Highlights the necessity of preaching for people to hear. |
| Rom 10:8 | But what does it say? “The word is near you... of faith which we are proclaiming.” | The availability of God's word for faith. |
| Rom 1:16-17 | For I am not ashamed of the gospel... For in it the righteousness of God is revealed... from faith to faith. | The gospel is the power of God for salvation, revealing God's righteousness by faith. |
| Heb 11:6 | And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever comes to God must believe that He exists... | Establishes the necessity of faith for pleasing God. |
| Eph 2:8 | For by grace you have been saved through faith... it is the gift of God. | Salvation is through faith, and faith itself is a gift from God. |
| Acts 4:4 | But many of those who had heard the word believed... | Example of many believing upon hearing the preached word. |
| Acts 18:8 | Crispus... believed in the Lord with his entire household... and many Corinthians hearing were believing and being baptized. | Direct example of hearing leading to faith. |
| 1 Thes 2:13 | For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as what it really is, the word of God. | Emphasizes receiving the preached word as God's own. |
| Isa 52:7 | How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace... | Old Testament prophecy pointing to the spreading of good news. |
| Jer 23:29 | Is not My word like fire? declares the LORD, and like a hammer which shatters a rock? | Depicts the powerful, transformative nature of God's word. |
| Jn 5:24 | Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life... | Jesus emphasizes hearing His word as essential for eternal life. |
| Lk 11:28 | But He said, "On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it." | Hearing implies obedience, not just mere auditory perception. |
| Jas 1:21-22 | Therefore, putting aside all filthiness... humbly receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word... | Receiving the word leads to salvation and calls for obedience. |
| Psa 19:7-8 | The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul... The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. | The power and efficacy of God's word. |
| Deut 30:14 | But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it. | The accessibility of God's word to His people. |
| Psa 119:105 | Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. | God's word provides guidance and direction. |
| 1 Pet 1:23-25 | for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. | Being born again through the enduring word of God. |
| Acts 2:37-38 | Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said... “What shall we do?” | Demonstrates a conviction from hearing, leading to repentance. |
| Matt 4:4 | But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God.’” | Living by the divine utterances of God. |
| Jn 8:47 | He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God. | A distinction between those who receive God's word and those who reject it. |
| Rom 15:21 | but as it is written, “They who had no news of Him will see, and they who have not heard will understand.” | Old Testament prophecy implying people hear to understand the message. |
| Col 1:5-6 | ...because of the hope reserved for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel which has come to you... | Faith (and hope) originating from hearing the gospel message. |
| Gal 3:2 | This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? | Hearing the gospel is linked to receiving the Holy Spirit and thus to faith. |
| 2 Tim 3:15-17 | ...and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. | The Scriptures, as the written word, lead to faith in Christ. |
Romans 10 verses
Romans 10 17 Meaning
Romans 10:17 concisely states the origin and channel of saving faith. Faith, the essential ingredient for salvation, does not arise independently or from human will alone, but fundamentally through the process of hearing God's divine revelation. Specifically, this "hearing" refers to receiving and responding to the proclaimed word, the very utterance of God. It underlines God's initiative in making salvation accessible by providing the means for faith to be born.
Romans 10 17 Context
Romans 10:17 is embedded within Paul's extensive argument in Romans, particularly chapters 9-11, where he addresses the question of Israel's present unbelief and God's faithfulness. Having established that God's righteousness is revealed through faith (Rom 1:17) and that both Jews and Gentiles are under sin (Rom 3:9), Paul clarifies that salvation is not through adherence to the Law, but through confessing Christ and believing in Him (Rom 10:9-10). The verses immediately preceding 10:17 (Rom 10:14-16) highlight the logical sequence: people cannot call on someone they have not believed in, cannot believe in someone they have not heard, and cannot hear without someone preaching, and cannot preach unless they are sent. Thus, verse 17 concludes this chain, demonstrating how belief—and therefore faith—originates: through the effective communication of God's saving message. Historically, Paul was confronting the Jewish misconception that their adherence to the Mosaic Law guaranteed their righteousness, highlighting instead God's chosen method of revealing His saving grace to all who hear and believe.
Romans 10 17 Word analysis
- So then (ἄρα οὖν - ara oun): A logical conclusion or summary of the preceding argument in Rom 10:14-16, emphasizing the inevitable consequence.
- faith (πίστις - pistis): Not mere intellectual assent, but a deep trust, reliance, and personal commitment to Christ. It encompasses belief in the truth of God's revelation, accompanied by a surrender to God's will and saving power. This pistis is itself a gift from God, enabled by His grace and Spirit.
- comes by (ἐκ - ek): Literally "out of" or "from." This preposition indicates the source or origin. Faith is sourced from the process of hearing, not spontaneously generated.
- hearing (ἀκοῆς - akoēs): In this first instance, akoēs (noun, genitive case) refers to the act of hearing or the thing heard, the auditory process by which one perceives a message. It's more than just sound waves; it implies an attentive reception.
- and (δέ - de): A conjunction that here serves to introduce the clarification or explanation of what kind of hearing brings faith.
- hearing (ἀκοὴ - akoē): In this second instance, akoē (noun, nominative case), particularly with the preceding `by` (`διά - dia`), specifically refers to the message heard or the report itself, the content that is preached. It can carry the nuance of a "report" or "preaching," such as in Isa 53:1 ("Who has believed our report?"). This second use of akoē clarifies the first: it's not just any hearing, but hearing a specific message.
- by (διά - dia): "Through," "by means of." This preposition indicates the instrumental cause or the medium through which the second akoē (the message) comes.
- the word (ῥήματος - rhēmatos): Distinct from logos (λόγος), which signifies the broader concept of divine reason, the eternal Word (Christ), or the entire body of divine revelation. Rhēma (ῥῆμα) denotes a specific spoken utterance, a living, active pronouncement or declaration of God. It is the effective, active, and specific divine utterance, the Gospel message as preached and spoken.
- of God (Θεοῦ - Theou): Signifies that the source and authority of this effective rhēma is divine. It is God's specific message for salvation.
- Faith comes by hearing: Emphasizes that faith is not a human invention or achievement, but rather God's initiative. It arises as a response to something outside of oneself—specifically, God's revelation. This phrase underscores the importance of the external proclamation of truth.
- and hearing by the word of God: This part specifies what is heard to produce faith. It's not just any message, but the very "rhēma of God"—God's specific, spoken, and powerful saving message (the Gospel). This clarifies that divine revelation is the indispensable content that evokes true faith. This isn't mere passive hearing, but an engagement with the truth communicated by God.
Romans 10 17 Bonus section
This verse subtly points to the sovereign role of God in salvation. While human free will is involved in the act of hearing and believing, the source of faith is ultimately God, who provides the "word of God" that enables belief. The verse also implies the active role of the Holy Spirit, even if not explicitly stated. It is the Spirit who illumines the heart and mind, enabling an individual to truly "hear" and embrace the rhēma of God with saving faith (Jn 16:13-14, 1 Cor 2:14). Thus, the process isn't mechanical, but spiritual, where the divine message, empowered by the Spirit, awakens faith. The verse also lays foundational theological ground for the importance of missions: if faith comes by hearing the word of God, then God's people must be sent to proclaim that word.
Romans 10 17 Commentary
Romans 10:17 serves as the climactic summary of Paul's discussion on the mechanics of salvation, particularly for Israel. It firmly establishes that saving faith, unlike self-righteousness derived from law-keeping, originates from an encounter with God's communicated truth. Faith is not innate or self-generated, but is divinely initiated and delivered through the preaching of the Gospel. The term "word of God" (specifically rhēma) emphasizes the active, potent, and specific nature of God's spoken declaration of truth and salvation. This verse underpins the necessity of evangelism and preaching, as God has chosen the proclamation of His word as the primary means to bring individuals to faith in Christ. It underscores the profound link between God's revelation and humanity's saving response. Faith emerges from the fertile ground prepared by God's clear, authoritative utterance, heard and responded to by an open heart.