Romans 10 7

Romans 10:7 kjv

Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)

Romans 10:7 nkjv

or, " 'Who will descend into the abyss?' " (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).

Romans 10:7 niv

"or 'Who will descend into the deep?'?" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).

Romans 10:7 esv

"or 'Who will descend into the abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).

Romans 10:7 nlt

And don't say, 'Who will go down to the place of the dead?' (to bring Christ back to life again)."

Romans 10 verses

Romans 10 7 Meaning

Romans 10:7 states a rhetorical question that highlights the futility and impossibility of human effort in achieving salvation through personal performance or an individual’s attempt to bring about God’s saving work. Paul uses this question to explain that righteousness by faith does not require humanity to "bring Christ up from the dead," because Christ's resurrection has already been accomplished by God. It emphasizes that salvation is not a task for humanity to fulfill, but a truth to be believed, grounded in the historical fact of Christ's finished work.

Romans 10 7 Context

Romans 10:7 is part of Paul's profound explanation of the contrast between righteousness based on the Law and righteousness based on faith. The entire chapter serves to clarify why Israel, despite having God's Law and zeal, did not achieve the righteousness they sought, whereas Gentiles came to righteousness through faith. In verses 5-8, Paul explicitly contrasts the two paths. Verse 5 sets forth the demanding nature of righteousness by the Law, where "the one who does them shall live by them" (Lev 18:5). Verses 6-8 then articulate righteousness by faith. Paul adapts and reinterprets Deuteronomy 30:12-14, which spoke of the proximity and accessibility of the Law. Paul's rhetorical questions ("Who will ascend into heaven?" and "Who will descend into the abyss?") reinterpret the "sea" of Deut 30:13 and "heaven" of Deut 30:12, to illustrate the impossible, self-saving actions implied by a works-based righteousness that seeks to "bring Christ down" or "bring Christ up." The immediate context highlights that Christ has already fulfilled these seemingly impossible acts by coming to earth, dying, and being resurrected, thereby making salvation immediately available through belief.

Romans 10 7 Word analysis

• or: (Greek: ē) This conjunction links the two rhetorical questions in verses 6 and 7, emphasizing a dual impossibility or alternative pathways that humans might imagine are required for salvation. It continues the logical progression from the previous verse, strengthening the contrast Paul is building.

• ‘Who will descend’: (Greek: Tis katabēsetai) A rhetorical question, similar to the one in the previous verse ("Who will ascend?"), posed not to find an answer, but to underscore the impossibility or sheer unnecessity of the action. It implies a heroic, human-initiated act that is neither needed nor possible for salvation.

• into the abyss?’: (Greek: eis tēn abysson?)

  • abyss: (abyssos) In Greek thought, it means "bottomless," "immeasurable depth," or "chasm." In the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Old Testament used by Paul, abyssos often translates the Hebrew tehom (e.g., Gen 1:2, "the deep"). It can signify the primeval waters, the sea's depths, or the realm of the dead.
  • In Jewish apocalyptic literature and the New Testament (esp. Revelation), abyssos is frequently associated with Hades (the realm of the dead, Sheol), the underworld, and as a place of confinement for demons (Lk 8:31, Rev 9:1-2, 11, 11:7, 17:8, 20:1-3).
  • By associating it with "the sea" from Deut 30:13, Paul's reinterpretation transcends the literal geographical boundary, spiritualizing it to refer to the ultimate depth – the realm of death from which Christ arose.
  • It points to an extreme, remote, and difficult-to-access location, symbolizing the profound effort human beings cannot undertake to secure their own salvation.

• that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).: (Greek: tout’ estin ek nekrōn Christon anagagein)

  • that is: (tout’ estin) This phrase clearly functions as Paul’s interpretive key, explaining what he means by "descend into the abyss" in the context of salvation. He clarifies his typological application of Deuteronomy.
  • to bring Christ up: (Christon anagagein) This indicates a physical action of raising Christ, emphasizing the resurrection. The phrase directly links the rhetorical "descent into the abyss" to the raising of Jesus Christ from death. It confirms that the human task (in this theological metaphor) would be to effect Christ's resurrection.
  • from the dead: (ek nekrōn) This is a common biblical phrase for resurrection, signifying triumph over the state of death.
  • This parenthetical explanation is crucial. Paul explicitly defines what it would mean for a person to try and secure salvation by descending into the "abyss": it would require someone to bring Christ back to life. Since only God (and Christ Himself by His divine power) could accomplish this, it shows the absurdity of relying on human effort for righteousness and salvation.

• ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).: This entire phrase, in juxtaposition with the previous verse's "Who will ascend into heaven?" and "to bring Christ down from above," creates a powerful antithesis to the demands of righteousness by the law. It stresses that righteousness by faith requires no impossible human act. Humans neither need to bring the Son of God into human existence (He came), nor rescue Him from death (He was resurrected by God). Christ has already completed the ultimate journey of salvation: He descended from heaven in the incarnation and ascended from the dead in the resurrection. This complete work is the basis for faith. The polemic here is against any belief system (Jewish legalism, philosophical striving, or self-help) that suggests salvation depends on human beings completing some profound, divine-level task or overcoming immense spiritual barriers by their own might. It asserts God's finished work in Christ as the sole means.

Romans 10 7 Bonus section

Paul’s unique application of Deut 30:11-14, often termed "typological fulfillment," transforms an Old Testament passage about the accessibility of the Law into a New Testament truth about the accessibility of the Word of faith. By associating the "sea" from Deut 30:13 with the abyss and Christ's resurrection, Paul showcases how Christ’s life, death, and resurrection encapsulate all the Law pointed towards but could not achieve. The "abyss" not only refers to the place of the dead but also alludes to divine judgments and cosmic evil imprisoned there, thereby reinforcing Christ’s absolute triumph over sin, death, and evil forces through His resurrection. This verse underpins the core message of the Gospel: God initiated, accomplished, and completed salvation through Christ; therefore, human striving to establish one's own righteousness is obsolete and unnecessary. It's a foundational argument for grace through faith alone.

Romans 10 7 Commentary

Romans 10:7, read in conjunction with verse 6, acts as a powerful rhetorical device by Paul to dismantle the notion that salvation is attained through human striving. Building on his reinterpretation of Deut 30:12-14, Paul equates a law-based righteousness with demanding an impossible act from humanity: to either bring Christ from heaven (the incarnation/first advent) or raise Him from the dead (the resurrection). These acts are divine prerogatives, completed by God in Christ. The "abyss" signifies the realm of the dead, emphasizing that salvation doesn't require us to overcome death's power or bring about resurrection. It succinctly clarifies that the work of salvation has been completed by Christ Himself; thus, humanity's role is not one of achievement, but of faith and reception. The word of faith, unlike the Law's requirements, is near, accessible, and centers on believing in God's completed act of raising Christ from the dead (Rom 10:9).