Romans 11 33

Romans 11:33 kjv

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

Romans 11:33 nkjv

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

Romans 11:33 niv

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!

Romans 11:33 esv

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

Romans 11:33 nlt

Oh, how great are God's riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!

Romans 11 verses

Romans 11 33 Meaning

Romans 11:33 is a doxology, a burst of praise and worship, at the climax of Paul's argument concerning God's dealings with Israel and the Gentiles. It expresses Paul's overwhelming awe and submission before the incomprehensible depth, boundless riches, and perfect wisdom and knowledge of God. It acknowledges that God's judgments and ways are beyond human understanding, unsearchable and untraceable, thereby affirming His absolute sovereignty, righteousness, and profound mystery in all His plans and works, especially in salvation history.

Romans 11 33 Context

Romans 11:33 stands as a triumphant, emotional conclusion to a long, complex theological argument presented in chapters 9-11 of Romans. In these chapters, Paul grapples with the persistent question of Israel's rejection of their Messiah and how this aligns with God's faithfulness to His covenant promises. He reveals the "mystery" that Israel's partial hardening has facilitated the salvation of the Gentiles, and that ultimately, "all Israel will be saved" (Rom 11:25-26). Paul describes God's sovereign election, His justice, mercy, and ultimate purposes for both Jews and Gentiles. Having explained God's intricate and seemingly paradoxical plan, which weaves together election, judgment, and redemption across two peoples (Israel and the Church), Paul is overwhelmed by the sheer brilliance and unfathomable nature of God's wisdom in accomplishing His global redemptive plan. The verse acts as a doxological exclamation, expressing humble submission and adoration before a God whose ways are utterly beyond full human comprehension, yet perfectly wise and just.

Romans 11 33 Word analysis

• O: (Greek: ō, ὦ) An exclamation expressing strong emotion—astonishment, admiration, awe, or sometimes lament. Here, it denotes profound wonder and adoration, marking a high point of Paul's emotional response.

• the depth: (Greek: bathos, βάθος) Signifies profundity, something immensely deep and unfathomable. It speaks to an immeasurable and limitless quality. This refers not just to intellectual depth but the very essence and character of God's being and actions.

• of the riches: (Greek: ploutou, πλούτου) Denotes abundance, fullness, or vast wealth. In a theological context, it speaks to God's inexhaustible resources, His generous character, and the superabundance of His grace, mercy, and wisdom, especially as revealed in His salvation plan.

• and wisdom: (Greek: sophias, σοφίας) Refers to divine insight, comprehensive understanding, and perfect counsel. This is not mere intellectual acumen but practical skill in creation, governance, and salvation, orchestrating all things towards His righteous and glorious ends.

• and knowledge: (Greek: gnōseōs, γνώσεως) Encompasses a perfect awareness and full apprehension of all things—past, present, and future, visible and invisible. Paired with wisdom, it emphasizes God's omniscient grasp and thorough understanding of His creation and plans.

• of God!: (Greek: Theou, Θεοῦ) Clearly identifies the subject of all this adoration. The divine source of all this unsearchable depth, riches, wisdom, and knowledge.

• How unsearchable: (Greek: anexeraunēta, ἀνεξερεύνητα) An adjective meaning impossible to fully explore, investigate, or track down. It emphasizes that God's ways cannot be exhaustively understood through human inquiry. The prefix 'an-' denotes negation, and 'exeraunao' means to search out or explore fully.

• are his judgments: (Greek: ta krimata autou, τὰ κρίματα αὐτοῦ) Refers to God's divine decisions, decrees, and the acts of justice and determination. These are His reasoned verdicts and determinations, which, even when they seem inscrutable to us, are always rooted in perfect righteousness and wisdom.

• and untraceable: (Greek: anaxichniastoi, ἀνεξιχνίαστοι) An adjective meaning not able to be tracked by footprints or completely followed. It suggests that God's "paths" are not evident to human scrutiny, indicating the hiddenness and mysterious nature of His movements. From 'an-' (not) and 'exichniazein' (to trace out).

• his ways!: (Greek: hai hodoi autou, αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτοῦ) Denotes God's methods, His manner of acting, His courses of conduct, or the paths He takes in His redemptive and providential work. These are God's chosen means and the progression of His plan, which often unfold in ways humans cannot anticipate or fully understand.

Romans 11 33 Bonus section

This verse transitions the Epistle to Romans from its heavy theological emphasis (chapters 1-11) to its practical, ethical implications for Christian living (chapters 12-16). The doxology grounds all subsequent exhortations for unity, love, and submission to authorities in the supreme, unchallengeable wisdom and authority of God. It acts as a divine anchor, ensuring that all Christian conduct flows from a correct understanding and humble reverence for God's incomprehensible greatness. The use of multiple terms—"depth," "riches," "wisdom," "knowledge," "judgments," "ways"—all with "unsearchable" and "untraceable" modifiers, builds a cumulative effect, emphasizing the multi-faceted and absolute mysteriousness of God's divine essence and operations to the human mind.

Romans 11 33 Commentary

Romans 11:33 serves as a profound doxological zenith, an overflowing expression of Paul's worship as he concludes his deep theological discourse on God's mysterious yet perfect plan for Jew and Gentile. It encapsulates the realization that while God reveals much of His character and purposes, much remains hidden from finite human understanding. The verse is a powerful declaration of God's transcendence and His absolute sovereignty over all creation and history. Paul recognizes that trying to fully dissect or fully grasp every detail of God's workings, particularly in salvation history, is ultimately futile; instead, the appropriate response is one of humble awe and worship. This isn't an embrace of irrationality, but a recognition that God's wisdom, knowledge, and justice operate on a plane infinitely superior to human capabilities. It asserts that God is truly God, and His incomprehensibility should evoke profound praise, not perplexity or complaint. This worship-filled verse encourages believers to trust in the ultimate goodness and wisdom of God even when His specific methods or timings are unclear to us.