Romans 14:11 kjv
For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
Romans 14:11 nkjv
For it is written: "As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God."
Romans 14:11 niv
It is written: "?'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.'?"
Romans 14:11 esv
for it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God."
Romans 14:11 nlt
For the Scriptures say, "'As surely as I live,' says the LORD,
'every knee will bend to me,
and every tongue will declare allegiance to God. '"
Romans 14 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Romans 14:11 | "For it is written, 'As I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.'" | Directly quoted Isaiah 45:23 |
| Isaiah 45:23 | "I have sworn by myself; a word out of my mouth in righteousness it shall not turn back: To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance." | Divine oath of ultimate authority |
| Philippians 2:10-11 | "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess, 'Jesus Christ is Lord,' to the glory of God the Father." | Fulfillment in Christ's lordship |
| Psalm 98:1-4 | "Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory. The LORD has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. He has remembered his steadfast love, his faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God." | Universal praise and salvation |
| Psalm 86:9 | "All the nations whom you have made shall come and bow down before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name." | Nations acknowledging God |
| Psalm 72:11 | "May all kings fall down before him, all nations serve him!" | Kings and nations serving |
| Jeremiah 4:2 | "And if you swear, 'As the LORD lives,' in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory." | Blessing nations through God's oath |
| Isaiah 49:7 | "Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to him whom man despises, to him whom the nation horbors, to a servant of rulers: 'Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.'" | Kings and princes honoring God's servant |
| Acts 2:17 | "'And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh...'" | Universal outpouring of the Spirit |
| Revelation 5:13 | "And I heard every created thing in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all things in them, saying, 'To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever!'" | Universal worship and dominion |
| Revelation 19:16 | "On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords." | Christ's ultimate title |
| 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 | "Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every ruler and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For God has put all things in subjection under his feet. But when it says 'all things are put in subjection,' it is plain that this does not include the one who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things under him, that God may be all in all." | Christ's ultimate submission to the Father |
| Luke 10:27 | "And he answered, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.'" | Fundamental commandment echoed in confession |
| John 13:13-17 | Jesus teaches about serving one another and the meaning of His actions. | Service and authority |
| 2 Corinthians 5:20 | "So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." | Role of ambassadors urging reconciliation |
| 1 Timothy 6:13-14 | "I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and above reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ." | The good confession in witness |
| 1 Peter 3:15 | "but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect," | Honorable Christ as Lord |
| Matthew 10:32-33 | "So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven." | Acknowledging Christ |
| Hebrews 1:6 | "And when he again brings the firstborn into the world, he says, 'Let all the angels of God worship him.'" | Worship of Christ by angels |
| Romans 15:9 | "that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, 'Therefore I will praise you among the nations; I will sing praises to your name.'" | Gentiles glorifying God |
Romans 14 verses
Romans 14 11 Meaning
"For it is written, 'As I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.'" This verse powerfully declares God's ultimate sovereignty and the certainty of universal recognition of His Lordship. It asserts that every person, without exception, will acknowledge and submit to God.
Romans 14 11 Context
Romans chapter 14 addresses issues of division and judgment within the early Christian community, specifically concerning differing views on matters considered "disputable" or "non-essential," such as dietary laws and observance of special days. Paul is exhorting believers to show love and consideration towards one another, rather than condemning those with different practices or consciences. This particular verse (14:11) serves as a foundational justification for this plea for unity and mutual acceptance. It anchors the argument in an irrefutable divine truth – the ultimate universal acknowledgment of God's supreme authority, found in Isaiah 45:23. The context implies that in light of this absolute future reality, present disagreements over lesser matters should not lead to disunity or harsh judgment among believers who are all part of this destined unified confession.
Romans 14 11 Word Analysis
"For": (Greek: γάρ, gar) - A conjunction indicating a reason or explanation for the preceding statement. Here, it connects the command to accept one another with the ultimate divine decree.
"it is written": (Greek: γέγραπται, gegraphtai) - A perfect passive indicative verb meaning "it has been written." This indicates that the following statement is a quotation from authoritative scripture, specifically the Old Testament. It establishes the undeniable truth of the assertion.
"'As I live,'": (Greek: Ζῶ ἐγώ, Zō egō) - A strong affirmation of God's eternal existence and power, literally "I live, I." This personal declaration emphasizes the certainty of the oath. This is found in Isaiah 45:23.
"says the Lord,": (Greek: λέγει Κύριος, legei Kurios) - Identifies the speaker as the Lord, reinforcing the divine origin and authority of the statement.
"every knee": (Greek: πᾶν γόνυ, pan gonu) - "Gonu" refers to the knee. The phrase "every knee" signifies every person or creature. The act of bowing the knee is a posture of submission, reverence, and allegiance.
"shall bow": (Greek: κάμψει, kampsē) - Future indicative verb from κάμπτω (kamptō), meaning "to bend" or "to bow." It denotes a future, compulsory act of submission.
"to me": (Greek: ἐμοί, emoi) - The dative case of the first-person singular pronoun, indicating the recipient of the bowing and confession – God.
"and": (Greek: καί, kai) - A conjunction connecting two parallel clauses, emphasizing both actions.
"every tongue": (Greek: πᾶσα γλῶσσα, pasa glōssa) - "Glōssa" refers to the tongue, the organ of speech. Here, "every tongue" represents every individual capable of speaking and confessing. It signifies verbal acknowledgment.
"shall confess": (Greek: ὁμολογήσει, homologēsē) - Future indicative verb from ὁμολογέω (homologeō), meaning "to say the same thing," "to agree," "to confess," "to admit," or "to acknowledge." This implies an open, verbal declaration.
"to God.": (Greek: τῷ θεῷ, tō theō) - The dative case of the Greek word for God, identifying the object of the confession.
"Every knee shall bow... and every tongue shall confess": This parallel structure highlights two distinct but related acts of submission and acknowledgment. Bowing (physical posture) and confessing (verbal declaration) together paint a comprehensive picture of ultimate submission and recognition of God's absolute Lordship. This universality ensures no one is excluded from this divine decree.
Romans 14 11 Bonus Section
The theological significance of this verse is profound, pointing to a future consummation where God's absolute rule will be universally acknowledged. This is a core Christian doctrine. While rooted in the Old Testament assurance of God's ultimate victory and sovereign reign, the New Testament, particularly through the Apostle Paul in Romans and his Epistle to the Philippians, explicitly links this ultimate acknowledgment to Jesus Christ. This highlights the divine identity of Jesus and His role as the agent through whom all creation will ultimately recognize the Father's glory. The idea of an unwilling confession is a crucial nuance, ensuring that the verse doesn't promote a universalism of salvation, but a universalism of acknowledgment of God's ultimate dominion and authority, a concept echoed in Revelation's depiction of judgment.
Romans 14 11 Commentary
This verse is a powerful statement of universalism regarding divine sovereignty and acknowledgment. It's not a promise that everyone will be saved, but a declaration that every knee will bow and every tongue confess to God (or Jesus Christ, as the New Testament fulfillment states). This will happen either in willing submission and adoration during this life, or in unwilling acknowledgment of judgment on the Day of Reckoning. Paul uses this Old Testament prophecy to remind believers that ultimate allegiance belongs to God. Therefore, how they treat each other, especially over minor disagreements, should reflect this shared future reality of absolute submission to the Lord. Disunity and judgment among believers are thus out of step with God’s ultimate plan and final resolution.
- Believers are called to peace and mutual edification, rather than harsh judgment, because the Lord's ultimate authority is a guaranteed future reality that transcends present disputes.
- The principle extends to all areas of Christian conduct where unity is at stake – remember the final, perfect unity of all in submission to God.