Romans 9:15 kjv
For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
Romans 9:15 nkjv
For He says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion."
Romans 9:15 niv
For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."
Romans 9:15 esv
For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."
Romans 9:15 nlt
For God said to Moses, "I will show mercy to anyone I choose,
and I will show compassion to anyone I choose."
Romans 9 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Romans 9:16 | So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. | Romans 9:16 (Echoes the point) |
| Exodus 33:19 | And He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you. | Exodus 33:19 (God's declaration) |
| Exodus 4:21 | Then the LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh. | Exodus 4:21 (God hardens hearts) |
| Deuteronomy 7:7 | The LORD did not set His love upon you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, | Deuteronomy 7:7 (Sovereign choice) |
| Isaiah 64:8 | But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand. | Isaiah 64:8 (God's sovereignty) |
| Jeremiah 18:6 | Just as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel! | Jeremiah 18:6 (Potter and clay) |
| Jeremiah 32:27 | Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me? | Jeremiah 32:27 (God's omnipotence) |
| John 1:12-13 | But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. | John 1:12-13 (Born of God) |
| John 3:3 | Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” | John 3:3 (New birth) |
| John 3:8 | The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit. | John 3:8 (Spirit's sovereignty) |
| Acts 4:27-28 | for truly there was gathered together in this city against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. | Acts 4:27-28 (God's pre-determined purpose) |
| Romans 11:29 | For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. | Romans 11:29 (Irrevocable call) |
| 1 Corinthians 1:27 | But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty, | 1 Corinthians 1:27 (God chooses weak things) |
| 1 Corinthians 2:14 | But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. | 1 Corinthians 2:14 (Spiritual discernment) |
| Ephesians 1:4 | just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, | Ephesians 1:4 (Chosen before foundation) |
| Ephesians 2:4-5 | But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), | Ephesians 2:4-5 (God's rich mercy) |
| 2 Timothy 1:9 | who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, | 2 Timothy 1:9 (Grace before time) |
| Titus 3:5 | not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, | Titus 3:5 (Saved by mercy, not works) |
| 1 Peter 1:1-2 | Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace may be multiplied. | 1 Peter 1:1-2 (Elect according to foreknowledge) |
Romans 9 verses
Romans 9 15 Meaning
God expresses His sovereign right to show mercy to whomever He wills. This declaration emphasizes that salvation is not based on human effort, lineage, or desire, but solely on God's elective mercy.
Romans 9 15 Context
In Romans chapter 9, Paul addresses the issue of Israel's rejection of Jesus Christ. He anticipates the objection that if God's plan is unfolding, why have so many Israelites not accepted Christ? Paul then delves into God's sovereign prerogative in His dealings with humanity, illustrating it with Old Testament examples like Jacob and Esau. He explains that God's choices are not based on human merit or lineage but on His divine purpose. Verse 15 is a pivotal point where Paul explicitly quotes God's statement from Exodus 33:19 to reinforce this principle of sovereign mercy in relation to national identity and spiritual acceptance. This context establishes God's absolute right to choose, regardless of human desires or actions.
Romans 9 15 Word Analysis
"For": (Gk: gar) A coordinating conjunction indicating a reason or explanation for the preceding statement. It links this verse directly to the previous thought.
"He": (Gk: autos) Refers to God.
"Says": (Gk: lego) To speak, to say. This indicates a direct declaration from God.
"To": (Gk: pros) Towards, unto. Indicates the recipient of God's words.
"Moses": (Gk: Mōysēs) Moses, the Hebrew prophet and lawgiver.
"I": (Gk: egō) First-person pronoun, emphasizing God speaking in His own voice.
"Will have mercy": (Gk: eleaō) To have mercy, show compassion, pity. This verb expresses God's disposition and action toward individuals.
"On": (Gk: epi) On, upon.
"Whom": (Gk: hos) Relative pronoun, referring to the object of God's mercy.
"I": (Gk: egō) Again, emphasizing God's personal choice.
"Will have mercy": (Gk: eleaō) Repeated to underscore the deliberate and specific nature of God's mercy.
"Words-group: I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy": This phrase encapsulates divine sovereignty in extending mercy. It directly quotes Exodus 33:19, where God declares this to Moses. The repetition emphasizes God's exclusive and unconstrained authority in dispensing mercy. It's not a reaction to human petition or effort, but an intrinsic expression of His will and character.
Romans 9 15 Bonus Section
The Old Testament context from Exodus 33:19 shows Moses asking to see God's glory. God replies that He will pass before Moses, proclaiming His name and showing mercy. This occurs after Israel's sin with the golden calf. The proclamation of God’s name includes "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin" (Exodus 34:6-7). So, while God's mercy is elective here, it's also the basis of His nature revealed to Moses. This is not arbitrary exclusion but a statement about the divine rights in sovereign administration of His purposes. It sets a precedent for understanding God's unfettered right to show mercy as an aspect of His ultimate goodness and sovereignty, even when human plans or desires do not align with His.
Romans 9 15 Commentary
This verse is a foundational statement on divine sovereignty and mercy. God's decision to show mercy is not dependent on human desire, effort, or merit. It is entirely His prerogative, freely exercised according to His own perfect will and purpose. This highlights that salvation is a gift of God's grace, not an earned reward. The choice of whom to show mercy to rests solely with God, and this principle is rooted in Old Testament revelation, demonstrating its consistent theological weight. The Apostle Paul uses this declaration to defend God's righteousness in His dealings with both believing Gentiles and unbelieving Israelites, reinforcing that God's choice to save is a demonstration of His mercy, not an injustice.