Romans 9:18 kjv
Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
Romans 9:18 nkjv
Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
Romans 9:18 niv
Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.
Romans 9:18 esv
So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.
Romans 9:18 nlt
So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.
Romans 9 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rom 9:15 | "For He says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.'" | Old Testament principle |
| Exod 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. I will be gracious to whom I am gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.'" | Direct quotation source |
| Deut 7:7-8 | "The LORD did not set His affection on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the fewest of all peoples; but because the LORD loves you and because He was keeping the oath which He swore to your fathers..." | God's sovereign choice |
| Ps 106:4-5 | "Remember me, O LORD, with the favor of Your people! Oh, visit me with Your salvation, that I may see the prosperity of Your chosen..." | God's mercy on His people |
| Isa 45:9 | "Woe to the one who strives with his Maker! A pottery shard among pottery shards of the earth! Shall the clay say to the potter, 'What are you making?' Or, 'Your handiwork is [good]?' Does he say to him, 'Why have you made me like this?'" | God's sovereignty in creation |
| Jer 18:6 | "Indeed, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel." | Metaphor of potter and clay |
| John 3:8 | "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear its sound, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." | Spirit's sovereign work |
| Acts 9:15-16 | "But the Lord said to him, 'Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before the Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake.'" | God's sovereign call of Paul |
| 2 Tim 1:9 | "who 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," | Grace based on His purpose |
| Titus 3:4-5 | "But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 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," | Salvation by mercy, not works |
| 1 Pet 1:2 | "...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 be multiplied." | Election and God's foreknowledge |
| John 12:39-40 | "For this reason they could not believe, because Isaiah said also: 'He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes and understand with their heart and turn, and I heal them.'" | Prophetic fulfillment of hardening |
| John 8:47 | "He who is of God hears God's words; you are not of God, therefore you do not hear them." | Hearing based on origin |
| Rom 11:30-32 | "For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience; so these also have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy." | Mercy through disobedience |
| Eph 1:4-5 | "just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will," | Chosen before the foundation |
| Gal 3:22 | "But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise of faith by Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe." | All are under sin |
| Phil 2:12-13 | "...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." | God works within believers |
| 1 Cor 7:25 | "Now concerning virgins I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy." | Mercy guiding judgment |
| Prov 16:4 | "The LORD has made everything for its purpose, yes, even the wicked for the day of trouble." | God's sovereign purpose for all |
Romans 9 verses
Romans 9 18 Meaning
God shows mercy to whomever He wills and hardens whomever He wills. This establishes God's sovereign right to dispense mercy and judgment, demonstrating that His decisions are based on His own purpose and not on human merit or works.
Romans 9 18 Context
This verse is part of Paul's extensive discussion in Romans chapters 9-11 regarding God's sovereign plan and the inclusion of Gentiles in salvation while Israel, as a nation, seems to have stumbled. Paul is addressing potential objections to God's faithfulness, particularly concerning Israel's rejection of Jesus. He uses Old Testament examples and theological reasoning to demonstrate that God's ways are not limited by human understanding or expectation. Paul's argument builds towards affirming God's righteousness and the certainty of His salvation for all who believe, Jew and Gentile alike.
Romans 9 18 Word analysis
- "So" (houtos | οὕτως): Thus, in this way. It links this statement to the preceding verses, summarizing God's action.
- "then" (oun | οὖν): Therefore, consequently. Indicates a logical conclusion from what was just stated.
- "God" (theou | θεοῦ): The Supreme Being, Creator, and Sustainer of the universe.
- "has" (ekeinoi | ἐκεῖνοι): Plural pronoun for "those." Refers to specific people or groups being discussed.
- "mercy" (eleei | ἐλεεῖ): Shows mercy, has compassion. The active disposition of kindness toward someone in distress.
- "on" (on | ᾧ): On whom.
- "whom" (an | ἂν): Whomever. Indicates an unspecified choice or condition.
- "He" (bouletai | βούληται): He wills, desires. Refers to God's volitional aspect, His deliberate choice.
- "is" (thelei | θέλει): He wills, desires. Synonymous with "boulomai" here, emphasizing God's absolute will.
- "merciful" (eleein | ἐλεεῖν): To show mercy, have compassion. The infinitive form reinforcing the act of mercy.
- "and" (de | δὲ): But, moreover. A contrasting conjunction introducing the second part of the statement.
- "whom" (ean | ἐὰν): Whomever.
- "He" (thelēsei | θελήσει): He wills, desires. Future tense of "thelō."
- "wills," (eleein | ἐλεεῖν): To show mercy, have compassion.
- "He" (kerosē | σκληρύνει): He hardens. To make hard, obstinate, unfeeling.
- "hardens." (boulomenō | βουλομένῳ): Intending, willing. Dative case referring to the subject's intention.
Words-group analysis
- "God has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens": This phrase encapsulates God's ultimate sovereignty over both mercy and judgment. It is a direct statement about divine prerogative, unconstrained by human merit or petition. It asserts that God's choices regarding salvation and hardening are determined by His own divine will.
Romans 9 18 Bonus section
The principle illustrated here is deeply rooted in the Old Testament concept of God's chosen people. For instance, God chose Israel not because they were more numerous or righteous, but by His sovereign grace and the oath sworn to Abraham (Deut 7:7-8). Similarly, Paul's understanding of God's election and sovereign will is informed by prophets like Isaiah, who spoke of God's power to raise up or cast down nations and individuals according to His inscrutable purposes. The metaphor of the potter and the clay (Jeremiah 18, Romans 9:20-21) further solidifies the idea of God's absolute right to fashion His creation as He pleases. Understanding this verse requires careful balance with passages that call for human response and faith, as God's sovereignty operates in conjunction with human accountability, though the precise interaction remains a profound mystery of faith.
Romans 9 18 Commentary
This verse is central to discussions on divine sovereignty and human responsibility. Paul's declaration emphasizes that God's act of showing mercy is a deliberate choice, not an obligation based on human effort or status. Similarly, hardening is presented as God's prerogative, allowing His purposes to be fulfilled. This does not imply that God causes people to sin, but rather that He can allow the natural inclination towards sin to take its course, or even actively bring about a state of unresponsiveness for His ultimate glory and purposes, as seen with Pharaoh. The overarching theme is God's freedom to act according to His perfect will, sovereign over all creation. It highlights that salvation is a gift received by faith, not earned by works.