Romans 9:23 kjv
And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
Romans 9:23 nkjv
and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,
Romans 9:23 niv
What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory?
Romans 9:23 esv
in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory ?
Romans 9:23 nlt
He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory.
Romans 9 23 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." | God's sovereign choice |
| Ephesians 1:4 | "He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy..." | Predestination |
| John 6:44 | "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him..." | Divine drawing/election |
| Acts 13:48 | "So when the Gentiles heard it, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed for eternal life believed." | Gentiles appointed for life |
| 1 Peter 1:2 | "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father..." | Election |
| Titus 3:5 | "...not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us..." | Salvation by mercy |
| Ephesians 2:8-10 | "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." | Salvation as a gift |
| Romans 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 through the mercy shown to you, that they too may also be shown mercy." | Mercy to all through disobedience |
| 1 Corinthians 2:7 | "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory," | Ordained hidden wisdom |
| Romans 8:29-30 | "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son... whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; whom He justified, these He also glorified." | Predestination chain |
| 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," | Purpose and grace |
| Jeremiah 1:5 | "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations." | Predestination of Jeremiah |
| 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." | God as Potter |
| John 3:16 | "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." | God's love and belief |
| Romans 9:21 | "Has the potter no right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?" | Potter and Clay analogy |
| 1 Corinthians 12:11 | "But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills." | Spirit distributing as He wills |
| Philippians 2:13 | "for it is God who works in you, both to will and to do for His good pleasure." | God working in believers |
| Romans 15:9 | "...that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: “Therefore I will confess You among the Gentiles, and sing to Your name.”" | Gentiles glorify God |
| Acts 2:23 | "...He [Jesus], delivered up by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and slew by the hands of lawless men;" | Determined purpose |
| Galatians 3:28 | "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." | Unity in Christ |
| Ephesians 3:10 | "to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places," | God's wisdom made known |
Romans 9 verses
Romans 9 23 Meaning
This verse speaks of God's merciful preparation and predestination of vessels, not just of Jews but also of Gentiles, for glory in Christ Jesus. It highlights God's sovereign choice in bringing people to salvation.
Romans 9 23 Context
In Romans chapter 9, Paul is addressing the question of God's faithfulness to Israel in light of His inclusion of Gentiles into salvation through Christ. He uses Old Testament examples like Jacob and Esau, and Pharaoh, to illustrate God's sovereign right to choose and His prerogative in His dealings with humanity. Paul is grappling with the apparent rejection of Israel by God, as many Israelites did not accept Jesus as their Messiah, while many Gentiles did. Verse 23 continues this discussion, emphasizing God's preparation of vessels for glory, specifically including those from the Gentiles. The broader context is to assure believers that God's plan is not thwarted, and that His salvation extends beyond ethnic lines, according to His sovereign will and mercy.
Romans 9 23 Word Analysis
- καὶ (kai): and. A conjunctive particle connecting this verse to the previous statement about God making vessels for honor and dishonor.
- εἰς (eis): unto, into, for. Indicates the purpose or destination.
- ἔλεος (eleos): mercy. The tender compassion of God towards the suffering, sinning, and needy.
- πρό (pro): before, for. Indicates purpose or advantage.
- ἡτοίμασεν (hetoimasen): prepared, made ready. From the verb hetoimazo, meaning to prepare, make ready. This speaks of God's intentional action.
- ὑπομονή (hypomone): patience, endurance. While "prepared for glory" is the common understanding, hypomone could suggest God preparing vessels with patience, or preparing vessels unto patience and then glory, though the former seems more aligned with the overall thrust. However, the standard interpretation links it to God preparing vessels for His mercy and glory.
- πλοῖα (ploia): vessels, jars, pots. Used metaphorically for people, specifically believers chosen by God.
- εἰς (eis): unto, into, for.
- δόξαν (doxan): glory, honor, splendor. The magnificent, resplendent attribute of God; what God truly is in Himself, and what He reveals of Himself.
- αὐτοῦ (autou): of Him (possessive pronoun, referring to God).
- ἃ (ha): which, what. A relative pronoun introducing the description of the vessels.
- προητοίμασεν (proetoimasen): predestined, fore-prepared. A strengthened form of hetoimazo, emphasizing preparation or readiness before an appointed time or event. It signifies God's prior purpose and plan.
Word Group Analysis:
- "εἰς ἔλεος πρὸ ἡτοίμασεν" (eis eleos pro hetoimasen): "prepared beforehand for mercy". This phrasing underscores that the preparation for mercy was initiated and completed by God prior to the event or individual's existence, reflecting divine initiative.
- "πλοῖα εἰς δόξαν" (ploia eis doxan): "vessels unto glory". This highlights the ultimate destiny and purpose for which believers are prepared – to manifest and partake in God's glory.
- "ἃ προητοίμασεν" (ha proetoimasen): "which He had predestined". This is the key phrase, linking the preparation of these vessels for glory directly to God's foreordaining, emphasizing divine sovereignty in salvation.
Romans 9 23 Bonus Section
The concept of "vessels" aligns with Old Testament imagery. For instance, Jeremiah was sanctified and ordained a prophet before birth (Jeremiah 1:5), and Isaiah speaks of Israel as clay in the potter's hand (Isaiah 64:8). This passage reinforces the New Testament's emphasis that God's sovereign choice in salvation extends to Gentiles as well as Jews, making them "vessels of honor." This divine enablement to prepare, both in terms of calling and conforming to Christ's image, is for God's glory, as God is the one working all things in believers for His pleasure (Philippians 2:13). The inclusion of Gentiles for glory makes known God's "manifold wisdom" (Ephesians 3:10) to the angelic realms.
Romans 9 23 Commentary
God, in His sovereign wisdom, actively prepares specific individuals for a destiny of mercy and glory. This preparation is not reactive but proactive, determined from eternity past. These "vessels" are intentionally made ready to manifest His goodness and share in His splendor. This divine orchestration is rooted in His predetermined purpose, encompassing both His mercy extended and the glory revealed. This process makes known His abundant, multifaceted wisdom, especially through the Church, to the cosmic principalities and powers. The preparation is for believers to display God's mercy, which was planned before time began, ultimately leading to His glory.