Romans 9:28 kjv
For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
Romans 9:28 nkjv
For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, Because the LORD will make a short work upon the earth."
Romans 9:28 niv
For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality."
Romans 9:28 esv
for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay."
Romans 9:28 nlt
For the LORD will carry out his sentence upon the earth
quickly and with finality."
Romans 9 28 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 10:22-23 | "Though your people Israel be like the sand... only a remnant will return... a consumption, and that determined..." | The prophetic origin and context for Paul's quote; a remnant will be saved amidst judgment. |
| Rom 9:27 | "Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: 'Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, A remnant will be saved.'" | Immediate preceding context in Romans; emphasizes the "remnant" theme. |
| Rom 11:5 | "So too at the present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace." | Confirms God's preservation of a chosen remnant through grace, not human works. |
| Isa 1:9 | "Unless the LORD of hosts had left to us a very small remnant, We would have become like Sodom." | Underscores God's mercy in preserving a remnant to prevent total destruction. |
| Zeph 3:12 | "I will leave in your midst A meek and humble people, And they shall trust in the name of the LORD." | Another prophetic assurance of God preserving a remnant defined by humility and faith. |
| Gen 18:25 | "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" | God's inherent and unwavering righteousness in all His judgments and actions. |
| Ps 9:8 | "He shall judge the world in righteousness, And He shall minister judgment for the people in uprightness." | Establishes God as the righteous Judge of all humanity. |
| Rom 2:5-6 | "But in accordance with your hardness and impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath... God who will render to each one according to his deeds." | Affirms God's just recompense and righteous judgment. |
| Isa 11:4 | "But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth..." | Illustrates God's righteous and impartial judgment for all. |
| Hab 1:5 | "Look among the nations and watch! Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe..." | Highlights God's surprising and powerful execution of His divine "work." |
| Isa 46:10 | "Declaring the end from the beginning... Saying, 'My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure.'" | Emphasizes God's sovereign control over His plans and their sure accomplishment. |
| Eph 1:11 | "In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will." | Reaffirms God's ultimate sovereignty over all His "works" and purposes. |
| Dan 4:35 | "He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand..." | Declares God's absolute power and unhindered execution of His will. |
| Matt 24:22 | "And unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened." | Illustrates the concept of God "cutting short" a period of judgment out of mercy for His elect. |
| Mark 13:20 | "And if the Lord had not shortened the days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days." | Parallels Matthew 24:22, showing divine intervention to limit tribulation. |
| Rev 22:12 | "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work." | Signifies the swift and decisive nature of God's final judgment and recompense. |
| 2 Thess 1:6-7 | "Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you... when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven..." | Connects God's righteousness with the future swift and decisive judgment. |
| Jer 4:27 | "For thus says the LORD: 'The whole land shall be desolate; Yet I will not make a complete end.'" | Demonstrates God's restraint and mercy, not allowing complete destruction, aligning with the remnant theme. |
| Joel 2:32 | "And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, As the LORD has said, Among the remnant whom the LORD calls." | Links the salvation of a remnant to calling on the Lord's name. |
| Acts 17:31 | "Because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained." | Reconfirms God's determined day of righteous judgment through Jesus Christ. |
| 1 Pet 4:17 | "For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?" | Shows that judgment begins with God's people but also signals its wider reach. |
| Phil 1:6 | "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." | God's faithfulness in completing His "work" on an individual level. |
| 1 Cor 15:28 | "Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all." | The ultimate culmination of God's overarching plan and sovereignty. |
Romans 9 verses
Romans 9 28 Meaning
Romans 9:28 declares that God will bring His sovereign plan concerning humanity and particularly Israel to a decisive, swift, and righteous conclusion. He will complete His appointed "work" or "purpose" without delay, cutting short its duration. This ensures that His just judgment and ultimate redemptive purpose, especially the salvation of a chosen remnant, will be faithfully accomplished across the earth.
Romans 9 28 Context
Romans 9:28 is part of Paul's complex and profound discussion in Romans chapters 9-11 regarding Israel's historical relationship with God and their present unbelief in Jesus Christ. Specifically, verse 28 falls within a section (9:6-29) where Paul is arguing that God's promises have not failed, because God has always worked according to His sovereign choice, not human merit. He uses Old Testament examples like Jacob and Esau, and Pharaoh, to demonstrate God's right to show mercy or hardening as He wills. In verses 27-29, Paul directly quotes from Isaiah (10:22-23 and 1:9 in the Septuagint version) to prove that God's intention was never to save all Israel according to national descent, but only a chosen "remnant." Romans 9:28 emphasizes the method and nature of God's dealing: His judgment and salvation plan will be brought to a swift, complete, and righteous end, rather than being prolonged indefinitely. This "cutting short" applies to the process of God's righteous judgment, which, though severe, will not result in the total annihilation of Israel but will preserve a remnant for His redemptive purposes, thereby affirming God's justice and mercy.
Romans 9 28 Word analysis
- For He will finish: (Greek: λόγον γὰρ συντελῶν) The phrase signifies God as the ultimate and sovereign agent who brings His divine word, plan, or decree to a final culmination. Syntelōn (from synteleō) means "to bring to an end," "to accomplish," "to complete." It implies finality and the full achievement of a predetermined goal.
- the work: (Greek: λόγον) This isn't merely a spoken "word" but encompasses God's entire divine plan, purpose, or cosmic undertaking, especially His redemptive and judgmental dealings with Israel and the nations. It refers to God's agenda or mission that He is executing.
- and cut it short: (Greek: καὶ συντέμνων) Syntemnōn (from syntemnō) means "to cut short," "to abridge," "to hasten," or "to complete swiftly." This action signifies divine efficiency and decisiveness. It's a merciful abbreviation of a process (e.g., judgment, tribulation) that, if allowed to run its full course, would lead to complete destruction.
- in righteousness: (Greek: ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ) This crucial phrase underscores the intrinsic moral quality of God's actions. Every aspect of His "short work" — whether judgment or salvation for the remnant — is absolutely just, morally impeccable, and in full alignment with His holy character. His decisions are not arbitrary but founded on perfect rectitude and truth.
- Because the Lord will make a short work: (Greek: λόγον γὰρ συντετμημένον κύριος ποιήσει) This phrase emphatically reiterates and confirms the preceding statement. Κύριος (Kyrios, "Lord") emphasizes God's supreme authority and sovereignty in enacting His purpose. Syntetmmenon (perfect passive participle) highlights the completed, decisive nature of this "short work." It underscores that God will definitively perform this shortened, final work.
- upon the earth: (Greek: ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς) This specifies the sphere of God's decisive action. His divine work, judgment, and plan for a remnant are not limited to one people or region but are universally executed, impacting all humanity and demonstrating His dominion over the entire world.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "For He will finish the work and cut it short": This first part highlights both the comprehensive completion (syntelōn) and the expedited nature (syntemnōn) of God's divine program (logon). It conveys God's unwavering resolve and ability to bring His plan to a quick and conclusive end. This implies efficiency and mastery over time and events.
- "in righteousness; Because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth": This second part adds the essential element of divine justice (in righteousness) and re-emphasizes the certainty and universal scope of God's action. The Lord (Kyrios) personally undertakes this shortened work, ensuring it aligns with His character and reaches across the globe, indicating a final, decisive intervention in human history.
Romans 9 28 Bonus section
The specific wording of Romans 9:28 is largely a direct quotation from the Septuagint (LXX) version of Isaiah 10:22-23 (and arguably Isa 28:22, which uses similar phrasing in the LXX: logos syntetelismenos kai syntemmenos). This reliance on the LXX is significant for Paul's argument:
- LXX's Specificity on "Short Work": The LXX provides Paul with the precise Greek phrasing for "finish the work and cut it short," which is not as explicit in the Masoretic Text (MT) of Isaiah. The MT emphasizes "consumption" or "complete destruction" whereas the LXX often foregrounds the "work" or "word" that is "completed and cut short." This emphasis allows Paul to highlight not just judgment but also the decisive, almost urgent, nature of God's ongoing and concluding plan for Israel and the world, making a way for the remnant.
- Rhetorical Force: By using the revered Greek translation of the Old Testament familiar to many in the Roman church, Paul adds undeniable prophetic weight to his theological explanation for why only a remnant of Israel would be saved, rather than the whole nation, and why this doesn't invalidate God's promises.
- God's Sovereignty in Execution: The idea of God "cutting short" His work not only means it will be decisive, but in the larger eschatological context (e.g., Matt 24:22), it also signifies divine mercy. God abbreviates periods of tribulation or judgment to preserve His elect. This points to His absolute control over the timeline and intensity of events, serving His righteous and redemptive purposes without human input or alteration. It reinforces that God's work, in its totality, from inception to culmination, is under His sovereign command.
Romans 9 28 Commentary
Romans 9:28 encapsulates a profound truth about God's eschatological work, drawn from Isaiah. Paul emphasizes that God's dealing with Israel, and indeed all humanity, is neither haphazard nor endless. It is a sovereignly orchestrated divine project, or "work" (λόγον), which God will bring to a definitive, accelerated conclusion. The phrase "cut it short" (συντέμνων) is key, pointing to a swift and decisive judgment and salvation plan. This swiftness is an act of mercy, preventing utter destruction and ensuring the preservation of a "remnant," as indicated in the verses preceding and following. Crucially, this divine operation is carried out "in righteousness" (ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ), assuring believers that all God's actions, even those of severe judgment, are perfectly just and align with His holy nature. The repeated emphasis on "short work" (λόγον συντετμημένον) by "the Lord" (κύριος) solidifies its certainty and universal impact "upon the earth," confirming God's unwavering commitment to His predetermined plan of judging sin and graciously saving those chosen in Christ. This verse serves to buttress Paul's argument that God has not forsaken His people Israel, but rather, is working out His eternal purposes through a remnant, demonstrating His unchanging faithfulness, justice, and mercy.