Romans 9:29 kjv
And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.
Romans 9:29 nkjv
And as Isaiah said before: "Unless the LORD of Sabaoth had left us a seed, We would have become like Sodom, And we would have been made like Gomorrah."
Romans 9:29 niv
It is just as Isaiah said previously: "Unless the Lord Almighty had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah."
Romans 9:29 esv
And as Isaiah predicted, "If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah."
Romans 9:29 nlt
And Isaiah said the same thing in another place: "If the LORD of Heaven's Armies
had not spared a few of our children,
we would have been wiped out like Sodom,
destroyed like Gomorrah."
Romans 9 29 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 1:9 | Unless the LORD of Hosts had left us some survivors, we would have fared like Sodom and been made like Gomorrah. | God's sovereign preservation of a remnant in judgment |
| Jeremiah 44:14 | none shall return of the remnant of Judah who have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to lodge there. | Judgment leading to no remnant of those who disobey |
| Ezekiel 14:22 | there shall be survivors left in them, to bring out sons and daughters. When they come out to you, and you see their ways and their doings, you shall be comforted for the disaster that I have brought upon Jerusalem. | Survivors brought out as a testimony in judgment |
| Romans 11:1 | I ask, then, did God reject his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. | Paul's emphasis on God not rejecting His people entirely |
| Romans 11:5 | So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. | Present-day remnant chosen by grace |
| Matthew 1:21 | She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. | Jesus saves His people |
| John 10:28 | I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. | Christ's protection of believers |
| Acts 15:16 | ‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that is fallen. I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up | Restoration of David's kingdom, including a remnant |
| 2 Corinthians 5:17 | Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. | Newness in Christ includes those preserved |
| 1 Peter 2:9 | But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. | Believers as a chosen people, a spiritual remnant |
| Revelation 7:3-8 | Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we seal the servants of our God on their foreheads. ... And after this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb... | Great multitude saved, representing the redeemed |
| Psalm 37:28 | For the LORD loves justice; he does not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the offspring of the wicked shall be cut off. | God's preservation of the righteous |
| Psalm 12:1 | Help, LORD, for there is no longer faithful; for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man. | Israel's faithfulness waned |
| Isaiah 4:3 | And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone in Jerusalem who is doomed to life. | Jerusalem remnant will be holy |
| Isaiah 10:20-22 | It will happen on that day that the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will never again support themselves by the one who struck them, but will support themselves by the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God. For though your people Israel were as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return. Consumption and decision from the Lord GOD of hosts is determined upon the whole earth. | Prophecy of a remnant returning to God |
| Zechariah 8:6 | Thus says the LORD of hosts: Even though it may seem impossible to the remnant of this people in the days of those times, as also it seemed impossible in my eyes, declares the LORD of hosts, | God's sovereign ability to accomplish His purposes |
| Romans 11:4 | But what is God's reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed their knees to Baal.” | Elijah's remnant |
| Galatians 3:29 | And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. | Union with Christ makes one a spiritual Israelite |
| Revelation 21:7 | The one who conquers will have this inheritance, and I will be his God, and he will be my son. | Inheritance for overcomers |
| Acts 17:28 | for “in him we live and move and have our being”; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ | God as sustainer and source of being |
Romans 9 verses
Romans 9 29 Meaning
The verse declares that without the LORD of Hosts' intervention, only a remnant of Israel would have survived. This highlights God's sovereign purpose and mercy in preserving a portion of His people.
Romans 9 29 Context
Romans 9 through 11 grapples with the apparent rejection of Israel by God in light of the gospel going out to the Gentiles. Paul addresses the issue of God's sovereign election and faithfulness to His promises concerning Israel. He explains that not all who are physically descended from Israel are truly part of God's people. This verse, within this context, serves as a powerful Old Testament proof text to support the concept of a preserved remnant. It follows discussions on God's sovereign hardening of Pharaoh and His prerogative to show mercy.
Romans 9 29 Word Analysis
- καὶ (kai): "and." A conjunction connecting this verse to the preceding thought, showing a direct consequence or further explanation.
- εἰ (ei): "if." A conditional particle, introducing a hypothetical or declarative statement.
- μὴ (mē): "not." A particle of negation, essential to the meaning of the clause.
- ὑπελείπετο (hypereleipeto): "was left behind," "was spared," "remained over." This is from the verb hypoleipomai, meaning to leave behind, to leave remaining, to spare. It implies survival despite a broader context of destruction or judgment. In the Septuagint (LXX), it is frequently used for the remnant spared from calamity (e.g., Isaiah 1:9, 10:22).
- Κύριος (Kyrios): "Lord." A title referring to Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. Used extensively in the Old Testament, often as a substitute for the ineffable name YHWH.
- Σαβαὼθ (Sabaōth): "of Hosts," "of Armies." The Septuagint translation of the Hebrew "Tzeva'ot." It refers to the Lord of all powers, whether celestial armies (angels) or earthly armies. This title emphasizes God's supreme power and authority over all creation and His people.
- ἀφῆκεν (aphēken): "has left." From the verb aphiēmi, meaning to send away, to let go, to forgive, to leave behind. Here it signifies leaving something behind or sparing.
- σπέρμα (sperma): "seed," "offspring," "descendants." This word carries significant weight in Paul's argument about covenant and lineage. It refers to descendants, both physical and spiritual.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "unless the Lord of Hosts": This phrase emphasizes God's ultimate sovereignty. The inclusion of "of Hosts" amplifies His supreme power as the commander of all forces.
- "had left us a seed": This speaks of a small, preserved remnant, chosen not by human merit but by divine decree. The word "seed" (sperma) is deeply rooted in the Abrahamic covenant, signifying lineage and a continuation of God's plan.
Romans 9 29 Bonus Section
The quote from Isaiah 1:9 highlights a historical moment where Israel, facing severe judgment due to its sin and apostasy, was spared destruction through the preservation of a small number. This concept of the remnant is a recurring theme throughout Israel's history and a fundamental aspect of Old Testament prophecy. It anticipates the ultimate remnant saved through Jesus Christ, who is the ultimate "seed" (Galatians 3:16). The emphasis on "Lord of Hosts" (YHWH Tzevaot) in this passage is particularly significant, indicating that God's power is not limited by the faithlessness of His people; He remains sovereign and able to accomplish His purposes. This upholds God's active role in salvation, not merely as a passive observer but as the active agent in sparing and preserving His chosen.
Romans 9 29 Commentary
This verse is a direct quote from Isaiah 1:9, a critical Old Testament passage used to demonstrate God's consistent pattern of preserving a faithful remnant. Paul uses it to underscore that God's covenant faithfulness doesn't guarantee inclusion for every physical descendant of Abraham. Instead, God sovereignly chooses to preserve a remnant, demonstrating His mercy amidst judgment. This remnant is not based on human lineage alone but on God's initiative and purpose, exemplified by the Lord of Hosts. The inclusion of "Lord of Hosts" magnifies God's supreme authority in this preservation.