Romans 9:20 - Forerunner Commentary

Romans 9:20

18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He ^ahardens.

19 You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For ^awho has resisted His will?”

20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? ^aWill the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?”

21 Does not the ^apotter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make ^bone vessel for honor and another for dishonor?

22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering ^athe vessels of wrath ^bprepared for destruction,

23 and that He might make known ^athe riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had ^bprepared beforehand for glory,

24 even us whom He ^acalled, ^bnot of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

25 As He says also in Hosea:
^a“I will call them My people, who were not My people,
And her beloved, who was not beloved.”

26 “And^a it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them,
‘You are not My people,’
There they shall be called sons of the living God.”

27 Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel:
^a“Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea,
^bThe remnant will be saved.

28 For¹ He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness,
^aBecause the Lord will make a short work upon the earth.”

Verse Comparison: Romans 9:20

<< Romans 9:19

Romans 9:21 >>

American Standard Version
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why didst thou make me thus?

Amplified® Bible
But who are you, a mere man, to criticize {and} contradict {and} answer back to God? Will what is formed say to him that formed it, Why have you made me thus?

Contemporary English Version
But, my friend, I ask, "Who do you think you are to question God? Does the clay have the right to ask the potter why he shaped it the way he did?

Darby English Version
Aye, but thou, O man, who art *thou* that answerest again to God? Shall the thing formed say to him that has formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

Good News Bible
But who are you, my friend, to talk back to God? A clay pot does not ask the man who made it, "Why did you make me like this?"

International Standard Version
On the contrary, who are you-mere man that you are-to talk back to God? Can an object that was molded say to the one who molded it, "Why did you make me like this?"

King James Version
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

New American Standard Bible
On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this, will it?"

New International Version
But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' "

New King James Version
But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?"

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
On the contrary, who do you presume, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it?

Young's Literal Translation
nay, but, O man, who art thou that art answering again to God? shall the thing formed say to Him who did form `it', Why me didst thou make thus?

<< Romans 9:19

Romans 9:21 >>

Join 137,255+ readers

A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning

Consistent Bible study is hard to start.

The Berean gives you the starting point: one scripture and a focused commentary in your inbox each morning — read it in minutes, or go as deep as you like.

Free, daily, and spam-free. We never share your address. Unsubscribe anytime.

A Verse and a Thought,Every Morning

A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning