Romans

Romans 9:11–16

¹¹Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand, ¹²not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”^d ¹³So it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”^e

¹⁴What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Certainly not! ¹⁵For He says to Moses:

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,

and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”^f

¹⁶So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.

Footnotes

d 9:12 Genesis 25:23|GEN 25:23
e 9:13 Malachi 1:2–3|MAL 1:2-3
f 9:15 Exodus 33:19|EXO 33:19

Read all of Romans 9

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Greek it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Romans 9:11

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Yet	γὰρ	gar	Conjunction	G1063 for
before	μήπω	mēpō	Adverb	G3380 not yet
were born	γεννηθέντων	gennēthentōn	Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Genitive Masculine Plural	G1080 I beget, bring forth, give birth to
had done	πραξάντων	praxantōn	Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural	G4238 I do, fare, require
anything	τι	ti	Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular	G5100 any one, some one
good	ἀγαθὸν	agathon	Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular	G18 good
or	ἢ	ē	Conjunction	G2228 or, than
bad	φαῦλον	phaulon	Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular	G5337 worthless, wicked, base
in order that	ἵνα	hina	Conjunction	G2443 in order that, so that
God’s	Θεοῦ	Theou	Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular	G2316 God, a god
plan	πρόθεσις	prothesis	Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular	G4286 the show-bread, predetermination
of	κατ’	kat’	Preposition	G2596 down from, against, according to, throughout, during
election	ἐκλογὴν	eklogēn	Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular	G1589 a choosing out, selecting, choice by God
might stand	μένῃ	menē	Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular	G3306 I remain, abide

Romans 9:12

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
not	οὐκ	ouk	Adverb	G3756 no, not
by	ἐξ	ex	Preposition	G1537 from out, out from among, from
works	ἔργων	ergōn	Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural	G2041 work, labor, action, deed
but	ἀλλ’	all’	Conjunction	G235 but, except
by	ἐκ	ek	Preposition	G1537 from out, out from among, from
Him who	τοῦ	tou	Article - Genitive Masculine Singular	G3588 the
calls	καλοῦντος	kalountos	Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular	G2564 I call, invite, name
she	αὐτῇ	autē	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Feminine 3rd Person Singular	G846 he, she, it, they, them, same
was told	ἐρρέθη	errethē	Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular	G2046 I say, speak
The	Ὁ	Ho	Article - Nominative Masculine Singular	G3588 the
older	μείζων	meizōn	Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular - Comparative	G3173 large, great
will serve	δουλεύσει	douleusei	Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G1398 I am a slave, am subject to, obey
the	τῷ	tō	Article - Dative Masculine Singular	G3588 the
younger	ἐλάσσονι	elassoni	Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular - Comparative	G1640 less, smaller, inferior

Romans 9:13

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So	καθὼς	kathōs	Conjunction	G2531 just as, as
it is written	γέγραπται	gegraptai	Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular	G1125 I write
Jacob	Ἰακὼβ	Iakōb	Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G2384 Jacob
I loved	ἠγάπησα	ēgapēsa	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G25 I love
but	δὲ	de	Conjunction	G1161 but, on the other hand, and
Esau	Ἠσαῦ	Ēsau	Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G2269 Esau
I hated	ἐμίσησα	emisēsa	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G3404 I hate, detest

Romans 9:14

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
What	Τί	Ti	Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular	G5101 who, which, what
then	οὖν	oun	Conjunction	G3767 therefore, then
shall we say	ἐροῦμεν	eroumen	Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural	G2046 I say, speak
God	θεῷ	theō	Noun - Dative Masculine Singular	G2316 God, a god
unjust	ἀδικία	adikia	Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular	G93 unrighteousness
Certainly not	γένοιτο	genoito	Verb - Aorist Optative Middle - 3rd Person Singular	G1096 I come into being, am born

Romans 9:15

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	γὰρ	gar	Conjunction	G1063 for
He says	λέγει	legei	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G3004 I say, speak
to	τῷ	tō	Article - Dative Masculine Singular	G3588 the
Moses	Μωϋσεῖ	Mōusei	Noun - Dative Masculine Singular	G3475 Moses
I will have mercy on	Ἐλεήσω	Eleēsō	Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G1653 I pity, have mercy on
whom	ὃν	hon	Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G3739 who, which, what, that
I have mercy	ἐλεῶ	eleō	Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singular	G1653 I pity, have mercy on
and	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
I will have compassion on	οἰκτιρήσω	oiktirēsō	Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G3627 I pity, have compassion on
whom	ὃν	hon	Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G3739 who, which, what, that
I have compassion	οἰκτίρω	oiktirō	Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singular	G3627 I pity, have compassion on

Romans 9:16

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So	Ἄρα	Ara	Conjunction	G686 then, therefore, since
then	οὖν	oun	Conjunction	G3767 therefore, then
not	οὐ	ou	Adverb	G3756 no, not
on man’s	τοῦ	tou	Article - Genitive Masculine Singular	G3588 the
desire	θέλοντος	thelontos	Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular	G2309 I will, wish, desire
effort	τρέχοντος	trechontos	Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular	G5143 I run, exercise myself
but	ἀλλὰ	alla	Conjunction	G235 but, except
on	τοῦ	tou	Article - Genitive Masculine Singular	G3588 the
God’s	Θεοῦ	Theou	Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular	G2316 God, a god
mercy	ἐλεῶντος	eleōntos	Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular	G1653 I pity, have mercy on