Romans 10:1
in Romans 10Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is for their salvation.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Brethren, my heart’s desire and my supplication to God is for them, that they may be saved.
KJV
Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
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This verse in Romans 10
Commentary
15 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Brethren - This expression seems intended particularly for the Jews, his ancient friends, fellow-worshippers, and kinsmen, but who had embraced the Christian faith. It is an expression of tenderness and affection, denoting his deep interest in their welfare. My heart’s desire - The word “desire” εὐδοκία eudokia means benevolence, and the expression, “my heart’s desire,” means my earnest and sincere wish. Prayer to God - He not only cherished this feeling but he expressed in a desire to God. He had no desire that his kinsmen should be destroyed; no pleasure in the appalling doctrine which he had been defending.
This site's exposition
my heart’s desire and prayer to God
on Romans 10:1-3
Paul prays for Israel's salvation and credits them with real zeal for God, zeal without knowledge. Ignorant of the righteousness God gives, they set about building their own and refused to submit to His. That refusal is the diagnosis of the whole chapter.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
Since Paul wants to liberate the Jews from the law, which is a veil over their faces, but does not want to appear to desire this out of any hatred for Judaism, he shows his love for them and says many good things about the …
Here Paul begins to speak of his hope for the Jews, lest the Gentiles in their turn become condescending toward them. For just as the pride of the Jews had to be countered because they gloried in their works, so also with the Gentiles, lest they become proud at having been preferred over the Jews.
He is now going again to rebuke them more vehemently than before. Wherefore he again does away with every suspicion of hatred, and makes a great effort beforehand to correct misapprehension. Do not then, he says, mind words or accusations, but observe that it is not in any hostile spirit that I say this. For it is not likely that the same person should desire their salvation, and not desire it only, but even pray for it, and yet should also hate them, and feel aversion to them. For here he calls his exceeding desire, and the prayer which he makes, "heart's desire." For it is not the being freed from punishment only, but that they may also be saved, that he makes so great a point of, and prays for. Nor is it from this only, but also from the sequel that he shows the goodwill that he hath towards them. For from what is open to him, as far as he can, he forces his way, and is contentious to find out some shadow at least of an excuse for them. And he hath not the power, being overcome by the nature of the facts.
A commentator
Origen of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS · Written before 253.
proposed
Both from the beginning, and as the text of the Epistle proceeds, we have said that Paul at one time speaks on behalf of the Gentiles, at another also on behalf of Israel.
The Medieval Church1 voice
After showing how the gentiles have been called to faith by the election of God's grace and also some of the Jews, i.e., a minority who did not stumble and fall, the Apostle now discusses in more detail the fall of the Jews. In regard …
8 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Having intended to strike a blow against the Jews, he prefaces it with a brief word, lest they think that his subsequent speech proceeds from hostility toward them, and he speaks of the "desire of the heart," that is, of his own wish, of his …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
9 ), desires not the death of sinners. It is our duty truly and earnestly to desire the salvation of our own. This, he says, was his heart's desire and prayer, which intimates, (1.) The strength and sincerity of his desire.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens
11 ), and at such a time has promised to give his faithful people a mouth and wisdom, Luke xxi. It is part of the honour of Christ that every tongue shall confess, Phil. ii. And this is said to be unto salvation, because it is the performance of the condition of that promise, Matt. x.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens
Brethren, my heart's desire,....
That there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles; but, in point of justification and acceptance with God, the gospel sets them both upon the same level,
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
WE ought to have an intense longing for the salvation of all sorts of men and especially for those, if there are any, that treat us badly. We should never wish them ill, not for a moment, but in proportion to their malice should be our intense desire for their good. Israel had persecuted Paul everywhere with the most bitter imaginable hate. When he addressed them in their synagogues, they rushed upon him in their fury.
WE ought to have an intense longing for the salvation of all sorts of men and especially for those, if there are any, that treat us badly. We should never wish them ill, not for a moment, but in proportion to their malice should be our intense desire for their good. Israel had persecuted Paul everywhere with the most bitter imaginable hate. When he addressed them in their synagogues, they rushed upon him in their fury. When he left them alone and preached quietly to the Gentiles, they made a mob, dragged him before the magistrates, charged him with causing a tumult and either stoned him or beat him with rods. He was "an Israelite, indeed," but his people regarded him as a turncoat, indeed, because he had become a Christian! Mad as they were against all Christians, they had a special spite and fury against the apostate Pharisee. Paul's only reply to all their infuriated malice is this gentle assertion—"Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved." Brethren, let us pray for men that they may be saved! Simple as the statement is, I feel sure that we shall see more conversions when more people pray for conversions. If, as we went about the streets, we made a rule that whenever we heard a man swear, we would pray that he might be saved, might we not hope to see a great many more saved? If, whenever we saw a case of special sin, or read of it in the newspaper, we were to make it a habit always to offer our heart's desire and prayer for such offenders that they might be saved, I cannot tell what countless blessings would come from God's right hand. I would bring before you one peculiar class of persons whose conversion some of us should very earnestly pray for.
My heart’s desire, etc. - Though the apostle knew that the Jews were now in a state of rejection, yet he knew also that they were in this state through their own obstinacy, and that God was still waiting to be gracious, and consequently, that they might still repent and turn to him. Of his concern for their salvation he had already given ample proof, when he was willing to become a sacrifice for their welfare, see Rom 9:3.
The words behind it
17 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἀδελφοί, | adelphoi | Brothers, | G80 → | 343 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μὲν | men | indeed | G3303 → | 176 times |
| εὐδοκία | eudokia | desire | G2107 → | |
| τῆς | tes | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐμῆς | emes | of my | G1473 → | 839 times |
| καρδίας | kardias | heart | G2588 → | 156 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δέησις | deesis | supplication | G1162 → | |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεὸν | theon | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ὑπὲρ | huper | on behalf | G5228 → | 155 times |
| αὐτῶν | auton | of them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| εἰς | eis | for | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| σωτηρίαν. | soterian | salvation. | G4991 → | 49 times |
Ἀδελφοί,Brothers,
adelphoiG80 →343 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
μὲνindeed
menG3303 →176 times
εὐδοκίαdesire
eudokiaG2107 →
τῆς<the>
tesG3588 →19766 times
ἐμῆςof my
emesG1473 →839 times
καρδίαςheart
kardiasG2588 →156 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
δέησιςsupplication
deesisG1162 →
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
θεὸνGod
theonG2316 →1312 times
ὑπὲρon behalf
huperG5228 →155 times
αὐτῶνof them
autonG846 →5565 times
εἰςfor
eisG1519 →1755 times
σωτηρίαν.salvation.
soterianG4991 →49 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Jeremiah 18:20Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember how I stood before You to speak good on their behalf, to turn Your wrath from them.
it leads to
- Psalms 35:7
For without cause they laid their net for me; without reason they dug a pit for my soul.
- Psalms 57:6
They spread a net for my feet; my soul was despondent. They dug a pit before me, but they themselves have fallen into it! Selah
- Psalms 106:23
So He said He would destroy them— had not Moses His chosen one stood before Him in the breach to divert His wrath from destroying them.
- 1 Samuel 24:17–19
and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have rewarded me with good, though I have rewarded you with evil.
- Psalms 35:12
They repay me evil for good, to the bereavement of my soul.
- Psalms 35:7
Through
John 5:34Even though I do not accept human testimony, I say these things so that you may be saved.
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 4:16
Pay close attention to your life and to your teaching. Persevere in these things, for by so doing you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
- John 20:31
But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.
- 1 John 5:9
Even if we accept human testimony, the testimony of God is greater. For this is the testimony that God has given about His Son.
- 1 Timothy 4:16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
About Romans
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Augustine of Hippo, AUGUSTINE ON ROMANS 66; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1899: “Zealous, But Wrong” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); John Chrysostom, Homily on Romans 17; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS; Robert Haldane, Exposition of the Epistle to the Romans; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Romans and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Romans.