Romans 11:29
in Romans 11For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For the gifts and the calling of God are not repented of.
KJV
For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
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This verse in Romans 11
Commentary
14 notes on this verse"According to the Gospel indeed they are enemies for your sake: but according to the election they are most dear for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance. For as you also once did not believe God, but now have obtained mercy because of their unbelief: so these also have now not believed, that through the mercy shown to you they too may obtain mercy."
This site's exposition
loved on account of the patriarchs
on Romans 11:28-29
Israel stands in two relations at once, enemies regarding the gospel and loved regarding election. Verse 29 grounds the love in God, whose gifts and call are irrevocable, the Greek ametameletos, never taken back. Jeremiah 31:35 to 37 gives the same guarantee by sun and moon.
This site's exposition
God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable
Barnes gives the Greek for gifts as charisma, a gift of grace. Henry sets the verse beside 1 Samuel 15:11, where God regretted making Saul king. He finds no place where God takes back grace He has given.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
Paul says this in order to encourage the Jews. In fact, of course, God did revoke the good gifts which he gave … King Saul, for example, who received spiritual grace which later deserted him. Likewise Solomon, who received peace through the kindness of God, …
For God to order his future works in his foreknowledge, which cannot be deceived or changed, is entirely (and nothing other than) to predestine. But just as he whom God has foreknown to be chaste, although this may be unclear to him, acts in such a way as to be chaste, so he whom God has predestined to be chaste, although this may be unclear to him, does not, simply because he hears that by God's gift he will be what he will be, fail to act so as to be chaste. Indeed, his charity is delighted, and he is not puffed up as if he had not received it. Not only is he not hindered from the work of charity by the preaching of predestination, but on the contrary he is helped in this task, so that when he glories he may glory in the Lord.
"For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance." And even this is not all he says to solace them, for he uses what had already come about. And what came in of consequence, that he states as chiefly intended.
It is usually thought that those who have sinned badly by not accepting the promise of God cannot receive mercy if they do not demonstrate their sorrow, because those who have sinned badly cannot be forgiven without tears and wailing. But Paul shows that these …
The Medieval Church1 voice
Since, he says, you have submitted to the Gospel and have been accepted by God, they became more stubborn and recoiled further and became enemies; but since their ancestors were chosen by God from the beginning, God will not allow them to perish completely (for …
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Then when he says, for the gifts and the calling, he excludes an objection. For someone might claim that even though the Jews were formerly beloved on account of their forefathers, nevertheless the hostility they exert against the Gospel prevents them from being saved in …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
11 , It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king ); but we never find God repenting that he had given a man grace, or effectually called him; those gifts and callings are without repentance. 33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
For the gifts and calling of God,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For the gifts - The favors or benefits which God bestows on men. The word χάρισμα charisma properly denotes any benefit which is conferred on another as a mere matter of favor, and not of reward; see Rom 5:15-16; Rom 6:23. Such are all the favors which God bestows on sinners including pardon, peace, joy, sanctification, and eternal life.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
For as ye in times past have not believed--or, "obeyed" God--that is, yielded not to God "the obedience of faith," while strangers to Christ. yet now have obtained mercy through--by occasion of their unbelief--(See on Ro 11:11;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
For the gifts and calling of God, etc. - The gifts which God has bestowed upon them, and the calling - the invitation, with which he has favored them he will never revoke. In reference to this point there is no change of mind in him; and therefore the possibility and certainty of their restoration to their original privileges, of being the people of God, of enjoying every spiritual blessing with the fullness of the Gentiles, may be both reasonably and safely inferred. Repentance, when applied to God, signifies simply change of purpose relative to some declarations made subject to certain conditions. See this fully explained and illustrated by himself, Jer 18:7-9.
The words behind it
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀμεταμέλητα | ametameleta | Irrevocable | G278 → | |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| τὰ | ta | [are] the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| χαρίσματα | charismata | gifts | G5486 → | 17 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κλῆσις | klesis | calling | G2821 → | |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ. | theou | of God. | G2316 → | 1312 times |
ἀμεταμέληταIrrevocable
ametameletaG278 →
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
τὰ[are] the
taG3588 →19766 times
χαρίσματαgifts
charismataG5486 →17 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
κλῆσιςcalling
klesisG2821 →
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦ.of God.
theouG2316 →1312 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
Romans 8:28And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 5:10
And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish…
- James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
- Genesis 50:20
As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people.
- Romans 5:3–5
Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
- 1 Corinthians 2:9
Rather, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.”
- 1 Peter 5:10
Through
Numbers 23:19God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?
it leads to
- James 1:17
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- James 1:17
Through
Malachi 3:6“Because I, the LORD, do not change, you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed.
it leads to
- Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?
- Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
- Numbers 23:19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies28
On this verse
About Romans
This page draws on 13 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, GIFT OF PERSEVERANCE 17; Charles Hodge, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Romans 19; 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; Theodoret of Cyrus, INTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Romans and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Romans.