Romans 11:35
in Romans 11“Who has first given to God, that God should repay him?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
KJV
Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
⋯
This verse in Romans 11
Commentary
12 notes on this verseAnd in like manner also, "Or who has first given to him, and it shall be recompensed to him?" is to be understood. For no one has first bestowed anything upon his Maker: since even this very thing that he is, each one has received from his Creator.
This site's exposition
the depth of the riches
on Romans 11:33-36
Eleven chapters of argument end in worship over the riches of God's wisdom and knowledge. His judgments are unsearchable and His ways untraceable, and the two questions come from Isaiah 40:13 and Job 41:11. God is source, channel and end of all things.
This site's exposition
Who has first given to God
No one puts God in his debt, as Clarke reads it. Origen says no one gives his Maker anything he did not first receive from Him. Prosper of Aquitaine calls salvation wholly free and so wholly to the glory of God.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
No good work comes from the dead; nothing righteous from the ungodly. Their whole salvation is gratuitous and is therefore the glory of God, so that he who glories may glory in him of whose glory he has stood in need.
"For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counsellor? Or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?" What he means is nearly this: that though He is so wise, yet He has not His Wisdom from any other, but is Himself the Fountain of good things. And though He hath done so great things, and made us so great presents, yet it was not by borrowing from any other that He gave them, but by making them spring forth from Himself; nor as owing any a return for having received from him, but as always being Himself the first to do the benefits; for this is a chief mark of riches, to overflow abundantly, and yet need no aid.
The Medieval Church3 voices
Therefore when it condemns and reprobates, it operates according to justice: but when it predestines, according to grace and mercy, which does not exclude justice. Because therefore all, insofar as they were of the mass of perdition, deserved to be condemned: therefore more are reprobated …
Second, he shows the excellence of divine wisdom according as it has height in itself, and indeed is that height which is the supreme principle. Two points pertain to this: first, that it does not proceed from something else; second, that other things proceed from …
He is also the source of all good things, and whatever He gives, He gives not as one obligated to repay, like someone who has received something from another, but out of His own goodness. For "who has first given to Him," that is, to …
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
Or who hath first given to him,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Or who hath ... - The sentiment in this verse is found substantially in Job 41:11. “Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him.” The Hebrew word “prevented” means to anticipate, to go before; and God asks who has anticipated me; who has conferred favors on me before I have on him; who has thus laid me under obligation to him.” This is the sense in which the apostle uses the word here. Who has, by his services, laid God under obligation to recompense or pay him again?
Or, who hath first given to him - Who can pretend to have any demands upon God? To whom is he indebted? Have either Jews or Gentiles any right to his blessings? May not he bestow his favors as he pleases, and to whom he pleases? Does he do any injustice to the Jews in choosing the Gentiles! And was it because he was under obligation to the Gentiles that he has chosen them in the place of the Jews? Let him who has any claim on God prefer it; and he shall be compensated. But how can the Creator be indebted to the creature? How can the Cause be dependent on the effect? How can the Author of providence, and the Father of every good and perfect gift, be under obligation to them for whom he provides, and who are wholly dependent on his bounty?
The words behind it
7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἢ | e | Or | G2228 → | 342 times |
| τίς | tis | who | G5101 → | 563 times |
| προέδωκεν | proedoken | has first given | G4272 → | |
| αὐτῷ, | auto | to Him, | G846 → | 5565 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἀνταποδοθήσεται | antapodothesetai | it will be recompensed | G467 → | |
| αὐτῷ; | auto | to him? | G846 → | 5565 times |
ἢOr
eG2228 →342 times
τίςwho
tisG5101 →563 times
προέδωκενhas first given
proedokenG4272 →
αὐτῷ,to Him,
autoG846 →5565 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἀνταποδοθήσεταιit will be recompensed
antapodothesetaiG467 →
αὐτῷ;to him?
autoG846 →5565 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
1 Corinthians 4:7For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
it leads to
- John 3:27
John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.
- 1 Peter 4:10
As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another.
- 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.
- 1 Chronicles 29:11–16
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in heaven and on earth belongs to You. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom,…
- Romans 12:6
We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith;
- John 3:27
Through
Job 41:11Who has given to Me that I should repay him? Everything under heaven is Mine.
it leads to
- Psalms 24:1
The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof, the world and all who dwell therein.
- Psalms 24:1
Through
Matthew 20:15Do I not have the right to do as I please with what is mine? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
it leads to
- Romans 9:15–24
For He says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
- Deuteronomy 15:9
Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought in your heart: “The seventh year, the year of release, is near,” so that you look upon your poor brother begrudgingly and give him nothing. He…
- Romans 9:15–24
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies22
On this chapter
About Romans
This page draws on 11 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); Bonaventure, Breviloquium; John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Epistle to the Romans; 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; Prosper of Aquitaine, GRACE AND FREE WILL 10; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Romans and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Romans.