Romans 15:21
in Romans 15Rather, as it is written: “Those who were not told about Him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
but, as it is written, They shall see, to whom no tidings of him came, And they who have not heard shall understand.
KJV
But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.
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This verse in Romans 15
Commentary
12 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
But as it is written - Isa 52:15. This is not literally quoted, but the sense is retained. The design of quoting it is to justify the principle on which the apostle acted. It was revealed that the gospel should be preached to the Gentiles; and he regarded it as a high honor to be the instrument of carrying this prediction into effect.
This site's exposition
aspired to preach the gospel
on Romans 15:20-21
Paul aimed at ground where Christ had never been named, keeping clear of another man's foundation. Isaiah 52:15 is quoted for it: those who were never told about Him will see, and the ones who never heard will understand. Pioneer work was his whole ambition.
This site's exposition
Those who were not told about Him will see
Clarke reads the quotation as a word Paul set himself to fulfil by his way of preaching. Barnes reads it as the warrant for going where the gospel was unheard. Chrysostom notes that Paul ran where the labor was greater.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Paul says that he was always quick to fill the Gentiles with the truth of the gospel, so that their understanding of the true Son of God might be correct and unshakable.
A commentator
Origen of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS · Written before 253.
proposed
And he preached this Gospel in such a way that he did not insert his own discourses as an addition to another's labors or another's preaching, lest he should himself set the building of his own preaching upon foundations of faith laid by another, and should seem to filch the glory of another's work.
Then he shows that a prophecy was fulfilled also saying, "As it is written, To whom He was not spoken of, they shall see, and they that have not heard shall understand." You see he runs to where the labor is more, the toil greater.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Here he shows the fulfilled prophecy; and whoever resolves to teach the ignorant, to which Paul resorted, much labor and sweat awaits him.
Second, he cites an authority for what he had said, saying: but as it is written: 'they to whom he was not spoken of shall see: and they who have not heard shall understand' (Isa 52:15). In these words the prophet seems to predict that …
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And commonly the greatest success of the gospel is at its first coming to a place; afterwards people become sermon-proof. The great and wonderful success that he had in his work: It was effectual to make the Gentiles obedient. The design of the gospel is to bring people to be obedient; it is not only a truth to be belie
But as it is written,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
For I will not dare to speak of any--"to speak aught" of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me--a modest, though somewhat obscure form of expression, meaning, "I will not dare to go beyond what Christ hath wrought by me"--in which form accordingly the rest of the passage is expressed.
But as it is written - These words, quoted from Isa 52:15, the apostle applies to his own conduct; not that the words themselves predicted what Paul had done, but that he endeavored to fulfill such a declaration by his manner of preaching the Gospel to the heathen.
The words behind it
14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀλλὰ | alla | Rather | G235 → | 635 times |
| καθὼς | kathos | even as | G2531 → | 182 times |
| γέγραπται· | gegraptai | it has been written: | G1125 → | 189 times |
| οἷς | hois | To whom | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἀνηγγέλη | anengele | it was proclaimed | G312 → | |
| περὶ | peri | concerning | G4012 → | 332 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ὄψονται | opsontai | they will behold | G3700 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οἳ | hoi | those that | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἀκηκόασιν | akekoasin | have heard | G191 → | 425 times |
| συνήσουσιν. | sunesousin | will understand. | G4920 → |
ἀλλὰRather
allaG235 →635 times
καθὼςeven as
kathosG2531 →182 times
γέγραπται·it has been written:
gegraptaiG1125 →189 times
οἷςTo whom
hoisG3739 →1405 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἀνηγγέληit was proclaimed
anengeleG312 →
περὶconcerning
periG4012 →332 times
αὐτοῦHim
autouG846 →5565 times
ὄψονταιthey will behold
opsontaiG3700 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οἳthose that
hoiG3739 →1405 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἀκηκόασινhave heard
akekoasinG191 →425 times
συνήσουσιν.will understand.
sunesousinG4920 →
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
Isaiah 65:1“I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me. To a nation that did not call My name, I said, ‘Here I…
it leads to
- Romans 10:20
And Isaiah boldly says: “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me.”
- Romans 9:24–26
including us, whom He has called not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles?
- 1 Peter 2:10
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
- Ephesians 2:12–13
remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
- Hosea 1:10
Yet the number of the Israelites will be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or counted. And it will happen that in the very place where it was said to…
- Romans 10:20
Through
Isaiah 52:15so He will sprinkle many nations. Kings will shut their mouths because of Him. For they will see what they have not been told, and they will understand what they have not heard.
it leads to
- Romans 15:20–21
In this way I have aspired to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.
- Isaiah 49:7
Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, to Him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the Servant of rulers: “Kings will see You and rise, and princes…
- Ezekiel 36:25
I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols.
- Romans 15:20–21
Where this verse is studied
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); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Romans 29; 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.