Romans 4:21
in Romans 4being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
KJV
And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
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This verse in Romans 4
Commentary
15 notes on this verseTherefore Abraham "against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations," which were to be as the stars of heaven, not only in multitude but also in brightness; and he, faithfully believing him who promised, "was not," he says, "weakened in faith." What he says, "he was not weakened in faith," seems to me to show that there is a certain weakness in faith. But if there is weakness, there is without doubt also health, as he shows in other places when he says: "Rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith."
This site's exposition
strengthened in his faith
on Romans 4:20-21
Abraham gave glory to God while the promise was still unfulfilled. He was fully persuaded of God's power to do what He promised. Faith that holds is itself worship.
This site's exposition
being fully persuaded
Abraham trusted God's power while the promise looked impossible. Matthew Henry hears in the Greek verb a ship coming into harbour under full sail. Barnes finds the same faith later at Moriah, where Abraham believed God was able to bring Isaac back from the dead.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Abstaining then from curious questionings is glorifying God, as indulging in them is transgressing. But if by entering into curious questions, and searching out things below, we fail to glorify Him, much more if we be over curious in the matter of the Lord's generation, shall we suffer to the utmost for our insolence. For if the type of the resurrection is not to be searched into, much less those untterable and awestriking subjects. And he does not use the word "believed" merely, but, "being fully persuaded." For such a thing is faith, it is clearer than the demonstration by reasons, and persuades more fully. For it is not possible for another reasoning succeeding to it to shake it afterwards. He indeed that is persuaded with words may have his persuasion altered too by them. But he that stays himself upon faith, hath henceforward fortified his hearing against words that may do hurt to it. Having said then, that he was justified by faith, he shows that he glorified God by that faith; which is a thing specially belonging to a good life. For, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father Which is in heaven." But lo! this is shown also to belong to faith! Again, as works need power, so doth faith. For in their case the body often shareth the toil, but in the faith the well-doing belongeth to the soul alone. And so the labor is greater, since it has no one to share the struggles with it.
A commentator
Augustine of HippoPREDESTINATION OF THE SAINTS 2.6 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
God brings about the faith of the Gentiles, because he is able to perform what he has promised. If it is God who produces our faith, acting in a wondrous manner in our hearts so that we believe, surely we should not fear that he cannot do the entire work.
A commentator
Origen of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS · Written before 253.
proposed
"Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was said to him: So shall your seed be, as the stars of heaven and the sand of the sea. And he was not weakened in faith, nor did he consider his own body now dead, since he was almost a hundred years old, and the dead womb of Sarah. In the promise also of God he did not hesitate through distrust: but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and knowing most fully that whatever he promised, he is able also to do. Therefore it was also reputed to him unto justice." It seems to me that when the Apostle said "against hope," he had in view that which is related in Genesis, that Abraham said to the Lord: "Sovereign Lord, what will you give me? I am dismissed without children: but this son of Masech my homeborn maidservant is Damascus Eliezer. And Abraham said: Since you have given me no seed, this homeborn servant of mine shall be my heir." From which words Abraham is certainly understood to have despaired of receiving children. But as for what he said, "he believed in hope," I think he gathers the hope given to him again from that place where it is written: "And the voice of the Lord came to him saying: This man shall not be your heir; but he who shall come forth from you, he himself shall be your heir. And he led him outside, and said to him: Look up to heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to count them. And he said to him: So shall your seed be. And he believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice." From these words, therefore, both his earlier despair and the hope afterwards given to him by God's promises are declared. […]
The Medieval Church2 voices
Then when he says, giving glory to God, he gives the reason why Abraham's faith was firm, for he grew strong in his faith giving glory to God by considering his omnipotence: great is his power (Ps 147:5). Hence he continues: most fully knowing that …
Note how he proves that the believer has need of great strength. Many disparaged faith as a matter requiring no labor, while they exalted works as requiring sweat and strength. But the apostle says that the believer has need of a great and mighty soul, …
7 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And being fully persuaded,.... He had not only faith, a strong faith, but full assurance of faith: that what he God had promised; though it was so long ago, and there were so many difficulties in the way; he was able, being the Lord God Almighty, to perform; so his faith rested upon the power of God, with whom nothing is impossible.
The Nineteenth Century6 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And being fully persuaded - Thoroughly or entirely convinced; Luk 1:1; Rom 14:5; 2Ti 4:5, 2Ti 4:17. He was able - Compare Gen 18:14. This was not the only time in which Abraham evinced this confidence. His faith was equally implicit and strong when he was commanded to sacrifice his promised son; Heb 11:19.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Who against hope--when no ground for hope appeared. believed in hope--that is, cherished the believing expectation. that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be--that is, Such "as the stars of heaven," Ge 15:5.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
And being fully persuaded, &c.--that is, the glory which Abraham's faith gave to God consisted in this, that, firm in the persuasion of God's ability to fulfil his promise, no difficulties shook him.
IT was God's purpose that Abraham should be a surpassingly excellent example of the power of faith. He was to be "the father of the faithful," the mirror, pattern and paragon of faith. He was ordained to be the supreme Believer of the patriarchal age, the serene and venerable leader of the noble army of Believers in Jehovah, the faithful and true God. In order to produce so eminent a character it was necessary that Abraham's faith should be exercised in a special and unequalled manner.
IT was God's purpose that Abraham should be a surpassingly excellent example of the power of faith. He was to be "the father of the faithful," the mirror, pattern and paragon of faith. He was ordained to be the supreme Believer of the patriarchal age, the serene and venerable leader of the noble army of Believers in Jehovah, the faithful and true God. In order to produce so eminent a character it was necessary that Abraham's faith should be exercised in a special and unequalled manner. The power of his faith could not be known except by putting it to the severest tests. To this end, among other trials of his faith, God gave him a promise that in his seed should all the nations of the earth be blessed, and yet for many a year he remained without an heir. The promise, when originally given, startled Abraham, but he did not doubt it. We read that he laughed—laughed with holy joy at the thought of so great and unexpected a blessing! It startled also his wife Sarah. She did, however, doubt it—when she laughed it was the laugh of incredulity. The fulfillment of the promise was long delayed. Abraham waited with patience, sojourning as a stranger in a strange land, having respect unto the covenant which the Lord had made with him and with his unborn seed. Not a shadow of doubt crossed the mind of the holy Patriarch. He staggered not at the promise through unbelief and though he came to be 100 years old, and his wife Sarah was almost equally as advanced in years, he did not listen to the voice of carnal reason but maintained his confidence in God. Doubtless he had well weighed the natural impossibilities which laid in the way, but he overlooked the whole and being fully persuaded that if God had promised him a son the son would certainly be born, he entertained a holy confidence and left the matter of time in the hands of the Sovereign Ruler.
And being fully persuaded - πληροφορηθεις, his measure: his soul was full of confidence, that the truth of God bound him to fulfill his promise and his power enabled him to do it.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| πληροφορηθεὶς | plerophoretheis | having been fully assured | G4135 → | |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| ὃ | ho | what | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἐπήγγελται | epengeltai | He has promised | G1861 → | |
| δυνατός | dunatos | able | G1415 → | 32 times |
| ἐστιν | estin | He is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ποιῆσαι· | poiesai | to do; | G4160 → | 569 times |
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
πληροφορηθεὶςhaving been fully assured
plerophoretheisG4135 →
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ὃwhat
hoG3739 →1405 times
ἐπήγγελταιHe has promised
epengeltaiG1861 →
δυνατόςable
dunatosG1415 →32 times
ἐστινHe is
estinG1510 →2333 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ποιῆσαι·to do;
poiesaiG4160 →569 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
Luke 1:37For no word from God will ever fail.”
it leads to
- Matthew 19:26
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 32:27
“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too difficult for Me?
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 32:17
“Oh, Lord GOD! You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for You!
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Mark 10:27
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”
- Luke 18:27
But Jesus said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
- Matthew 19:26
Through
Jeremiah 32:17“Oh, Lord GOD! You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for You!
it leads to
- Luke 1:37
For no word from God will ever fail.”
- Genesis 18:14
Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.”
- Job 42:2
“I know that You can do all things and that no plan of Yours can be thwarted.
- Luke 1:37
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
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); Augustine of Hippo, PREDESTINATION OF THE SAINTS 2.6; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 733: “Unstaggering Faith” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Frederic Godet, Commentary on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Romans VIII; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; 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; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Romans and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Romans.