Skip to content
mannafest.faith
Read

Romans 8:28

in Romans 8

And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose.

KJV

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

⋯

This verse in Romans 8

Commentary

7 notes on this verse

A commentator

Jerome

Homily 6, on Psalm 66 · Written before 420.

"But to those who love God all things work together for good." Job, the holy man, was tempted: he lost his sons and daughters, his house collapsed, he lost everything, he lost all things suddenly — neither father nor master; for nothing sound remained to him in his body, except only his tongue with which he might blaspheme. See the tempter, the devil. "From the sole," he says, "of his foot to the crown of his head he struck him with a most grievous wound" — that is, with elephantiasis.

This site's exposition

God works all things together for the good

The promise is that God works all things toward good, and the Greek verb sunergeo means to work together with. Two marks limit it, those who love Him and those called according to His purpose. The verse is the hinge into the chain that follows.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

To them that are called according to his purpose - His gracious design of saving a lost world by the death of his Son. This is a new proposition. St. Paul, being about to recapitulate the whole blessing contained in justification, (termed "glorification," ver. 30,) first goes back to the purpose or decree of God, which is frequently mentioned in holy writ.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God - To understand this verse aright, let us observe: 1. That the persons in whose behalf all things work for good are they who love God, and, consequently, who live in the spirit of obedience. 2. It is not said that all things shall work for good, but that συνεργει, they work now in the behalf of him who loveth now, αγαπωσι; for both verbs are in the present tense.
I. WE have here the description of a true Christian, and a declaration of that Christian’s blessedness. We have him first very succinctly, but very fully described in these words—“Them that love God, them who are the called according to his purpose.” These two expressions are the great distinguishing marks whereby we are able to separate the precious from the vile, by discovering to us who are the children of God. The first contains an outward manifestation of the second—“Them that love God.”

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

And--or, "Moreover," or "Now"; noting a transition to a new particular. we know, &c.--The order in the original is more striking: "We know that to them that love God" (compare 1Co 2:9; 2:5) "all things work together for good [even] to them who are the called (rather, 'who are called') according to His (eternal) purpose." Glorious assurance!
Modern Voices1 voice

on Romans 8:26-28

The connection between verses 27 and 28 is this: Those for whom God is causing all things to work together for good are the ones for whom the Spirit is interceding according to God's will.

The words behind it

16 Greek words

Every 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.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

1 Peter 5:10And 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 you.570 worksJames 1:12Blessed 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.462 worksGenesis 50:20As 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.383 worksRomans 5:3–5Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;313 works1 Corinthians 2:9Rather, 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.”266 worksRomans 8:35–39Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?216 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
James 1:3–4because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.212 worksRomans 8:30And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.169 works2 Timothy 1:9He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.165 works1 Peter 1:7–8so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.136 works1 Corinthians 1:9God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.132 worksDeuteronomy 8:2–3Remember that these forty years the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commandments.115 worksRevelation 3:19Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.109 worksEphesians 1:9–11And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ105 worksHebrews 12:6–12For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.”98 works2 Corinthians 4:15–17All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is extending to more and more people may overflow in thanksgiving, to the glory of God.91 worksExodus 20:6but showing loving devotion to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.87 worksGalatians 1:15But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased84 works

Where this verse connects

1 approved connection.

  • Written to them

    topics/purpose

    All things work together for good

    Source: MannaFest topical index

The walk

8 stops

Each 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 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.”

    it leads to

    • Isaiah 64:4

      From ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.

    • Psalms 31:19

      How great is Your goodness which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have bestowed before the sons of men on those who take refuge in You!

    • 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.

  • Through

    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.

    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…

    • 1 Peter 1:6–8

      In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials

  • Through

    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…

    it leads to

    • 2 Corinthians 4:17

      For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison.

    • 2 Thessalonians 3:3

      But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.

  • Through

    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.

    it leads to

    • Psalms 119:71

      It was good for me to be afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes.

Where this verse is studied

About Romans

The Crucifixion — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)
The Crucifixion — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)
Romans: the study guide →Read Romans 8 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Charles Hodge, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans; Charles Spurgeon, The New Park Street Pulpit, Sermon No. 159: “The True Christian's Blessedness” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Homily 6, on Psalm 66; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Tony Evans, "Prayer and God's Will" (blog post, TonyEvans.org).

Read on in Romans 8 →