Romans 9:8
in Romans 9So it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
That is, it is not the children of the flesh that are children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned for a seed.
KJV
That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
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This verse in Romans 9
Commentary
11 notes on this verseNot I, he says, am explaining to you what the true seed of Abraham is, but the Old Testament, which says: "In Isaac shall thy seed be called" (Gen. 21:12). Therefore those who were born after the example of Isaac, that is, according to the …
This site's exposition
Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned
on Romans 9:7-9
Abraham had two sons, and only Isaac carried the promise, though Ishmael was also his own flesh. From this Paul draws the rule that the children of the promise are the offspring God reckons. The promise itself was a dated word, a son for Sarah at the appointed time.
This site's exposition
the children of the promise
Wesley reads the rule as a type reaching past Abraham's household. In every later generation the children counted are those who believe the promise. Matthew Henry links it to Galatians 4:29, where Ishmael, born after the flesh, stands for those who seek righteousness by their own strength.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"Nor are all also sons because they are the seed of Abraham." This, evidently, was already being signified then in Abraham, when, though he had many sons — whom the Apostle calls sons of the flesh — the posterity of his seed was placed in Isaac alone, who was the son of the promise.
"That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise, these are counted for the seed." And observe the judgment and depth of Paul's mind. For in interpreting, he does not say, "they which are the children of the flesh, these are not" the children of Abraham, but, "the children of God:" so blending the former things with the present, and showing that even Isaac was not merely Abraham's son. And what he means is something of this sort: as many as have been born as Isaac was, they are sons of God, and of the seed of Abraham. And this is why he said, "in Isaac shall thy seed be called." That one may learn that they who are born after the fashion of Isaac, these are in the truest sense Abraham's children. In what way was Isaac born then? Not according to the law of nature, not according to the power of the flesh, but according to the power of the promise.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Then he explains the quoted text so far as it applies to his thesis, when he says that is to say, not they who are the sons. To understand this it should be noted that the Apostle says in Galatians: Abraham had two sons, one …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
That is, Not the children, &c. - As if he had said, This is a clear type of things to come; showing us, that in all succeeding generations, not the children of the flesh, the lineal descendants of Abraham, but the children of the promise, they to whom the promise is made, that is, believers, are the children of God.
There was nothing extraordinary or supernatural in his conception, as there was in Isaac's; he was born after the flesh ( Gal. iv. 29 ), representing those that expect justification and salvation by their own strength and righteousness. (2.) That the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
That is, they which are the children of the flesh,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
That is, They which are the children of the flesh - Whence it appears that not the children who descend from Abraham’s loins, nor those who were circumcised as he was, nor even those whom he might expect and desire, are therefore the Church and people of God; but those who are made children by the good pleasure and promise of God, as Isaac was, are alone to be accounted for the seed with whom the covenant was established.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
They which are the children of the flesh - The natural descendants. These are not the children of God - Are not of necessity the adopted children of God; or are not so in virtue of their descent merely. This was in opposition to one of the most settled and deeply cherished opinions of the Jews. They supposed that the mere fact of being a Jew, entitled a man to the blessings of the covenant, and to be regarded as a child of God. But the apostle shows them that it was not by their natural descent that these spiritual privileges were granted; that they were not conferred on people simply from the fact that they were Jews; and that consequently those who were not Jews might become interested in those spiritual blessings. But the children of the promise - The descendants of Abraham on whom the promised blessings would be bestowed. The sense is, that God at first contemplated a distinction among the descendants of Abraham, and intended to confine his blessings to such as he chose; that is, to those to whom the promise particularly appertained, to the descendants of Isaac. The argument of the apostle is, that “the principle” was thus established that a distinction might be made among those who were Jews; and as that distinction had been made in former times, so it might be under the Messiah. Are counted - Are regarded, or reckoned. God reckons things as they are; and therefore designed that they should be his true children. As the seed - The spiritual children of God; the partakers of his mercy and salvation. This refers, doubtless, to spiritual privileges and to salvation; and therefore has relation not to nations as such, but to individuals.
The words behind it
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| τοῦτ᾽ | tout᾽ | That | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| ἔστιν, | estin | is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| οὐ | ou | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τέκνα | tekna | children | G5043 → | 99 times |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σαρκὸς | sarkos | flesh | G4561 → | 146 times |
| ταῦτα | tauta | these [are] | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| τέκνα | tekna | children | G5043 → | 99 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ, | theou | of God, | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ἀλλὰ | alla | but | G235 → | 635 times |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τέκνα | tekna | children | G5043 → | 99 times |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐπαγγελίας | epangelias | promise | G1860 → | 52 times |
| λογίζεται | logizetai | are regarded | G3049 → | 40 times |
| εἰς | eis | as | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| σπέρμα. | sperma | offspring. | G4690 → | 43 times |
τοῦτ᾽That
tout᾽G3778 →1381 times
ἔστιν,is
estinG1510 →2333 times
οὐnot
ouG3756 →1664 times
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
τέκναchildren
teknaG5043 →99 times
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
σαρκὸςflesh
sarkosG4561 →146 times
ταῦταthese [are]
tautaG3778 →1381 times
τέκναchildren
teknaG5043 →99 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦ,of God,
theouG2316 →1312 times
ἀλλὰbut
allaG235 →635 times
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
τέκναchildren
teknaG5043 →99 times
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
ἐπαγγελίαςpromise
epangeliasG1860 →52 times
λογίζεταιare regarded
logizetaiG3049 →40 times
εἰςas
eisG1519 →1755 times
σπέρμα.offspring.
spermaG4690 →43 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 8:14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
it leads to
- Galatians 5:18
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
- John 1:12
But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—
- Galatians 3:26
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
- Galatians 5:16
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
- Psalms 143:10
Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. May Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
- Galatians 5:18
Through
John 1:13children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.
it leads to
- 1 John 3:9
Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.
- James 1:18
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation.
- 1 Peter 1:23
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
- 1 John 3:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies20
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); Frederic Godet, Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans; John Chrysostom, Homily on Romans 16; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; 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.