How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse isn't just a string of rhetorical questions; it's a divine domino effect. Paul is showing us that the very act of calling on God for salvation requires a chain of preceding steps: belief leads to calling, hearing leads to belief, and preaching leads to hearing.
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is arguing that God's plan of salvation, available to all through faith in Christ, necessitates the preaching of the gospel. He lays out a logical chain: salvation comes by calling on the Lord, which requires belief, belief requires hearing the message, and hearing requires someone to preach it. This sets up the discussion on the importance and necessity of missionaries spreading the good news, and leads into the question of why many in Israel rejected this message even after it was preached.
Ever wonder how faith actually happens? Paul lays out a step-by-step process here, showing God's intentionality in bringing people to Himself.
Paul uses a powerful, descending argument – a rhetorical chain reaction – to show how salvation's journey unfolds. It starts with God's ultimate desire:
The Goal: Calling on the Lord
Salvation is accessed through calling on God's name (Romans 10:13). But this isn't a casual request; it's an act rooted in deep trust.
The Foundation: Belief
You can't call on someone you don't believe in. Belief is the bedrock upon which calling is built.
The Source: Hearing
But how do you believe in someone you've never heard about? Hearing the message is the essential precursor to belief.
The Means: Preaching
And hearing is impossible without someone to preach the message. This establishes preaching not just as a helpful option, but a divinely ordained necessity.
Paul isn't just describing how faith happens; he's revealing who orchestrates it all. This passage points to a God who actively sends.
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This chain of necessity isn't accidental; it points directly to God's deliberate plan. The commentators highlight that God doesn't leave people to chance:
God Wills the Means
Since God desires all to call on Him (Romans 10:13), He has intentionally established the means by which this happens. He doesn't will the end (salvation) without willing the means (faith, hearing, preaching).
The Sending:
Crucially, Paul asks, "How are they to preach unless they are sent?" (Romans 10:15). This isn't about human initiative alone. It's about God's sovereign choice to commission individuals to carry His message.
Divine Providence:
This sending is a profound act of divine providence. When the gospel is preached, it's not a random occurrence but evidence of God actively reaching out, demonstrating His love and His commitment to bringing people into His family.
Understand the original words
kērussontos · Greek Verb
To proclaim, herald, or announce publicly; specifically used for the proclamation of the Christian gospel as a divine mandate to bring others to faith.
Paul's rhetorical questions in Romans 10:14 highlight the logical chain necessary for salvation: calling on God requires faith, faith requires hearing the message, and hearing requires someone to preach it. This underscores the vital, God-ordained role of missionaries in spreading the gospel, particularly to the Gentiles, a key theme in Romans.
c. 30-33 AD
Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus
The central events of Christianity, marking Jesus' death and subsequent resurrection, the foundation for Christian belief and mission.
c. 30-50 AD
Early Spread of the Gospel
The gospel message begins to spread from Jerusalem throughout Judea, Samaria, and to key cities in the Roman Empire, primarily through Jewish apostles and early believers.
c. 40s-50s AD— this verse
Paul's Missionary Journeys
The Apostle Paul undertakes extensive journeys across the Roman Empire, establishing Christian communities among both Jews and Gentiles and laying groundwork for letters like Romans.
c. 57 AD
Paul writes the Epistle to the Romans
Paul writes his letter from Corinth, aiming to strengthen the faith of the Roman church and prepare them for his eventual visit, while addressing theological issues of salvation for both Jews and Gentiles.
c. 64 AD
Great Fire of Rome and Persecution
A major fire devastates Rome, leading to Nero's persecution of Christians, whom he scapegoated. This period likely heightened the urgency of the gospel message Paul had articulated.
This Old Testament prophecy speaks of the beauty of messengers bringing good news of salvation, directly quoted by Paul in Romans 10:15 to illustrate the necessity of preaching and the 'sending' of those who bring the gospel.
Matthew 28:19-20Jesus' Great Commission explicitly mandates his disciples to go and 'make disciples of all nations,' highlighting the divine command behind the sending of preachers.
Acts 8:4This passage shows the early church scattering and 'going about and preaching the word' after persecution, demonstrating the natural outflow of faith into evangelism.
Ephesians 4:11-12Paul lists the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry and for building up the body of Christ, which includes evangelists, directly supporting the idea of divinely appointed preachers.
1 Corinthians 1:21This verse states God's wisdom in saving believers through the 'preaching of the message,' directly linking the act of proclamation with God's salvific plan.
cambridgeRomans 10:14: "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?"
14 . How then , &c.] This is an argument for the evangelization of the heathen, as against the jealous reserve of Pharisaic Judaism. Q. d., “The prophets announce a salvation for all who turn to Messiah; but these must first believe Him to be able to save; but believers must first be hearers; therefore there mu…
meyerRomans 10:14: "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?"
Romans 10:14-15 . Introduction: In order now that men should call on the name of the Lord, it is necessary that they should have been believing, hearing, preaching, and that the sending forth of preachers should have taken place, which sending forth also the Scripture prophesies . The object of this introductio…
This verse isn't just a string of rhetorical questions; it's a divine domino effect. Paul is showing us that the very act of calling on God for salvation requires a chain of preceding steps: belief leads to calling, hearing leads to belief, and preaching leads to hearing.
Paul is arguing that God's plan of salvation, available to all through faith in Christ, necessitates the preaching of the gospel. He lays out a logical chain: salvation comes by calling on the Lord, which requires belief, belief requires hearing the message, and hearing requires someone to preach it. This sets up the discussion on the importance and necessity of missionaries spreading the good news, and leads into the question of why many in Israel rejected this message even after it was preached.
Paul is arguing that God's plan of salvation, available to all through faith in Christ, necessitates the preaching of the gospel. He lays out a logical chain: salvation comes by calling on the Lord, which requires belief, belief requires hearing the message, and hearing requires someone to preach it. This sets up the discussion on the importance and necessity of missionaries spreading the good news, and leads into the question of why many in Israel rejected this message even after it was preached.
"How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?" — This verse isn't just a string of rhetorical questions; it's a divine domino effect. Paul is showing us that the very act of calling on God for salvation requires a chain of preceding steps: belief…
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Last reviewed October 2026