But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights that "obeying" the gospel isn't just passive listening, but an active response to what is heard, stemming from the very core of a person's being, just as the prophet Isaiah laments the lack of belief in his message. This points to a deeper spiritual receptivity, or lack thereof, rather than simply a failure to hear.
But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is explaining how salvation comes through faith in Jesus, which requires hearing the message of the gospel. He anticipates an objection: if the gospel is so crucial, why haven't all people responded to it? To address this, he quotes Isaiah, showing that even in the Old Testament, the prophet lamented the lack of belief in God's message.
The Bible doesn't just talk about hearing; it talks about obeying what is heard. What’s the real difference, and why does it matter so much?
Paul uses the Greek word 'hupēkousan' here, which is translated as 'obeyed.' It comes from 'hupo' (under) and 'akouō' (to hear), literally meaning to 'listen under' or 'hear attentively.'
More Than Just Listening
This isn't passive reception; it's an active response. True obedience to the gospel means not just hearing the message of peace and salvation, but actively submitting to it, embracing its truths, and allowing it to shape your life. It’s the difference between hearing a weather report and actually taking an umbrella because of it.
A Deliberate Choice
When people 'obey the gospel,' they are making a deliberate choice to align their lives with God's revealed will through Christ. This involves faith, repentance, and a willingness to follow where God leads. It's a profound engagement with the message, not just a casual acknowledgment.
Why does Paul pull in a prophet from centuries earlier to talk about the gospel's reception today? Discover the timeless nature of human resistance to God's message.
Paul quotes Isaiah 53:1, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?" He uses this to address the objection that many people aren't obeying the gospel message.
A Prophet's Lament
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Isaiah wasn't just making an observation; he was expressing a deep lament. He saw the message about the suffering servant (the Messiah) being preached, but the response from his own people was overwhelmingly one of disbelief. The 'report' or 'hearing' (from the original Hebrew) refers to the message itself – what God revealed through the prophet.
Echoes Through Time
Paul shows that this lack of belief wasn't a new problem for the apostles. It was a pattern already evident in the Old Testament. The resistance to God's word, even when clearly proclaimed, is a recurring theme. The question 'Who has believed?' is a rhetorical way of saying 'Almost no one!' This highlights that the issue isn't with the message, but with the hearts of those who hear it.
Understand the original words
hypakouō · Greek Verb
To submit to, comply with, or follow the authority of another. In a biblical context, it involves active trust and alignment of one's life with the truth of the gospel.
euangelion · Greek Noun
The 'good news' of salvation through Jesus Christ. It encompasses the life, death, and resurrection of Christ as the fulfillment of God’s promises for the redemption of humanity.
Paul uses Isaiah's ancient lament to show that the limited acceptance of the Gospel message, even among God's chosen people, wasn't a new problem but a prophetic reality understood even in Old Testament times.
c. 740 BC
Isaiah Prophesies
Isaiah delivers his prophecies, including the passage quoted by Paul in Romans, foretelling the rejection and suffering of the Servant of the Lord.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Ministry and Crucifixion
Jesus proclaims the Gospel, but many reject his message and leadership, leading to his crucifixion. This aligns with Isaiah's lament about a lack of belief.
c. AD 40s-50s
Early Church Missionary Journeys
Apostles like Paul and Barnabas embark on extensive journeys, preaching the Gospel to both Jewish communities and Gentile cities across the Roman Empire.
c. AD 50s— this verse
Paul Writes to the Romans
Paul, while in Corinth or Ephesus, writes his letter to the church in Rome, addressing the inclusion of Gentiles and the role of Israel in God's plan.
This is the direct Old Testament passage that Paul is quoting, highlighting the prophet Isaiah's lament over the lack of belief in his message about the suffering servant.
John 12:38This passage also quotes Isaiah 53:1, demonstrating how this prophecy of disbelief was understood in Jesus' own ministry and by his followers.
Acts 28:24Similar to Romans 10:16, this passage shows Paul quoting Isaiah to explain why some Jews believed his message and others did not, emphasizing the prophetic declaration of unbelief.
Hebrews 4:2This verse speaks about the message of God not benefiting those who hear it if it is not mixed with faith, paralleling the idea in Romans 10:16 that hearing the gospel doesn't guarantee obedience.
Romans 9:30-33Preceding this passage, Paul discusses Israel's pursuit of righteousness not by faith but by works, which directly sets up the issue of why they, despite having the law and hearing the gospel, did not obey.
vincentRomans 10:16: "But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?"
Obeyed (ὑπήκουσαν)See on obedience and disobedience, Romans 5:19. Also see on Acts 5:29. Obeyed as the result of listening, and so especially appropriate here. Compare head and hear, Romans 10:14. For the same reason hearken (Rev.) is better than obeyed.Report (ἀκοῇ)Lit., hearing. Similarly, Matthew 14:1; Mark 13:7. Compare the phrase word of hearing, 1 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews…
cambridgeRomans 10:16: "But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?"
16 . But they have not all obeyed the gospel ] i.e. the gospel, or good tidings, just specified; that of “peace.”—Here St Paul meets from prophecy the supposed objection that the message had only partially succeeded. Innumerable Gentiles had rejected it: was not this an indication that the messengers had no commission? No: Isaiah himself had prophetically deplored just such seeming sca…
The verse highlights that "obeying" the gospel isn't just passive listening, but an active response to what is heard, stemming from the very core of a person's being, just as the prophet Isaiah laments the lack of belief in his message. This points to a deeper spiritual receptivity, or lack thereof, rather than simply a failure to hear.
Paul is explaining how salvation comes through faith in Jesus, which requires hearing the message of the gospel. He anticipates an objection: if the gospel is so crucial, why haven't all people responded to it? To address this, he quotes Isaiah, showing that even in the Old Testament, the prophet lamented the lack of belief in God's message.
Paul is explaining how salvation comes through faith in Jesus, which requires hearing the message of the gospel. He anticipates an objection: if the gospel is so crucial, why haven't all people responded to it? To address this, he quotes Isaiah, showing that even in the Old Testament, the prophet lamented the lack of belief in God's message.
"But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?”" — The verse highlights that "obeying" the gospel isn't just passive listening, but an active response to what is heard, stemming from the very core of a person's being, just as the prophet Isaiah lamen…
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Last reviewed October 2026