But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for “Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "their sound went out" doesn't just mean the gospel was preached, but that its message, like a musical tone, was broadcast universally and fundamentally, like a foundational note that establishes the entire melody for all creation to hear. This wasn't just about information reaching ears; it was about a divine declaration whose resonance was meant to echo everywhere.
But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for “Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is responding to an implied objection: how can people be held accountable for not believing if they haven't heard the message? He asserts that the gospel message has, in fact, spread far and wide, quoting Psalm 19 to show that its proclamation reaches to the ends of the earth, thus leaving no excuse for ignorance. This sets up his subsequent discussion about Israel's rejection of this widely proclaimed message.
The idea that God's message hasn't reached everyone might seem like a get-out-of-jail-free card. But Paul pushes back, insisting that God's announcement is impossible to miss.
Paul grapples with a serious question: How can people be held accountable for rejecting a message they've never heard? His answer isn't that everyone has fully believed, but that the message itself has gone out universally.
The Divine Announcement
He quotes Psalm 19:4, originally about the vastness of creation declaring God's glory. Paul applies this to the gospel message. It's not about a secret whisper; it's a broadcast heard far and wide. This means people aren't condemned for never having the chance to hear, but for their response to the message that has been made available to them.
What does it mean for the gospel's 'sound' to go out? It's more than just words; it's a powerful, far-reaching declaration.
Paul uses the imagery from Psalm 19:4, where the 'sound' (originally referring to the resonance of an instrument or the declaration of the heavens) now represents the gospel proclamation.
More Than Just Noise
This 'sound' isn't just random noise; it's the authoritative voice of God's truth, carried by His messengers. It signifies the public, undeniable spread of the gospel message throughout the known world by the time Paul was writing. Think of it as a powerful broadcast signal that has reached every corner, leaving no one without excuse.
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Paul uses the poetic imagery of Psalm 19 to emphasize that by the time he wrote his letter, the Gospel message had already spread extensively throughout the known world, leaving people without excuse for not having heard it.
c. 400-300 BC
Psalm 19 Written
The "Sons of Korah" likely composed Psalm 19, which contains the imagery of the heavens declaring God's glory to the ends of the earth. This poetic expression would later be adapted by Paul.
c. 50 BC - AD 50
Jewish Diaspora Spreads
Throughout the centuries preceding Paul, Jewish communities established themselves in cities across the Roman Empire and beyond. This created a network for the early spread of the Gospel.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Ministry and Resurrection
The foundational events of Christianity: Jesus' teachings, death, and resurrection. His disciples were commissioned to spread the message.
c. AD 30-40
Early Gospel Preaching in Jerusalem and Judea
Following Pentecost, the apostles began preaching the Gospel, initially focusing on Jewish audiences in and around Jerusalem.
c. AD 40-58— this verse
Apostolic Journeys and Gentile Outreach
The apostles, particularly Paul, embarked on extensive missionary journeys throughout Asia Minor, Greece, and Rome, proclaiming the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles.
c. AD 57
Paul Writes Romans
From Corinth, Paul penned his letter to the Roman church, seeking to explain the Gospel and its implications for both Jews and Gentiles.
This is the direct Old Testament source of the quote, showing how Paul creatively applies the psalm's declaration about the heavens' testimony to the spread of the Gospel.
Isaiah 65:1Paul alludes to this passage, highlighting God's proactive pursuit of those who had not sought Him, which parallels His outreach through the Gospel to Gentiles who hadn't known Him.
Deuteronomy 32:21This passage, also alluded to by Paul, speaks of God provoking Israel through a 'no-people' (Gentiles), underscoring the divine plan to include Gentiles and the potential rejection by Israel.
Acts 26:26Paul echoes this idea when speaking to Agrippa, stating that these events 'were not done in a corner,' emphasizing that the Gospel's spread was public and undeniable.
Colossians 1:23This verse speaks of the Gospel being preached to all creation under heaven, reinforcing the theme of the Gospel's extensive and universal reach that Paul asserts in Romans.
barnesRomans 10:18: "But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world."
But I say - But to this objection, I, the apostle, reply. The objection had been carried through the previous verses. The apostle comes now to reply to it. In doing this, he does not deny the principle contained in it, that the gospel should be preached in order that people might be justly condemned for not believing it; not that the messengers must be sen…
vincentRomans 10:18: "But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world."
Did they not hear? (μὴ οὐκ ἤκουσαν)A negative answer is implied by the interrogative particle. "Surely it is not true that they did not hear."Sound (φθόγγος)Only here and 1 Corinthians 14:7, on which see note. Paul uses the Septuagint translation of Psalm 19:4, where the Hebrew line or plummet-line (others musical chord) is rendered sound. The voice o…
The phrase "their sound went out" doesn't just mean the gospel was preached, but that its message, like a musical tone, was broadcast universally and fundamentally, like a foundational note that establishes the entire melody for all creation to hear. This wasn't just about information reaching ears; it was about a divine declaration whose resonance was meant to echo everywhere.
Paul is responding to an implied objection: how can people be held accountable for not believing if they haven't heard the message? He asserts that the gospel message has, in fact, spread far and wide, quoting Psalm 19 to show that its proclamation reaches to the ends of the earth, thus leaving no excuse for ignorance. This sets up his subsequent discussion about Israel's rejection of this widely proclaimed message.
Paul is responding to an implied objection: how can people be held accountable for not believing if they haven't heard the message? He asserts that the gospel message has, in fact, spread far and wide, quoting Psalm 19 to show that its proclamation reaches to the ends of the earth, thus leaving no excuse for ignorance. This sets up his subsequent discussion about Israel's rejection of this widely proclaimed message.
"But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for
“Their voice has gone out to all the earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.”" — The phrase "their sound went out" doesn't just mean the gospel was preached, but that its message, like a musical tone, was *broadcast* universally and fundamentally, like a foundational note that es…
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Last reviewed October 2026