Romans 9:14-16
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The emphatic "God forbid!" isn't just a denial of injustice; it's a fierce shield against the unthinkable idea that God, the very source of all justice, could ever be unfair. This isn't a casual response, but a robust declaration that any perceived unfairness stems from our limited understanding, not from God's character.
What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is grappling with the implications of God's sovereign choice in salvation, particularly how God chose Jacob over Esau and their descendants. This leads to a potential accusation that God is unjust or unfair in His dealings. Paul immediately rejects this notion, emphasizing that God's actions are always righteous, even if they are difficult for humans to fully understand.
Ever felt a knot in your stomach when you hear about God choosing some and not others? This passage dives right into that tension. Paul anticipates our biggest objection.
When Paul poses the question, 'Is there unrighteousness with God?' he’s tapping into a primal human concern. We instinctively feel that fairness means everyone should get the same treatment, especially when it comes to God's favor. The idea that God might 'choose' some individuals or groups for salvation, while seemingly passing over others, strikes us as fundamentally unfair.
Why does God choose whom He chooses? Paul points to a divine prerogative that confounds our sense of earned merit.
Paul doesn't shy away from the radical implications of God's sovereignty. He asserts that God’s choices—whether in mercy or judgment—are not dictated by human will, effort, or merit, but by His own good pleasure and purpose.
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Understand the original words
adikia · Greek Noun
The state of being righteous, fair, or morally upright; in Scripture, it refers to the character of God who always acts in accordance with His holy nature.
eleos · Greek Noun
The unmerited favor and active withholding of judgment or wrath from those who deserve it, flowing from God's character and sovereign will.
oiktirmos · Greek Noun
A deep, sympathetic feeling of distress for others, accompanied by an earnest desire to alleviate their suffering; in Scripture, it often refers to God's tender care for His people.
thelema · Greek Noun
The fundamental power of choice, volition, or desire inherent in human beings. In a theological sense, it often contrasts the fallen human capacity to choose with the sovereign determination of God.
trechon · Greek Noun
Physical effort, striving, or running; used metaphorically for human works or attempts to achieve righteousness or spiritual goals apart from God’s grace.
eleeo · Greek Verb
Compassion or pity shown by a superior to an inferior, especially by God toward sinful humanity. It is the withholding of deserved judgment and the granting of unmerited favor.
This passage records God's direct affirmation to Moses about His sovereign right to show mercy, echoing Paul's argument that God's choices are not based on human merit but on His own will.
Matthew 20:15Jesus' parable about the laborers in the vineyard directly illustrates the principle that God is not obligated to dispense His blessings based on human effort or expectation, mirroring the idea that God's justice isn't constrained by our understanding of fairness.
Jeremiah 18:6The imagery of the potter and the clay powerfully conveys God's absolute sovereignty over His creation, reinforcing the idea that God, as the divine potter, has the right to shape and use individuals according to His own purposes, just as Paul argues in Romans 9.
John 3:8Jesus' explanation of the Spirit's work, comparing it to the wind that blows where it wills, parallels Paul's assertion that God's electing grace is not subject to human will or effort, highlighting the mysterious and sovereign nature of God's actions.
barnesRomans 9:14: "What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid."
What shall we say then? - What conclusion shall we draw from these acknowledged facts, and from these positive declarations of Scripture. Is there unrighteousness with God? - Does God do injustice or wrong? This charge has often been brought against the doctrine here advanced. But this charge the apostle strongly repels. He meets it by further showing that it is the doctrine explicitly taught in the Old Testam…
bengelRomans 9:14: "What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid."
Romans 9:14 . Τί οὖν , what then? ) Can we then on this ground be accused of charging God with unrighteousness and iniquity by this assertion? By no means; for what we assert is the irrefragable assertion of God; see the following verse.— Μὴ γένοιτο , God forbid ) The Jews thought, that they could by no means be rejected by God; that the Gentiles could by no means be received. As therefore an honest man acts e…
The emphatic "God forbid!" isn't just a denial of injustice; it's a fierce shield against the unthinkable idea that God, the very source of all justice, could ever be unfair. This isn't a casual response, but a robust declaration that any perceived unfairness stems from our limited understanding, not from God's character.
Paul is grappling with the implications of God's sovereign choice in salvation, particularly how God chose Jacob over Esau and their descendants. This leads to a potential accusation that God is unjust or unfair in His dealings. Paul immediately rejects this notion, emphasizing that God's actions are always righteous, even if they are difficult for humans to fully understand.
Paul is grappling with the implications of God's sovereign choice in salvation, particularly how God chose Jacob over Esau and their descendants. This leads to a potential accusation that God is unjust or unfair in His dealings. Paul immediately rejects this notion, emphasizing that God's actions are always righteous, even if they are difficult for humans to fully understand.
"What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion,…" — The emphatic "God forbid!" isn't just a denial of injustice; it's a fierce shield against the unthinkable idea that God, the very source of all justice, could ever be unfair. This isn't a casual resp…
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Last reviewed October 2026
