Romans 9:15-16
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)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The critical insight here isn't just that God has the right to show mercy, but that His declaration to Moses ("I will have mercy on whom I have mercy") emphasizes an unconditional outpouring of favor, not a response to human deservingness. This highlights that mercy isn't something earned or deserved, but a sovereign choice rooted in God's own goodness.
Paul is addressing the apparent injustice of God choosing some people (like Israel) and not others, especially in light of Jacob and Esau. He argues that God's sovereign choice is not unrighteous, even if it's hard for us to understand, and he cites God's own words to Moses to support this. This declaration emphasizes that God's mercy is not something earned or demanded, but freely given according to His will.
Have you ever felt like life's circumstances are unfair? This verse tackles that very feeling, revealing a profound truth about God's right to show mercy.
Paul quotes God speaking to Moses in Exodus 33:19: "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."
A Sovereign Choice
This isn't just a statement of preference; it's a declaration of divine sovereignty. God isn't bound by human claims or expectations when dispensing mercy. He doesn't owe mercy to anyone. Instead, His choosing who receives it is an act of His own good pleasure and will.
Not Based on Merit
This implies that mercy isn't something earned or deserved. When God shows mercy, it's a free gift, unmerited by the recipient. This is a challenging concept because we often think in terms of fairness and earning. But here, God asserts His absolute right to extend grace as He sees fit.
If God's mercy isn't based on our merit, why does He choose to show it to some and not others?
Paul uses this declaration to dismantle the idea that human effort or lineage determines God's favor. He's responding to the implied question: 'Is God unjust?' His answer, echoing God's own words, is a resounding 'No!'
God's Glory is the Aim
The ultimate purpose behind God's sovereign choices in mercy is to display His own glory. When He shows mercy, it's not to satisfy a human demand but to reveal the depth of His grace and compassion. Conversely, when judgment is executed, it also serves to reveal His righteous character.
A Mystery We Receive
While the reasons for God's specific choices may be beyond our full comprehension, the fact that He makes these choices is presented as a foundational truth. It's not about God being arbitrary, but about Him acting according to a wisdom that surpasses ours. The response called for is not to question His justice, but to acknowledge His supreme authority and the profound mystery of His will.
Understand the original words
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.
Paul draws directly from a pivotal moment where God defines His own sovereign prerogative of mercy and compassion to Moses. This ancient dialogue in Exodus serves as the bedrock for Paul's argument that God's choices are not bound by human merit or expectation.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
God's Revelation to Moses
During the wilderness wanderings, Moses pleads with God to see His glory. In response, God declares His goodness and reveals His name, stating, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.'
c. 1446 BC
God Proclaims His Character
Shortly after declaring His sovereign mercy, God proclaims His name to Moses, revealing Himself as 'The Lord, the Lord, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.' This declaration highlights God's compassionate nature alongside His sovereign choice.
c. 1000 BC - 500 BC
Exodus Text Canonized
The books of the Torah, including Exodus, are compiled and established as authoritative scripture within ancient Israel. This ensures God's words to Moses are preserved and transmitted for future generations.
c. 550 BC
Septuagint Translation Begins
This passage is intimately linked as it contains God's further self-declaration to Moses, following the declaration in Exodus 33:19. It reveals the compassionate and gracious character of God, which provides a beautiful counterpoint to His sovereign prerogative to show mercy as He wills.
Deuteronomy 7:7-8This verse echoes the theme of God's sovereign choice in blessing His people. It emphasizes that God's love and selection of Israel were not based on their number or merit, but on His own sovereign will and His oath to their ancestors, aligning with the principle in Romans 9:15.
Malachi 1:2-3Here, God directly addresses the people of Israel's complaint about His dealings, stating 'Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.' This passage powerfully illustrates God's sovereign prerogative to choose whom He will favor, directly paralleling the principle Paul asserts from Exodus.
John 15:16Jesus tells His disciples, 'You did not choose me, but I chose you.' This New Testament declaration mirrors the Old Testament principle in Romans 9:15, showing that God's initiative and sovereign choice are foundational to our relationship with Him.
cambridgeRomans 9:15: "For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion."
15 . For ] The connexion is; “The thought of injustice in these acts of the Eternal Judge is all the more to be rejected because they follow a principle expressed in His own words; for He says to Moses, &c.” That the principle, so expressed, is absolutely right, is taken for granted. To the Apostle, God’s word is final and absolute. With Him nothing indee…
barnesRomans 9:15: "For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion."
For he saith to Moses - Exodus 33:19 . I will have mercy - This is said by God when he declared expressly that he would make all his goodness pass before Moses Exodus 33:19, and when, therefore, it was regarded, not as a proof of stern and inexorable justice, but as "the very proof of his benevolence," and the highest which he thought proper to exhibit. W…
The critical insight here isn't just that God has the right to show mercy, but that His declaration to Moses ("I will have mercy on whom I have mercy") emphasizes an unconditional outpouring of favor, not a response to human deservingness. This highlights that mercy isn't something earned or deserved, but a sovereign choice rooted in God's own goodness.
Paul is addressing the apparent injustice of God choosing some people (like Israel) and not others, especially in light of Jacob and Esau. He argues that God's sovereign choice is not unrighteous, even if it's hard for us to understand, and he cites God's own words to Moses to support this. This declaration emphasizes that God's mercy is not something earned or demanded, but freely given according to His will.
Paul is addressing the apparent injustice of God choosing some people (like Israel) and not others, especially in light of Jacob and Esau. He argues that God's sovereign choice is not unrighteous, even if it's hard for us to understand, and he cites God's own words to Moses to support this. This declaration emphasizes that God's mercy is not something earned or demanded, but freely given according to His will.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Romans 9:15-16 is available in the Sola app.
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.
The Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Septuagint, begins to be produced in Alexandria, Egypt. This translation will make the Old Testament accessible to a wider Hellenistic audience and is the version Paul often quotes.
c. AD 57
Paul Writes Romans
The Apostle Paul writes his letter to the church in Rome, likely from Corinth or Ephesus. In chapter 9, he addresses the apparent paradox of God's sovereign election and Israel's rejection of the Messiah.
"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." — The critical insight here isn't just that God has the right to show mercy, but that His declaration to Moses ("I will have mercy on whom I have mercy") emphasizes an unconditional outpouring of fav…
