Romans 9:15-18
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This verse is often read as God simply stating He can do whatever He wants. But look closely: the Hebrew and Greek here don't emphasize God's will as much as they emphasize His action – He will have mercy on those He is actively showing mercy to, and He will have compassion on those He is actively showing compassion to. This highlights that God's sovereign choices are demonstrated through His ongoing, tangible actions of mercy and compassion in the world.
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. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is addressing the question of God's fairness in choosing some people for salvation and not others, particularly in relation to Israel and the Gentiles. He has just established that God's sovereign choice, not human effort, is the basis for salvation. This verse then provides direct Old Testament evidence from God's own words to Moses, reinforcing the idea that God’s mercy is not based on human merit but on His own divine prerogative.
Why would God declare that His mercy is simply... His? What does this reveal about His nature and our standing before Him?
In this verse, Paul quotes God's own words to Moses from Exodus 33:19: 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.' This isn't a statement of arbitrary whim, but a profound declaration of divine sovereignty.
The words 'I will' and 'whom I' appear twice. What's the significance of this repetition, and what does it tell us about the objects of God's mercy?
The repetition of 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy' and 'I will have compassion on whom I have compassion' isn't just for emphasis; it carves out the exclusive domain of God's sovereign will in granting mercy.
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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.
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.
graphe · Greek Noun
The authoritative, inspired writings of the Old Testament. In the New Testament, it is viewed as the voice of God himself.
egeiro · Greek Verb
In this context, it refers to God's act of bringing someone into a position of prominence or causing them to exist for a specific historical purpose.
dynamis · Greek Noun
The inherent strength, authority, and efficacy of God displayed in His works, particularly in His sovereignty over creation and redemption.
diangello · Greek Verb
To make the name (character, authority, and reputation) of God known or published widely among the nations.
skleruno · Greek Verb
The divine act of rendering a heart or mind unresponsive, obstinate, or insensitive to the truth, often as a result of prior rebellion or as an act of judicial withdrawal.
Paul draws from God's direct revelation to Moses at Sinai, a pivotal moment after Israel's sin with the golden calf. This context underscores that God's mercy and compassion are sovereign acts, not based on human merit or entitlement.
c. 1440 BC
Moses Receives the Law
God gives Moses the Ten Commandments and other laws on Mount Sinai, establishing a covenant with Israel.
c. 1440 BC
Israel's Golden Calf Incident
While Moses is on Sinai, the Israelites fashion and worship a golden calf, breaking the covenant and prompting God's judgment.
c. 1440 BC— this verse
God Reveals His Goodness to Moses
After the golden calf incident, Moses prays for God to show him His glory. God responds by proclaiming His name and attributes, including His mercy.
c. 1440 BC
God's Declaration to Moses
In response to Moses' requests, God declares, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."
c. 586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonian army destroys Jerusalem and the First Temple, exiling many Israelites. This event highlights God's judgment on sin.
c. 539 BC
Cyrus the Great's Decree
King Cyrus allows the exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple, showing a shift in imperial policy and God's restoration.
This is the foundational passage from which Paul quotes. God declares to Moses His sovereign right to show mercy and compassion as He chooses, revealing His own character.
Exodus 34:6-7Immediately following God's declaration in Exodus 33:19, God proclaims His name to Moses, emphasizing both His mercy and His justice, which provides a fuller context to His sovereign choices.
Deuteronomy 7:7-8This passage highlights God's election of Israel not based on their numbers or merit, but purely on His love and faithfulness, mirroring the principle of God's sovereign choice in Romans 9.
Jeremiah 18:6The analogy of the potter and the clay, also used by Paul later in Romans 9, illustrates God's absolute sovereignty over His creation and His right to dispose of individuals according to His will.
John 3:8Jesus speaks of the Spirit blowing where He wills, emphasizing the sovereign, unsearchable, and free working of God's Spirit in His redemptive purposes, much like God's sovereign mercy.
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…
This verse is often read as God simply stating He can do whatever He wants. But look closely: the Hebrew and Greek here don't emphasize God's will as much as they emphasize His action – He will have mercy on those He is actively showing mercy to, and He will have compassion on those He is actively showing compassion to. This highlights that God's sovereign choices are demonstrated through His ongoing, tangible actions of mercy and compassion in the world.
Paul is addressing the question of God's fairness in choosing some people for salvation and not others, particularly in relation to Israel and the Gentiles. He has just established that God's sovereign choice, not human effort, is the basis for salvation. This verse then provides direct Old Testament evidence from God's own words to Moses, reinforcing the idea that God’s mercy is not based on human merit but on His own divine prerogative.
Paul is addressing the question of God's fairness in choosing some people for salvation and not others, particularly in relation to Israel and the Gentiles. He has just established that God's sovereign choice, not human effort, is the basis for salvation. This verse then provides direct Old Testament evidence from God's own words to Moses, reinforcing the idea that God’s mercy is not based on human merit but on His own divine prerogative.
"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. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this…" — This verse is often read as God simply stating He can do whatever He wants. But look closely: the Hebrew and Greek here don't emphasize God's will as much as they emphasize His action – He *wil…
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Last reviewed October 2026
