Romans 9:4
What does Romans 9:4 mean?
A plain-English look at Romans 9:4 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Romans 9:4 means
Paul catalogs Israel’s unmatched privileges: national adoption as God’s son, the visible manifestation of His glory, covenants with the patriarchs, the gift of the law, temple service, and a host of promises. This is no small heritage. It shows that God truly favored Israel as the vessel for His revelation and worship. These blessings should have led to faith and obedience, not presumption. By rehearsing them, Paul affirms God’s historic faithfulness to Israel even as he prepares to explain why many Israelites have not believed. Privilege is real, but it does not by itself make one a child of the promise.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
KJV
King James Version · 1611Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Who are Israelites: who have the place of sons, and the glory, and the agreements with God, and the giving of the law, and the worship, and the hope offered by God:
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862who are Israelites, whose <FI>is<Fi> the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the lawgiving, and the service, and the promises,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Who are Israelites: to whom belongeth the adoption as of children and the glory and the testament and the giving of the law and the service of God and the promises:
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890who are Israelites; whose [is] the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the law-giving, and the service, and the promises;
Context
Following his lament (vv. 1–3), Paul underlines Israel’s spiritual heritage (vv. 4–5), sharpening the problem he must address: how such a privileged people could largely miss the Messiah. This list reminds readers of God’s genuine dealings with Israel in history. Next, verse 5 climaxes the privileges with reference to Christ’s descent from them. Then, beginning in verse 6, Paul will argue that God’s word has not failed; the promises were always aimed at a spiritual line within Israel, not guaranteed to every ethnic descendant.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Genesis 17:7
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee.
- Hebrews 9:1
Now even the firstcovenanthad ordinances of divine service, and its sanctuary, a sanctuary of this world.
- Isaiah 41:8
But thou, Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend,
- Jeremiah 31:20
Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a darling child? for as often as I speak against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my heart yearneth for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith Jehovah.
- Exodus 19:3
And Moses went up unto God, and Jehovah called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel:
- Jeremiah 31:9
They shall come with weeping; and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters, in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble; for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first-born.
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