Romans 9:7

Verse

Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”

American Standard Version (1901)

neither, because they are Abraham’s seed, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

Bible in Basic English

And they are not all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, In Isaac will your seed be named.

Douay-Rheims 1899

Neither are all they that are the seed of Abraham, children; but in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

Free Bible Version

and all those who are descended from Abraham are not his true children. For Scripture says, “Your descendants will be counted through Isaac,”

Geneva Bible 1599

Neither are they all children, because they are the seede of Abraham: but, In Isaac shall thy seede be called:

King James (Authorized) Version

Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

Translation for Translators

And it is also not all of Abraham’s natural descendants that God considers to be his people. Instead, God considers only some of them to be Abraham’s children. This agrees with what God told Abraham: “It is Isaac, not any of your(sg) other sons, whom I will consider to be the true father of your descendants.”

Unlocked Literal Bible

Neither are all Abraham's descendants truly his children. But, “It is through Isaac that your descendants will be called.”

Noah Webster Bible

Neither because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

World English Bible

Neither, because they are Abraham’s offspring, are they all children. But, “your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac.”

Young's Literal Translation

nor because they are seed of Abraham [are] all children, but — 'in Isaac shall a seed be called to thee;'

Context

God’s Sovereign Choice

⁶It is not as though God’s word has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. ⁷Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”⁸So it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring.

Sermons

A Celebration of Baptism

John Piper

Summary

In Romans 9:7, Paul explains that being a physical descendant of Abraham does not automatically make one a child of God. He clarifies that the true children of God are those who are descendants through faith, emphasizing the importance of spiritual lineage over physical lineage. This verse underscores the principle that salvation is based on faith in God rather than on human ancestry or works. It serves as a reminder that genuine relationship with God is established through faith and trust in Him, rather than through external markers or heritage.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Neither because they are the seed of Abraham, etc. - Nor can they conclude, because they are the natural descendants of Abraham, that therefore they are all of them, without exception, the children in whom the promise is to be fulfilled. But, in Isaac shall thy seed be called - The promise is not confined to immediate natural descent, but may be accomplished in any part of Abraham's posterity. For Abraham had several sons besides Isaac, Gen 25:1, Gen 25:2, particularly Ishmael, who was circumcised before Isaac was born, and in whom Abraham was desirous that the promise should be fulfilled, Gen 17:18, and in him God might have fulfilled the promise, had he so pleased; and yet he said to Abraham, Gen 21:12 : Not in Ishmael, but in Isaac, shall thy seed be called.

John Gill Bible Commentary

That is, they which are the children of the flesh,.... This is an explanation of the foregoing verse, and shows, that by "the seed of" Abraham are meant, the natural seed of Abraham, who are born after the flesh, or descend from him by carnal generation: these are not the children of God; that is, not all of them, nor any of them, on account of their being children of the flesh, or Abraham's natural seed; for adoption does not come this way; men do not commence children of God by their fleshly descent; they are not "born of blood", but of God, who are the sons of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed; "children of the covenant", is a common phrase with the Jews; who reckoned themselves as such, because they were the seed of Abraham: thus in their prayers they say (e) to God, "we are thy people, , "the children of thy covenant", the children of Abraham thy friend.'' And so they were the children of the covenant, or promise, which God made with Abraham and his natural seed, respecting the land of Canaan, and their enjoyment of temporal good things in it; but they were not all of them the children of the promise, which God made to Abraham and his spiritual seed, whether Jews or Gentiles, respecting spiritual and eternal things; to whom alone the promises of God, being their God in a spiritual sense, of spiritual and eternal salvation by Christ, and of the grace of the Spirit of God, and of eternal life belong; and who are the seed which were promised to Abraham by God, saying, "thou shalt be a father of many nations", Gen 17:4, for which reasons, because these spiritual promises belong to them, and because they themselves were promised to Abraham, as his children, therefore they are called "children of the promise": or rather, because as Isaac was a child of promise, being born after the Spirit, by virtue of the promise of God, through his divine power and goodness, when there were no ground or foundation in nature, for Abraham and Sarah to hope for a son; so these are called "children of promise", Gal 4:28, because they are born again, not through the power of nature, and strength of their own free will; they are not born of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God, according to the will of God and his abundant mercy, by the word of truth, through his power, Spirit, and grace; and by faith receive the promises made unto them; and are counted and reckoned as "Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise", Gal 3:29, whether they be Jews, or whether they be Gentiles: and since now the promises of God are all made good to these persons, the word of God is not without effect, or is not made void, by the casting off the children of the flesh, or the carnal seed of Abraham, who were not children of the promise in the sense now given. (e) Seder Tephillot, fol. 3. 2. Ed. Basil. fol. 6. 1. Ed. Amstelod.

Romans 9:7

God’s Sovereign Choice

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”

American Standard Version (1901)

neither, because they are Abraham’s seed, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

Bible in Basic English

And they are not all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, In Isaac will your seed be named.

Douay-Rheims 1899

Neither are all they that are the seed of Abraham, children; but in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

Free Bible Version

and all those who are descended from Abraham are not his true children. For Scripture says, “Your descendants will be counted through Isaac,”

Geneva Bible 1599

Neither are they all children, because they are the seede of Abraham: but, In Isaac shall thy seede be called:

King James (Authorized) Version

Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

Translation for Translators

Unlocked Literal Bible

Neither are all Abraham's descendants truly his children. But, “It is through Isaac that your descendants will be called.”

Noah Webster Bible

Neither because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

World English Bible

Neither, because they are Abraham’s offspring, are they all children. But, “your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac.”

Young's Literal Translation

nor because they are seed of Abraham [are] all children, but — 'in Isaac shall a seed be called to thee;'

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Romans 9:7

Verse

Context

God’s Sovereign Choice

Sermons

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Romans 9:7

God’s Sovereign Choice

A Celebration of Baptism

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes