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Monday, October 7th, 2024
the Week of Proper 22 / Ordinary 27
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Christian Standard Bible ®

Romans 11:32

For God has imprisoned all in disobedience, so that He may have mercy on all.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Depravity of Man;   God Continued...;   Salvation;   Unbelief;   The Topic Concordance - Gentiles/heathen;   Israel/jews;   Salvation;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Resignation;   Unbelief;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Mercy;   Romans, letter to the;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Christians, Names of;   Corinthians, First and Second, Theology of;   Israel;   Mercy;   Mystery;   Remnant;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Incomprehensibility of God;   Jews;   Merit;   Omniscience of God;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Providence;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Gentiles;   Noah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Israel, Spiritual;   Mercy, Merciful;   Prophecy, Prophets;   Romans, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Paul the Apostle;   Romans, Epistle to the;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Ephesians Epistle to the;   Evil;   God;   Individualism;   Judgment Damnation;   Mercy;   Mercy ;   Parousia;   People ;   Pity Compassion;   Quotations;   Restitution;   Restoration;   Sin;   Universalism (2);   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Olive tree;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Conclude;   Eschatology of the New Testament;   Hope;   Restoration;   Unbelief;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for April 3;   Every Day Light - Devotion for April 2;  

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
Everyone has turned their back on God, but his mercy is greater.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.
Legacy Standard Bible
For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.
Bible in Basic English
For God has let them all go against his orders, so that he might have mercy on them all.
Darby Translation
For God hath shut up together all in unbelief, in order that he might shew mercy to all.
World English Bible
For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For God hath shut up all together in disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all.
Weymouth's New Testament
For God has locked up all in the prison of unbelief, that upon all alike He may have mercy.
King James Version (1611)
For God hath concluded them all in vnbeliefe, that he might haue mercy vpon all.
Literal Translation
For God shut up all into disobedience, that He may show mercy to all.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For God hath closed vp all vnder vnbeleue, that he mighte haue mercy on all.
Mace New Testament (1729)
for God hath manifested to all the disobedient, that he would have mercy upon all.
Amplified Bible
For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all [Jew and Gentile alike].
American Standard Version
For God hath shut up all unto disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all.
Revised Standard Version
For God has consigned all men to disobedience, that he may have mercy upon all.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
God hath wrapped all nacions in vnbeleve that he myght have mercie on all.
Update Bible Version
For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.
Webster's Bible Translation
For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
Young's Literal Translation
for God did shut up together the whole to unbelief, that to the whole He might do kindness.
New Century Version
God has given all people over to their stubborn ways so that he can show mercy to all.
New English Translation
For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all.
Berean Standard Bible
For God has consigned all men to disobedience so that He may have mercy on them all.
Contemporary English Version
All people have disobeyed God, and that's why he treats them as prisoners. But he does this, so that he can have mercy on all of them.
Complete Jewish Bible
For God has shut up all mankind together in disobedience, in order that he might show mercy to all.
English Standard Version
For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For God hath shut vp all in vnbeliefe, that he might haue mercie on all.
George Lamsa Translation
For God has included all men in disobedience, that he might have mercy on every man.
Hebrew Names Version
For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.
International Standard Version
For God has locked all people in the prison of their own disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.Romans 3:9; Galatians 3:22;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
For Aloha hath included them all in disobedience, that upon all he might show mercy.
Murdock Translation
For God hath shut up all men in disobedience, that upon all men he might have mercy.
New King James Version
For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.
New Living Translation
For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.
New Life Bible
God has said that all men have broken His Law. But He will show loving-kindness on all of them.
English Revised Version
For God hath shut up all unto disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all.
New Revised Standard
For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For God hath shut up all together, in a refusal to yield, in order that, upon all, he may bestow mercy.
Douay-Rheims Bible
For God hath concluded all in unbelief, that he may have mercy on all.
King James Version
For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
Lexham English Bible
For God confined them all in disobedience, in order that he could have mercy on them all.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For God hath wrapped all [nations] in vnbeliefe, yt he myght haue mercie on al.
Easy-to-Read Version
All people have refused to obey God. And he has put them all together as people who don't obey him so that he can show mercy to everyone.
New American Standard Bible
For God has shut up all in disobedience, so that He may show mercy to all.
Good News Translation
For God has made all people prisoners of disobedience, so that he might show mercy to them all.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For God closide alle thingis togidere in vnbileue, that he haue mercy on alle.

Contextual Overview

1 I ask, then, has God rejected His people? Absolutely not! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or don't you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he pleads with God against Israel? 3 Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars. I am the only one left, and they are trying to take my life! 4 But what was God's reply to him? I have left 7,000 men for Myself who have not bowed down to Baal. 5 In the same way, then, there is also at the present time a remnant chosen by grace. 6 Now if by grace, then it is not by works; otherwise grace ceases to be grace. 7 What then? Israel did not find what it was looking for, but the elect did find it. The rest were hardened, 8 as it is written: God gave them a spirit of insensitivity, eyes that cannot see and ears that cannot hear, to this day . 9 And David says: Let their feasting become a snare and a trap, a pitfall and a retribution to them. 10 Let their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent continually.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

God: Romans 3:9, Romans 3:22, Galatians 3:22

concluded them all: or, shut them all up together, John 1:7, John 12:32, 1 Timothy 2:4-6

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 26:8 - delivered Job 12:14 - he shutteth Job 16:11 - delivered me Psalms 77:9 - shut up Jeremiah 33:26 - and have Romans 3:23 - all have

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For God hath concluded them all in unbelief,.... Both Jews and Gentiles, particularly God's elect among them: some think the metaphor is taken from the binding up of sheaves in bands; and that Jews and Gentiles are the sheaves, and unbelief the band, in which they are bound together; but the apostle is not speaking of their being together in unbelief, but as separate, first the Gentiles, and now the Jews: rather it seems to be taken from a prison, and Jews and Gentiles are represented as prisoners, and unbelief the prison, in which they are shut up by God: not that God is the author of unbelief, or of any other sin in men; he does not put it into them, or them into that, but finding them in unbelief, concludes them in it, or leaves them in such a state, and does not as yet however deliver out of it, or say to the prisoners, go forth: moreover, to be "concluded in unbelief", is the same as to be "concluded under sin", Galatians 3:22; that is, to be thoroughly convinced of it; and to be held and bound down by such a sense of it in the conscience, as to see no way to escape deserved punishment, or to obtain salvation, but by fleeing to the mercy of God in Christ:

that he might have mercy upon all: not upon all the individuals of Jews and Gentiles; for all are not concluded in, or convinced of the sin of unbelief, but only such who are eventually believers, as appears from the parallel text, Galatians 3:22; and designs all God's elect among the Jews, called "their fulness", Romans 11:12; and all God's elect among the Gentiles, called "the fulness of the Gentiles", Romans 11:25; for whom he has mercy in store, and will bestow it on them; and in order to bring them to a sense of their need of it, and that he may the more illustriously display the riches of it, he leaves them for a while in a state of unbelief, and then by his Spirit thoroughly convinces them of it, and gives them faith to look to, and believe in, the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto eternal life.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For God hath concluded ... - The word translated here “concluded” sunekleise, is rendered in the margin “shut them all up together.” It is properly used in reference to those who are shut up in prison, or to those in a city who are shut up by a besieging army; 1 Macc. 5:5; 6:18; 11:65; 15:25; Joshua 6:6; Isaiah 45:1. It is used in the New Testament of fish taken in a net; Luke 5:6, “They enclosed a great multitude of fishes;” Galatians 3:22, “But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise, etc.” In this place the Scripture is declared to have shut them up under sin, that is, declared them to be sinners; gave no hope of rescue by any works of their own; and thus kept them Romans 11:23 “shut up unto the faith which should afterward be revealed.” All are represented, therefore, as in prison, enclosed or confined by God, and to be liberated only in his own way and time. In regard to the agency of God in this, we may remark:

(1) That the word does not mean that God compelled them to disbelieve the gospel. When, in Galatians 3:22, the Scripture is said to have included all under sin, it is not meant that the Scripture compelled them not to believe.

(2) The word does not imply that the sin and unbelief for which they were shut up were not voluntary. Even when a man is committed to prison, the crime which brought him there is voluntary, and for it he is responsible.

(3) The keeper of a prison does no wrong in confining a criminal; or the judge in condemning him; or the executioner in fulfilling the sentence of the Law. So of God. What he does is not to compel people to remain under unbelief, but to declare that they are so; so to encompass them with the proof of it that they shall realize that there is no escape from the evidence of it, and thus to press on them the evidence of their need of a Saviour. This he does in relation to all sinners who ever become converted.

(4) Yet God permitted this; suffered Jews and Gentiles to fall into unbelief, and to be concluded under it, because he had a special purpose to answer in leaving man to the power of sin and unbelief. One of those purposes was, doubtless, to manifest the power of his grace and mercy in the plan of redemption.

(5) In all this, and in all other sin man is voluntary. He chooses his course of evil; and God is under no obligation to compel him to do otherwise. Being under unbelief, God declares the fact, and avails himself of it, in the plan of salvation by grace.

Them all - Both Jews and Gentiles.

In unbelief - εἰς eis. “Unto unbelief.” He has delivered them over unto unbelief, as a man is delivered over into prison. This is the literal meaning of the expression.

That he might have mercy upon all - Mercy is favor shown to the undeserving. It could not have been shown to the Jews and the Gentiles unless it was before proved that they were guilty. For this purpose proof was furnished that they were all in unbelief. It was clear, therefore, that if favor was shown to either, it must be on the same ground, that of mere undeserved mercy. Thus, all people were on a level; and thus all might be admitted to heaven without any invidious distinctions, or any dealings that were not in accordance with mercy and love. “The emphasis in this verse is on the word “mercy.” It signifies that God is under obligation to no one, and therefore that all are saved by grace, because all are equally ruined.” (Calvin.) It does not prove that all people will be saved; but that those who are saved shall be alike saved by the mercy of God; and that He intends to confer salvation on Jews and Gentiles on the same terms. This is properly the close of the argument of this Epistle. By several independent trains of reasoning, the apostle had come to the same conclusion, that the Jews had no special privileges in regard to religion, that all people were on a level, and that there was no hope of salvation for any but in the mercy of a sovereign God. This conclusion, and the wonderful train of events which had led to this state of things, give rise to the exclamations and ascriptions of praise with which the chapter closes.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 32. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief — Συνεκλεισε γαρ ὁ Θεος, God hath shut or locked them all up under unbelief. This refers to the guilty state of both Jews and Gentiles. They had all broken God's law-the Jews, the written law; the Gentiles, the law written in their hearts; see Romans 1:19; Romans 1:20; Romans 2:14; Romans 2:15. They are represented here as having been accused if their transgressions; tried at God's bar; found guilty on being tried; condemned to the death they had merited; remanded to prison, till the sovereign will, relative to their execution, should be announced; shut or locked up, under the jailer, unbelief; and there both continued in the same state, awaiting the execution of their sentence: but God, in his own compassion, moved by no merit in either party, caused a general pardon by the Gospel to be proclaimed to all. The Jews have refused to receive this pardon on the terms which God has proposed it, and therefore continue locked up under unbelief. The Gentiles have welcomed the offers of grace, and are delivered out of their prison. But, as the offers of mercy continue to be made to all indiscriminately, the time will come when the Jews, seeing the vast accession of the Gentile world to the kingdom of the Messiah, and the glorious privileges which they in consequence enjoy, shall also lay hold on the hope set before them, and thus become with the Gentiles one flock under one shepherd and bishop of all their souls. The same figure is used Galatians 3:22, Galatians 3:23. But the Scripture hath concluded συνεκλεισεν, locked up all under sin, that the promise, by faith of Christ Jesus, might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept, εφρουρουμεθα, we were guarded as in a strong hold, under the law; shut up, συγκεκλεισμενοι, locked up together unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. It is a fine and well chosen metaphor in both places, and forcibly expresses the guilty, helpless, wretched state of both Jews and Gentiles.


 
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