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Grow With Me

Romans 9:12

“not by works but by the one who calls— it was said to her: The older will serve the younger.”

Romans 9:12 · direct translation from the Greek
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12

Quotation · Genesis 25:23

Go to Genesis 25:23

Paul quotes the last sentence of the oracle to Rebekah about the two sons she was carrying in her womb.

Formula: ἐρρέθη αὐτῇ ὅτι “it was said to her” (Romans 9:12)

See the original texts

Greek of the New Testament: οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων ἀλλ’ ἐκ τοῦ καλοῦντος ἐρρέθη αὐτῇ ὅτι Ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι

Hebrew (Masoretic text): וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה לָהּ שְׁנֵי גוֹיִם בְּבִטְנֵךְ וּשְׁנֵי לְאֻמִּים מִמֵּעַיִךְ יִפָּרֵדוּ וּלְאֹם מִלְאֹם יֶאֱמָץ וְרַב יַעֲבֹד צָעִיר

Septuagint (Genesis 25:23 in the Septuagint numbering): καὶ εἶπεν κύριος αὐτῇ Δύο ἔθνη ἐν τῇ γαστρί σού εἰσιν, καὶ δύο λαοὶ ἐκ τῆς κοιλίας σου διασταλήσονται· καὶ λαὸς λαοῦ ὑπερέξει, καὶ ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι.

The Greek of the NT matches the Septuagint word for word in 5 consecutive words: “Ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι.”

Septuagint, Swete’s text, First1KGreek transcription (with reading errors), CC BY-SA 4.0

Romans 9:12, word by word

worksἔργωνergōn

deed

What someone does, their conduct.

Where else “ergōn” appears
the one who calls—καλοῦντοςkalountos

call to life

God inviting someone to a new life.

Where else “kalountos” appears
it was saidἐρρέθηerrethē

say

To express something in words to others.

Where else “errethē” appears
The olderμείζωνmeizōn

large

Here: greater; here the older

Of great size, taking up much space.

Where else “meizōn” appears
will serveδουλεύσειdouleusei

be a slave

Serve as a slave, be wholly at someone's service.

Where else “douleusei” appears
the youngerἐλάσσονιelassoni

lesser, inferior

Lesser, inferior.

Where else “elassoni” appears

Translation note

Genesis 25:23.

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

Quotation · Genesis 25:23

Paul quotes the last sentence of the oracle to Rebekah about the two sons she was carrying in her womb.

See them side by side

Romans 9:12

12not by works but by the one who calls— it was said to her: The older will serve the younger.

Genesis 25:23

23YHWH said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from your inner parts will be divided; one people will be stronger than the other people, and the older will serve the younger.”

The context

11for when they were not yet born nor had done anything good or bad, so that the purpose of God according to election might remain,

12 · This verse (above)

13As it is written: Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.

Read all of Romans 9

To study Romans 9 in a group

  1. 1. What it says

    What does Paul feel for his people, the Israelites, and what does he say about them? (vv. 1-5)

  2. 2. What it means

    What does Paul's sorrow show us about how he saw his people? (vv. 1-3)

  3. 3. How I live it

    Paul grieved for people he loved. How can you accompany with care and respect someone you love who sees faith differently?

How to use it