Romans 9:33

“as it is written: Look, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
Romans 9:33 · direct translation from the Greek

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With the Greek beneath

asκαθὼςit is written:γέγραπταιLook,ἸδοὺI am layingτίθημιinἐνZionΣιὼνa stoneλίθονof stumblingπροσκόμματοςandκαὶa rockπέτρανof offense,σκανδάλουandκαὶwhoeverὁbelievesπιστεύωνinἐπ’himαὐτῷwill notοὐbe put to shame.καταισχυνθήσεται

Quotation · Isaiah 28:16

Go to Isaiah 28:16

Paul joins two texts of Isaiah: the stone laid in Zion (28:16) and the stone of stumbling and rock of offense (8:14). Where the Hebrew says “whoever believes will not hurry,” Romans says “will not be put to shame.”

Formula: γέγραπται “it is written” (Romans 9:33)

See the original texts

Greek of the New Testament: καθὼς γέγραπται Ἰδοὺ τίθημι ἐν Σιὼν λίθον προσκόμματος καὶ πέτραν σκανδάλου καὶ ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ’ αὐτῷ οὐ καταισχυνθήσεται

Hebrew (Masoretic text): לָכֵן כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה הִנְנִי יִסַּד בְּצִיּוֹן אָבֶן אֶבֶן בֹּחַן פִּנַּת יִקְרַת מוּסָד מוּסָּד הַמַּאֲמִין לֹא יָחִישׁ

Septuagint (Isaiah 28:16 in the Septuagint numbering): διὰ τοῦτο οὕτως λέγει Κύριος, Κύριος, ἐγὼ ἐμβαλῶ εἷς τὰ. θεμέλια Σιὼν λίθον πολυτελῆ ἐκλεκτὸν ἀκρογωνιαῖον ἔντιμον, εἷς τὸ, θεμέλια αὐτῆς, καὶ ὃ πιστεύων ἐπ’ αὐτῷ οὔ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ.

The Greek of the NT matches the Septuagint word for word in 6 consecutive words: “καὶ ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ’ αὐτῷ οὐ.”

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

Romans 9:33, word by word

it is writtenγέγραπταιgegraptai

it is written

So the Bible says; a passage is quoted.

Where else “gegraptai” appears

I am layingτίθημιtithēmi

put

To put something somewhere.

Where else “tithēmi” appears

ZionΣιὼνSiōn

Zion

See it on the map Where else “Siōn” appears

a stoneλίθονlithon

living stone

The Messiah as the main stone of the building; believers, as living stones.

Where else “lithon” appears

of stumblingπροσκόμματοςproskommatos

stumbling, obstacle

Stumbling; an obstacle that makes someone stumble or fall into sin.

Where else “proskommatos” appears

a rockπέτρανpetran

rock

Rock, bedrock.

Where else “petran” appears

of offenseσκανδάλουskandalou

cause for stumbling

Cause for stumbling: what makes someone fall into sin.

Where else “skandalou” appears

believesπιστεύωνpisteuōn

trust

To trust in God or in Jesus.

Where else “pisteuōn” appears

be put to shameκαταισχυνθήσεταιkataischynthēsetai

be ashamed

To be disgraced, let down.

Where else “kataischynthēsetai” appears

Translation note

Isaiah 28:16 and 8:14, according to the Greek.

Parallel passages

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

Quotation · Isaiah 28:16

See them side by side

Romans 9:33

³³as it is written: Look, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.

Isaiah 28:16

¹⁶Therefore thus says Adonai YHWH: “Look, I have laid as a foundation in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a foundation well founded; the one who believes will not hurry.

Places in this verse

Approximate location. A “?” means it is not known for sure where it was.

Zion
Today: Mount Zion hill, Jerusalem
A hill in Jerusalem; it first named the fortress David captured, and later sometimes the whole city.
David captured the stronghold of Zion and called it the city of David (2 Sam 5:7). The Psalms and prophets call it the place where God lives among his people (Ps 48:2).
2 Samuel 5:7 Psalms 48:2 Hebrews 12:22 Romans 9:33

The context

32Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if by works. They stumbled over the stone of stumbling,

33 · This verse (above)

Read all of Romans 9

To study Romans 9 in a group

1. What it says
What does Paul feel for his people, the Israelites, and what does he say about them? (vv. 1-5)
2. What it means
What does Paul's sorrow show us about how he saw his people? (vv. 1-3)
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