Bible Strands
Romans 10:16
But not all of them welcomed the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Paul writes to the Roman church while tracing the sequence of gospel proclamation and explaining why many Israelites have not responded to it.
The words — The Greek ὑπήκουσαν (hupēkousan) literally means “heeded” or “obeyed,” paired with τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ (tō euangeliō), “the good news,” marking the response as active reception rather than passive hearing.
The thread — Paul cites Isaiah 53:1 to show this pattern of unbelief is foretold, mirroring the theme of human unfaithfulness in Romans 3:3 and appearing verbatim in John 12:38 as a prophetic fulfillment.
Why it lands — The text requires a reader to distinguish between merely hearing the message and actively heeding it, placing the burden of response squarely on the individual rather than on the messenger.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
Cross-references
- Isaiah 53:1 Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
- Romans 3:3 What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?
- John 12:38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
- Hebrews 4:2 For we also received the good news just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, since they did not share the faith of those who comprehended it.
- Galatians 5:7 You were running so well. Who has obstructed you from obeying the truth?
- 2 Thessalonians 1:8 in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
- Romans 2:8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger.
- Romans 6:17 But thanks be to God that, though you once were slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were committed.
- Hebrews 5:9 And having been made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him
- Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, without knowing where he was going.