Bible Strands
Romans 11:32
For God has consigned everyone to disobedience so that He may have mercy on everyone.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Paul addresses the Roman church at the conclusion of his argument on Israel's unbelief and Gentile inclusion. He speaks after detailing how Jewish disobedience parallels Gentile mercy in Romans 11:31 and immediately before offering a doxology in Romans 11:33.
The words — συνέκλεισεν (sunekleisen) literally means "has bound up together" or "consigned," while ἀπείθειαν (apeitheian) means "disobedience." The text states that God bound all people into this shared state of disobedience.
The thread — The motif of universal confinement appears in Galatians 3:22, where Scripture confines all under sin, and Romans 3:9, which charges Jews and Greeks alike as being all under sin. These passages establish the same theological premise of universal human need.
Why it lands — The verse declares that God consigned everyone to disobedience so that He may have mercy on everyone. This requires the reader to accept that universal failure is the deliberate condition for the universal scope of divine mercy.
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
For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
Cross-references
- Galatians 3:22 But the Scripture pronounces all things confined by sin, so that by faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe.
- Romans 3:9 What then? Are we any better? Not at all. For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin.
- Romans 3:22 And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction,
- 1 Timothy 2:4 who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
- John 1:7 He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that through him everyone might believe.
- John 12:32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw everyone to Myself.”