Romans 11:6

And if it is by grace, then it is no longer by works. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Paul addresses Gentile and Jewish believers in Rome concerning the present remnant chosen by God. He writes this to clarify the mechanism behind Israel's partial hardening and the elect's receipt of salvation.

The words — χάριτι (chariti) translates to "by grace," while ἐξ ἔργων (ex ergōn) means "from works." The text asserts that grace and works operate as mutually exclusive sources of salvation.

The thread — Paul repeats this grace-versus-works dichotomy in Galatians 2:21, 2 Timothy 1:9, and Romans 3:27. Each reference maintains that divine initiative and human merit cannot be combined as the basis for righteousness or calling.

Why it lands — The verse demands that readers stop attributing spiritual standing to personal merit. It requires acknowledging that grace functions only when human works are entirely excluded from the equation.

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

And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

Cross-references

Galatians 2:21 I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.
2 Timothy 1:9 He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.
Romans 3:27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of works? No, but on that of faith.
Romans 4:4 Now the wages of the worker are not credited as a gift, but as an obligation.
Titus 3:5 He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.
Ephesians 2:4 But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
Deuteronomy 9:4 When the LORD your God has driven them out before you, do not say in your heart, “Because of my righteousness the LORD has brought me in to possess this land.” Rather, the LORD is driving out these nations before you because of their wickedness.
Romans 5:20 The law came in so that the trespass would increase; but where sin increased, grace increased all the more,