Bible Strands
Romans 9:25
As He says in Hosea: “I will call them ‘My People’ who are not My people, and I will call her ‘My Beloved’ who is not My beloved,”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Paul addresses the Roman congregation, explaining that God’s calling encompasses both Jews and Gentiles. He invokes Hosea to demonstrate that divine election follows God’s promise rather than ethnic descent.
The words — The Greek verb καλέσω (kalesō) translates literally as “I will call,” marking a definitive divine act of naming. The conjunction καὶ (kai) appears as “also,” linking the Gentile inclusion to the preceding mention of Jewish calling.
The thread — The quotation originates in Hosea 2:23, where God reverses a prior declaration of rejection. The same pattern of outsiders receiving divine naming appears in 1 Peter 2:10 and aligns with the covenant restoration imagery in Ezekiel 16:8.
Why it lands — The text explicitly states that God will name those previously excluded as “My People” and “My Beloved.” It requires the reader to acknowledge that belonging is established solely by divine declaration, not by prior status.
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
As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
Cross-references
- Hosea 2:23 And I will sow her as My own in the land, and I will have compassion on ‘No Compassion.’ I will say to those called ‘Not My People,’ ‘You are My people,’ and they will say, ‘You are my God.’”
- 1 Peter 2:10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
- Ezekiel 16:8 Then I passed by and saw you, and you were indeed old enough for love. So I spread My cloak over you and covered your nakedness. I pledged Myself to you, entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine, declares the Lord GOD.
- John 16:27 For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God.
- Romans 1:7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Hosea 1:1 This is the word of the LORD that came to Hosea son of Beeri in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and of Jeroboam son of Jehoash, king of Israel.