Romans 10 · Verse 14

Romans 10:14

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

Romans 10:14, King James Version

Romans 10:14 in other translations

BSB	How then can they call on the One in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach?
WEB	How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher?
ASV	How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
YLT	How then shall they call upon him in whom they did not believe? and how shall they believe on him of whom they did not hear? and how shall they hear apart from one preaching?
DARBY	How then shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without one who preaches?
BBE	But how will they give worship to him in whom they have no faith? and how will they have faith in him of whom they have not had news? and how will they have news without a preacher?
Webster	How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

What does Romans 10:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 10:14-15

14-15. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and ... believe in him of whom they have not heard? and ... hear without a preacher? and ... preach except ... sent?--that is, "True, the same Lord over all is rich unto all alike that call upon Him. But this calling implies believing, and believing hearing, and hearing preaching, and preaching a mission to preach: Why, then, take ye it so ill, O children of Abraham, that in obedience to our heavenly mission (Ac 26:16-18) we preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ?"

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 14. How then shall they call, etc. The apostle here adverts to an objection which might be urged to his argument. His doctrine was, that faith in Christ was essential to justification and salvation; and that this was needful for all; and that, without this, man must perish. The objection was, that they could not call on him in whom they had not believed; that they could not believe in him of whom they had not heard; and that this was arranged by God himself; so that a large part of the world was destitute of the gospel and in fact did not believe, Rom 10:16,17. The objection had particular reference to the Jews; and the ground of injustice which a Jew would complain of would be, that the plan made salvation dependent on faith, when a large part of the nation had not heard the gospel, and had had no opportunity to know it. This objection the apostle meets, so far as it was of importance to his argument, in Rom 10:18-21. The first part of the objection is, that they could "not call on him in whom they had not believed." That is, how could they call on one in whose existence, ability, and willingness to help, they did not believe? The objection is, that in order to our calling on one for help, we must be satisfied that there is such a being, and that he is able to aid us. This remark is just, and every man feels it. But the point of the objection is, that sufficient evidence of the Divine mission and claims of Jesus Christ had not been given to authorize the doctrine that eternal salvation depended on in him, or that it would be right to suspend the eternal happiness of Jew and Gentile on this.

How shall they believe in him, etc. This position is equally undeniable, that men could not believe in a being of whom they had not heard. And the implied objection was, that men could not be expected to believe in one of whose existence they knew nothing, and, of course, that they could not be blamed for not doing it. It was not right, therefore, to make eternal life depend, both among Jews and Gentiles, on faith in Christ.

And how shall they hear, etc. How can men hear, unless some one proclaim to them, or preach to them, that which is to be heard and believed? This is also true. The objection thence derived is, that it is not right to condemn men for not believing what has never been proclaimed to them; and, of course, that the doctrine that eternal life is suspended on faith cannot be just and right.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 14 How then shall they call on him - As the apostle had laid so much stress on believing in order to salvation, and as this doctrine, without farther explanation, might be misunderstood, it was necessary to show how this faith was produced; and therefore he lays the whole doctrine down in a beautifully graduated order. 1. There can be no salvation without the Gospel: a dispensation of mercy and grace from God alone, here called, Rom 10:15, the Gospel of peace; glad tidings of good things. 2. This must be preached, proclaimed in the world for the obedience of faith. 3. None can effectually preach this unless he have a Divine mission; for how shall they preach except they be Sent, Rom 10:15. The matter must come from God; and the person mho proclaims it must have both authority and unction from on high. 4. This Divinely-commissioned person must be heard: it is the duty of all, to whom this message of salvation is sent, to hear it with the deepest reverence and attention. 5. What is heard must be credited; for they who do not believe the Gospel as the record which God has given of his Son cannot be saved, Rom 10:14. 6. Those who believe must invoke God by Christ, which they cannot do unless they believe in him; and in this way alone they are to expect salvation. Professing to believe in Christ, without earnest, importunate prayer for salvation, can save no man. All these things the apostle lays down as essentially necessary; and they all follow from his grand proposition, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. But, says the apostle, How shall they Call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they Believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they Hear without a preacher? And how shall they Preach except they be sent? And with what message which can bring salvation can they be sent, but with the Gospel of Peace, the Glad Tidings Of Good Things. When, therefore, there is: 1st, a proper Message; 2ndly, a proper Messenger; 3rdly, the message Preached, proclaimed, or properly delivered by him; 4thly, the proclamation properly Heard and attentively considered by the people; 5thly, the message which they have heard, conscientiously Believed; 6thly, the name of the Lord Jesus, by whom alone this salvation is provided, most fervently Invoked; then, 7thly, salvation, or redemption from sin and misery, and the enjoyment of peace and happiness, will be the result of such calling, believing, hearing, preaching, sending, and message sent: - and thus the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith is guarded from abuse.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 10:12-17

There is not one God to the Jews, more kind, and another to the Gentiles, who is less kind; the Lord is a Father to all men. The promise is the same to all, who call on the name of the Lord Jesus as the Son of God, as God manifest in the flesh. All believers thus call upon the Lord Jesus, and none else will do so humbly or sincerely. But how should any call on the Lord Jesus, the Divine Saviour, who had not heard of…

Read the full comment on Romans 10:12-17 →

Romans 10:14 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΠῶςPōsHowG4459

οὖνounthenG3767

ἐπικαλέσωνταιepikalesōntaishall they callG1941

εἰςeison [Him]G1519

ὃνhonwhomG3739

οὐκouknotG3756

ἐπίστευσαν;episteusanthey believed?G4100

πῶςpōsHowG4459

δὲdenowG1161

πιστεύσωσινpisteusōsinshall they believeG4100

οὗhouof whomG3739

οὐκouknotG3756

ἤκουσαν;ēkousanthey have heard?G191

πῶςpōsHowG4459

δὲdenowG1161

ἀκούσωσινakousōsinshall they hearG191

χωρὶςchōrisapart fromG5565

κηρύσσοντος;kērussontospreaching?G2784

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Romans 10:14

Mark 16:15-16
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Acts 26:17-18
Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Titus 1:3
But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;
Acts 8:31
And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Luke 24:46-47
And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Ephesians 4:21
If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
James 5:15
And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
2 Timothy 4:17
Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
John 20:31
But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
Jonah 3:5-9
So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. …
Acts 19:2
He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

shall they.
1Ki 8:41-43; Jon 1:5,9-11,16; 3:5-9; Heb 11:6; Jas 5:15
and how shall.
1:5; 16:25,26; Mr 16:15,16; Lu 24:46,47; Joh 20:31; Ac 19:2
Ac 26:17,18; 2Ti 4:17; Tit 1:3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Romans 10:13
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Romans 10:14
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Romans 10:15
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Read all of Romans 10

Romans 10:14 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	¿Cómo, pues invocarán á aquel en el cual no han creído? ¿y cómo creerán á aquel de quien no han oído? ¿y cómo oirán sin haber quien les predique?
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Comment donc invoqueront-ils celui en qui ils n’ont point cru? Et comment croiront-ils en celui dont ils n’ont point entendu parler? Et comment entendront-ils sans quelqu’un qui prêche?
German Elberfelder 1871	Wie werden sie nun den anrufen, an welchen sie nicht geglaubt haben? wie aber werden sie an den glauben, von welchem sie nicht gehört haben? Wie aber werden sie hören ohne einen Prediger?
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Quomodo ergo invocabunt, in quem non crediderunt? aut quomodo credent ei, quem non audierunt? quomodo autem audient sine prædicante?