Romans 14 · Verse 11

Romans 14:11

For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
Romans 14:11, King James Version

Romans 14:11 in other translations

BSBIt is written: “As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will confess to God.”
WEBFor it is written, “‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘to me every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess to God.’”
ASVFor it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, to me every knee shall bow, And every tongue shall confess to God.
YLTfor it hath been written, ‘I live! saith the Lord--to Me bow shall every knee, and every tongue shall confess to God;'
DARBYFor it is written, I live, saith the Lord, that to me shall bow every knee, and every tongue shall confess to God.
BBEFor it is said in the holy Writings, By my life, says the Lord, to me every knee will be bent, and every tongue will give worship to God.
WebsterFor it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

What does Romans 14:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 14:11-12
11-12. For it is written--(Is 45:23). As I live, saith the Lord--Hebrew, Jehovah. every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God--consequently, shall bow to the award of God upon their character and actions.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 11. For it is written. This passage is recorded in Isa 45:23. It is not quoted literally, but the sense is preserved. In Isaiah there can be no doubt that it refers to Jehovah. The speaker expressly calls himself JEHOVAH, the name which is appropriate to God alone, and which is never applied to a creature, Isa 45:18,21, Isa 45:24,25. In the place before us, the words are applied by Paul expressly to Christ. Comp. Rom 14:10. This mode of quotation is a strong incidental proof that the apostle regarded the Lord Jesus as Divine. On no other principle could he have made these quotations.

As I live. The Hebrew is, "I have sworn by myself." One expression is equivalent to the other. An oath of God is often expressed by the phrase "as I live," Nu 14:21, Isa 49:18, Eze 5:11, 14:16, etc.

Saith the Lord. These words are not in the Hebrew text, but are added by the apostle to show that the passage quoted was spoken by the Lord, the Messiah. Comp. Isa 45:18,22.

Every knee shall bow to me. To bow the knee is an act expressing homage, submission, or adoration. It means, that every person shall acknowledge him as God, and admit his right to universal dominion. The passage in Isaiah refers particularly to the homage which his own people should render to him; or rather, means that all who are saved shall acknowledge him as their God and Saviour. The original reference was not to all men, but only to those who should be saved, Isa 45:17,21,22,24. In this sense the apostle uses it; not as denoting that all men should confess to God, but that all Christians, whether Jewish or Gentile converts, should alike give account to him. They should all bow before their common God, and acknowledge his dominion over them. The passage originally did not refer particularly to the day of judgment, but expressed the truth that all believers should acknowledge his dominion. It is as applicable, however, to the judgment, as to any other act of homage which his people will render.

Every tongue shall confess to God. In the Hebrew, "Every tongue shall swear." Not swear by God, but to him; that is, pay to him our vows, or answer to him on oath for our conduct; and this is the same as confessing to him, or acknowledging him as our Judge.

(q) "As I live" Isa 14:23.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 14:7-13

Though some are weak, and others are strong, yet all must agree not to live to themselves. No one who has given up his name to Christ, is allowedly a self-seeker; that is against true Christianity. The business of our lives is not to please ourselves, but to please God. That is true Christianity, which makes Christ all in all. Though Christians are of different strength, capacities, and practices in lesser things…

Read the full comment on Romans 14:7-13 →

Romans 14:11 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.

γέγραπταιgegraptaiIt has been writtenG1125
γάρ·garfor:G1063
ζῶzōLiveG2198
ἐγώ,egōI myself,G1473
λέγειlegeisaysG3004
κύριος,kurios[the] Lord,G2962
ὅτιhotithatG3754
ἐμοὶemoito Me myselfG1473
κάμψειkampseiwill bowG2578
πᾶνpaneveryG3956
γόνυ,gonuknee,G1119
καὶkaiandG2532
πᾶσαpasaeveryG3956
γλῶσσαglōssatongueG1100
ἐξομολογήσεταιexomologēsetaiwill confessG1843
τῷtō<the>G3588
θεῷ.¶theōto God.G2316

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

Cross references for Romans 14:11

  • Isaiah 45:22-25

    Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.

  • Philippians 2:10-11

    That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

  • Psalms 72:11

    Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.

  • Romans 10:9

    That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

  • Matthew 10:32

    Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

  • 1 John 4:15

    Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

  • Isaiah 49:18

    Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth.

  • Romans 15:9

    And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.

  • Revelation 5:14

    And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

  • Numbers 14:21

    But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.

  • 2 John 1:7

    For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

  • Zephaniah 2:9

    Therefore as I live, saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
As.
Nu 14:21,28; Isa 49:18; Jer 22:24; Eze 5:11; Zep 2:9
every knee.
Ps 72:11; Isa 45:22-25; Php 2:10; Re 5:14
confess.
10:9; 15:9; Mt 10:32; 1Jo 4:15; 2Jo 1:7

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

Context

  • Romans 14:10

    But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

  • Romans 14:11

    For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

  • Romans 14:12

    So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Read all of Romans 14

Romans 14:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque escrito está: Vivo yo, dice el Señor, que á mí se doblará toda rodilla, y toda lengua confesará á Dios.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		car il est écrit: « Je suis vivant, dit le ✶Seigneur, que tout genou se ploiera devant moi, et que toute langue confessera hautement Dieu ».
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn es steht geschrieben: "So wahr ich lebe, spricht der Herr, mir soll sich jedes Knie beugen, und jede Zunge soll Gott bekennen".
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Scriptum est enim: Vivo ego, dicit Dominus, quoniam mihi flectetur omne genu: et omnis lingua confitebitur Deo.