Romans 15 · Verse 8

Romans 15:8

Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:
Romans 15:8, King James Version

Romans 15:8 in other translations

BSBFor I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs,
WEBNow I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers,
ASVFor I say that Christ hath been made a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given unto the fathers,
YLTAnd I say Jesus Christ to have become a ministrant of circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises to the fathers,
DARBYFor I say that Jesus Christ became a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises of the fathers;
BBENow I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision to give effect to the undertakings given by God to the fathers,
WebsterNow I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers:

What does Romans 15:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 15:8-12
8-12. Now--"For" is the true reading: the apostle is merely assigning an additional motive to Christian forbearance. I say that Jesus Christ was--"hath become" a minister of the circumcision--a remarkable expression, meaning "the Father's Servant for the salvation of the circumcision (or, of Israel)." for the truth of God--to make good the veracity of God towards His ancient people. to confirm the--Messianic promises made unto the fathers--To cheer the Jewish believers, whom he might seem to have been disparaging, and to keep down Gentile pride, the apostle holds up Israel's salvation as the primary end of Christ's mission. But next after this, Christ was sent.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 8. Now I say. I affirm, or maintain. I, a Jew, admit that his work had reference to the Jews; I affirm also that it had reference to the Gentiles.

That Jesus Christ. That the Messiah. The force of the apostle's reasoning would often be more striking if he would retain the word Messiah, and not regard the word Christ as a mere surname. It is the name of his office; and to a Jew the name Messiah would convey much more than the idea of a mere proper name.

Was a minister of the circumcision. Exercised his office--the office of the Messiah--among the Jews, or with respect to the Jews, for the purposes which he immediately specifies. Hie was born a Jew; was circumcised; came to that nation; and died in their midst, without having gone himself to any other people.

For the truth of God. To confirm or establish the truth of the promises of God. He remained among them in the exercise of his ministry to show that God was true, who had said that the Messiah should come to them.

To confirm the promises, etc. To establish, or to show that the promises were true. Acts 3:25, also Acts 3:26. The promises referred to here, are those particularly which related to the coming of the Messiah. By thus admitting that the Messiah was the minister of the circumcision, the apostle conceded all that the Jew could ask, that he was to be peculiarly their Messiah. Lk 24:47.

(l) "confirm the promises" Acts 3:25,26

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision - To show the Gentiles the propriety of bearing with the scrupulous Jews, he shows them here that they were under the greatest obligations to this people; to whom, in the days of his flesh, Jesus Christ confined his ministry; giving the world to see that he allowed the claim of the Jews as having the first right to the blessings of the Gospel. And he confined his ministry thus to the Jews, to confirm the truth of God, contained in the promises made unto the patriarchs; for God had declared that thus it should be; and Jesus Christ, by coming according to the promise, has fulfilled this truth, by making good the promises: therefore, salvation is of the Jews, as a kind of right conveyed to them through the promises made to their fathers. But this salvation was not exclusively designed for the Jewish people; as God by his prophets had repeatedly declared.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 15:8-13
Christ fulfilled the prophecies and promises relating to the Jews, and the Gentile converts could have no excuse for despising them. The Gentiles, being brought into the church, are companions in patience and tribulation. They should praise God. Calling upon all the nations to praise the Lord, shows that they shall have knowledge of him. We shall never seek to Christ till we trust in him. And the whole plan of redemption is suited to reconcile us to one another, as well as to our gracious God, so that an abiding hope of eternal life, through the sanctifying and comforting power of the Holy Spirit, may be attained. Our own power will never reach this; therefore where this hope is, and is abounding, the blessed Spirit must have all the glory. "All joy and peace;" all sorts of true joy and peace, so as to suppress doubts and fears, through the powerful working of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Romans 15:8 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.

λέγωlegōI sayG3004
γὰρgarforG1063
ΧριστὸνChristonChristG5547
ἸησοῦνIēsounJesusG2424
διάκονονdiakonona servantG1249
γεγενῆσθαιgegenēsthaito have becomeG1096
περιτομῆςperitomēsof [the] circumcisionG4061
ὑπὲρhuperforG5228
ἀληθείαςalētheias[the] truthG225
θεοῦtheouof GodG2316
εἰςeisin orderG1519
τὸto<the>G3588
βεβαιῶσαιbebaiōsaito confirmG950
τὰςtastheG3588
ἐπαγγελίαςepangeliaspromises givenG1860
τῶνtōnto theG3588
πατέρων,paterōnfathers,G3962

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

Cross references for Romans 15:8

  • Galatians 4:4-5

    But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

  • Matthew 15:24

    But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

  • 2 Corinthians 1:20

    For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

  • John 1:11

    He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

  • Acts 3:25-26

    Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

  • John 10:16

    And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

  • Romans 3:3

    For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

  • Romans 15:16

    That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

  • Romans 9:4-5

    Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

  • Ephesians 2:12-3:8

    That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; …

  • Romans 11:30

    For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:

  • Romans 11:22

    Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I say.
3:26; 1Co 1:12; 10:19,29; 15:50
Jesus.
9:4,5; Mt 15:24; 20:28; Joh 1:11; Ac 3:25,26; 13:46; Ga 4:4,5
for the.
3:3; Ps 98:2,3; Mic 7:20; Lu 1:54-56,70-73; 2Co 1:20
truth.
16; 9:23,24; 11:22,30; Isa 24:15,16; Joh 10:16; Eph 2:12-22; 3:1-8
1Pe 2:9,10

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

Context

  • Romans 15:7

    Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

  • Romans 15:8

    Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:

  • 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.

Read all of Romans 15

Romans 15:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Digo, pues, que Cristo Jesús fué hecho ministro de la circuncisión por la verdad de Dios, para confirmar las promesas hechas á los padres,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car je dis que Jésus Christ a été serviteur de la circoncision, pour la vérité de Dieu, pour la confirmation des promesses faites aux pères,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn ich sage, daß Jesus Christus ein Diener der Beschneidung geworden ist um der Wahrheit Gottes willen, um die Verheißungen der Väter zu bestätigen;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dico enim Christum Jesum ministrum fuisse circumcisionis propter veritatem Dei, ad confirmandas promissiones patrum: