Romans 8 · Verse 35

Romans 8:35

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Romans 8:35, King James Version

Romans 8:35 in other translations

BSB	Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
WEB	Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Could oppression, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
ASV	Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
YLT	Who shall separate us from the love of the Christ? tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
DARBY	Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? tribulation or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
BBE	Who will come between us and the love of Christ? Will trouble, or pain, or cruel acts, or the need of food or of clothing, or danger, or the sword?
Webster	Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

What does Romans 8:35 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 8:35-36

35-36. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?--This does not mean "our love to Christ," as if, Who shall hinder us from loving Christ? but "Christ's love to us," as is clear from the closing words of the chapter, which refer to the same subject. Nor would the other sense harmonize with the scope of the chapter, which is to exhibit the ample ground of the believer's confidence in Christ. "It is no ground of confidence to assert, or even to feel, that we will never forsake Christ; but it is the strongest ground of assurance to be convinced that His love will never change" [Hodge]. shall tribulation, &c.--"None of these, nor all together, how terrible soever to the flesh, are tokens of God's wrath, or the least ground for doubt of His love. From whom could such a question come better than from one who had himself for Christ's sake endured so much? (See 2Co 11:11-33; 1Co 4:10-13). The apostle says not (remarks Calvin nobly) "What," but "Who," just as if all creatures and all afflictions were so many gladiators taking arms against the Christians [Tholuck].

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 35. Who shall separate us. That is, finally or entirely separate us. This is a new argument of the apostle, showing his strong confidence in the safety of the Christian.

From the love of Christ. This expression is ambiguous; and may mean either our love to Christ, or his love to us. I understand it in the former sense, and suppose it means, "Who shall cause us to cease to love the Saviour?" In other words, the love which Christians have for their Redeemer is so strong, that it will surmount and survive all opposition and all trials. The reason for so understanding the expression is, that it is not conceivable how afflictions, etc., should have any tendency to alienate Christ's love from us; but the supposed tendency to alienate our love from him might be very strong. They are endured in his cause. They are caused, in a good degree, by professed attachment to him. The persecutions and trials to which Christians are exposed on account of their professed attachment to him, might be supposed to make them weary of a service that involved so many trials. But no, says the apostle. Our love for him is so strong that we are willing to bear all; and nothing that these foes of our peace can do, can alienate us from him and from his cause. The argument, therefore, is drawn from the strong love of a Christian to his Saviour; and from the assurance that nothing would be able to separate him from that love.

Shall tribulation. (θλιψις) Rom 2:9. The word properly refers to pressure from without; affliction arising from external causes. It means however, not unfrequently, trial of any kind.

Or distress. (στενοχωρια). This word properly means, narrowness of place; and then, great anxiety and distress of mind, such as arises when a man does not know where to turn himself, or what to do for relief. It refers, therefore, to distress or anxiety of mind--such as the early Christians were often subject to from their trials and persecutions. 2Cor 7:5, "Without were fightings, within were fears." Rom 2:9.

Or persecution. Mt 5:11. To these the early Christians were constantly exposed.

Or famine. To this they were also exposed as the natural result of being driven from home, and of being often compelled to wander amidst strangers, and in deserts and desolate places.

Or peril. Danger of any kind.

Or sword. The sword of persecution; the danger of their lives to which they were constantly exposed. As all these things happened to them in consequence of their professed attachment to Christ, it might be supposed that they would tend to alienate their minds from him. But the apostle was assured that they had not this power, but that their love to the Saviour was so strong as to overcome all, and to bind them unalterably to his cause in the midst of the deepest trials. The fact is, that the more painful the trials to which they are exposed on his account, the more strong and unwavering is their love to him, and their confidence in his ability to save.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? - I do think that this question has been generally misunderstood. The apostle is referring to the persecutions and tribulations to which genuine Christians were exposed through their attachment to Christ, and the gracious provision God had made for their support and final salvation. As in this provision God had shown his infinite love to them in providing Jesus Christ as their sin-offering, and Jesus Christ had shown his love in suffering death upon the cross for them; so, here, he speaks of the love of the followers of God to that Christ who had first loved them. Therefore the question is not, Who shall separate the love of Christ from us? or prevent Christ from loving us? but, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Who or what shall be able to remove our affection from him? And the questions that immediately follow show that this is the sense of the passage; for the tribulation, distress, etc., which he enumerates, are things by which they might be affected, but by which Christ could not be affected; and, consequently, the question most evidently refers to their love to him who had first loved them, and, while it affords a strong presumption of their perseverance, furnishes a most powerful argument against apostasy. Shall tribulation? - Θλιψις, grievous affliction, or distress of any kind; from θλιβω, to compress, oppress, straiten, etc.; any thing by which a man is rendered miserable. Or distress? - Στενοχωρια, a word of nearly the same import with the former, but more intense in its signification. It signifies straitness, being hemmed in on every side, without the possibility of getting out or escaping; from στενος, strait or narrow, and χωρος, a place. Or persecution? - Διωγμος, from διωκω, to pursue, press upon, prosecute, signifies such pursuing as an enemy uses in order to overtake the object of his malice, that he may destroy him. Or famine? - Λιμος, from λειπω, to fail; the total want of bread, and all the necessaries of life. Or nakedness? - Γυμνοτης, being absolutely without clothing; forcibly expressed by the derivation of the word γυια μονα εχων, having one's limbs only, being totally unclothed. Or peril? - Κινδυνος, a state of extreme and continued danger, perplexing and distressing with grievous forebodings and alarms; derived from κινει τας οδυνας, it excites anguish; because much evil is felt, and much more feared. Or sword? - Μαχαιρα, slaughter; the total destruction of life, and especially beheading, and such like, done by the order of the civil magistrate; for the word is used in this epistle, Rom 13:4, to signify the authority and power which he has of judicially terminating life; i.e. of inflicting capital punishment.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 8:32-39

All things whatever, in heaven and earth, are not so great a display of God's free love, as the gift of his coequal Son to be the atonement on the cross for the sin of man; and all the rest follows upon union with him, and interest in him. All things, all which can be the causes or means of any real good to the faithful Christian. He that has prepared a crown and a kingdom for us, will give us what we need in the…

Read the full comment on Romans 8:32-39 →

Romans 8:35 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.

ΤίςTisWhoG5101

ἡμᾶςhēmasusG3165

χωρίσειchōriseiwill separateG5563

ἀπὸapofromG575

τῆςtēstheG3588

ἀγάπηςagapēsloveG26

τοῦtou<the>G3588

Χριστοῦ;Christouof Christ?G5547

θλῖψιςthlipsisTribulationG2347

ἢēorG2228

στενοχωρίαstenochōriadistressG4730

ἢēorG2228

διωγμὸςdiōgmospersecutionG1375

ἢēorG2228

λιμὸςlimosfamineG3042

ἢēorG2228

γυμνότηςgumnotēsnakednessG1132

ἢēorG2228

κίνδυνοςkindunosdangerG2794

ἢēorG2228

μάχαιρα;machairasword?G3162

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

Cross references for Romans 8:35

John 10:28
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Psalms 103:17
But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;
John 16:33
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Romans 5:3-5
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
2 Corinthians 4:17
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
1 Peter 4:12-14
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
Romans 8:39
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
2 Timothy 4:16-18
At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. 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. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Matthew 10:28-31
And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
2 Timothy 1:12
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
1 Corinthians 4:11
Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;
Romans 8:17
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

shall separate.
39; Ps 103:17; Jer 31:3; Joh 10:28; 13:1; 2Th 2:13,14,16; Re 1:5
shall tribulation.
17; 5:3-5; Mt 5:10-12; 10:28-31; Lu 21:12-18; Joh 16:33; Ac 14:22
Ac 20:23,24; 2Co 4:17; 6:4-10; 11:23-27; 2Ti 1:12; 4:16-18
Heb 12:3-11; Jas 1:2-4; 1Pe 1:5-7; 4:12-14; Re 7:14-17

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

Context

Romans 8:34
Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Romans 8:35
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Romans 8:36
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Read all of Romans 8

Romans 8:35 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	¿Quién nos apartará del amor de Cristo? tribulación? ó angustia? ó persecución? ó hambre? ó desnudez? ó peligro? ó cuchillo?
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	qui est-ce qui nous séparera de l’amour du Christ? Tribulation, ou détresse, ou persécution, ou famine, ou nudité, ou péril, ou épée?
German Elberfelder 1871	Wer wird uns scheiden von der Liebe Christi? Drangsal oder Angst oder Verfolgung oder Hungersnot oder Blöße oder Gefahr oder Schwert?
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Quis ergo nos separabit a caritate Christi? tribulatio? an angustia? an fames? an nuditas? an periculum? an persecutio? an gladius?