The Meaning of Romans 10:21 Explained

Romans 10:21

KJV: But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

YLT: and unto Israel He saith, 'All the day I did stretch out My hands unto a people unbelieving and gainsaying.'

Darby: But unto Israel he says, All the day long I have stretched out my hands unto a people disobeying and opposing.

ASV: But as to Israel he saith, All the day long did I spread out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But  to  Israel  he saith,  All  day long  I have stretched forth  my  hands  unto  a disobedient  and  gainsaying  people. 

What does Romans 10:21 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Jews on the other hand refused to come to Him even when He reached out to draw them to Himself. The reason God has temporarily set them aside is their stubborn rebelliousness. Moses and the prophets warned Israel of this attitude repeatedly, but the Chosen People persisted in it even after God had provided their Messiah.
Chapter10 deals with Israel"s present rejection of Jesus Christ that has resulted in God"s temporary rejection of her. Both rejections will change in the future, as the next chapter explains.

Context Summary

Romans 10:11-21 - Needing Messengers Of Good Tidings
The Chosen People chafed, not only at the freeness of God's justifying grace, but because there was no difference made, so far as salvation was concerned, between them and the Gentiles. Surely there ought to be a special doorway for them into eternal life, apart from that trodden by the feet of the ordinary heathen world! Were they not the children of Abraham, the friend of God? Here the Apostle was compelled to withstand them. No, said he, it cannot be! There is no difference between Jew and Greek. All have sinned, and the same Lord is over all, rich to those who call upon Him, of whatever nationality.
The guests for whom the marriage feast was prepared refused to come, and therefore it was decreed that the servants of the great King should preach the gospel to every creature, and scour the highways and byways of the world for guests. The remainder of the chapter, Romans 10:14, etc., therefore vindicates the Apostle in his determination to preach the gospel beyond the limits of his own people; and in doing so, he was acting upon the old words of Deuteronomy 32:21. God would provoke their jealousy by a no-people, as they had provoked His by no-gods, Romans 10:19. [source]

Chapter Summary: Romans 10

1  The difference between the righteousness of the law, and that of faith;
11  all who believe, both Jew and Gentile, shall not be shamed;
18  and that the Gentiles shall receive the word and believe
19  Israel was not ignorant of these things

Greek Commentary for Romans 10:21

All the day long [ολην την ημεραν]
Accusative of extent of time. He quotes Isaiah 65:2. [source]
Did I spread out [εχεπετασα]
First aorist active indicative of εκπεταννυμι — ekpetannumi old verb, to stretch out, bold metaphor, only here in N.T. Unto a disobedient and a gainsaying people (προς λαον απειτουντα και αντιλεγοντα — pros laon apeithounta kai antilegonta). “Unto a people disobeying and talking back.” The two things usually go together. Contrary and contradictory (Luke 13:34.). [source]
Unto a disobedient and a gainsaying people [προς λαον απειτουντα και αντιλεγοντα]
“Unto a people disobeying and talking back.” The two things usually go together. Contrary and contradictory (Luke 13:34.). [source]
Disobedient - gainsaying [ἀπειθοῦντα - ἀντιλέγοντα]
See on John 3:36; see on Judges 1:11. Disobedience is the manifestation of the refractoriness expressed in gainsaying. Some explain gainsaying as contradicting. Compare Luke 13:34, Luke 13:35. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 10:21

Romans 15:31 Them that do not believe [τῶν ἀπειθούντων]
See on Romans 10:21. Better, Rev., them that are disobedient. [source]
Titus 1:9 The faithful word [του πιστου λογου]
See note on 1 Timothy 1:15; 1 Timothy 6:3; Romans 16:17. Some would see a reference here to Christ as the Personal Logos. That he may be able (ινα δυνατος ηι — hina dunatos ēi). Final clause with present active subjunctive. Paul several times uses δυνατος ειμι — dunatos eimi in the sense of δυναμαι — dunamai with infinitive as here (Romans 4:21; Romans 11:23; 2 Timothy 1:12). The gainsayers Present active participle of αντιλεγω — antilegō old word, to answer back, as in Romans 10:21. “The talkers back.” [source]
Titus 1:9 The gainsayers [τους αντιλεγοντας]
Present active participle of αντιλεγω — antilegō old word, to answer back, as in Romans 10:21. “The talkers back.” [source]
Titus 2:9 Well-pleasing [ευαρεστους]
See note on 2 Corinthians 5:9. Not gainsaying (mē antilegontas). “Not answer back.” See note on Romans 10:21. [source]
Titus 2:9 Not gainsaying [mē antilegontas)]
“Not answer back.” See note on Romans 10:21. [source]
Titus 1:9 The gainsayers [τοὺς ἀντιλέγοντας]
In Pastorals only here and Titus 2:9. Once in Paul, Romans 10:21, cit. Mostly in Luke and Acts. Gainsay, Angl. Sax. gegn (Germ. gegen ) “against,” and “say.” Wiclif, Luke 21:15: For I schal gyue to you mouth and wysdom, to whiche alle youre aduersaries schulen not mowe agenstonde, and agenseye.” [source]
Hebrews 1:6 And again, when he bringeth in, etc. [ὅταν δὲ πάλιν εἰσαγάγῃ]
Const. again with bringeth in. “When he a second time bringeth the first-begotten into the world.” Referring to the second coming of Christ. Others explain again as introducing a new citation as in Hebrews 1:5; but this would require the reading πάλιν δὲ ὅταν andagain, when. In Hebrews, πάλιν , when joined to a verb, always means a second time. See Hebrews 5:12; Hebrews 6:1, Hebrews 6:2. It will be observed that in this verse, and in Hebrews 5:7, Hebrews 5:8, God is conceived as spoken of rather than as speaking; the subject of λέγει saithbeing indefinite. This mode of introducing citations differs from that of Paul. The author's conception of the inspiration of Scripture leads him to regard all utterances of Scripture, without regard to their connection, as distinct utterances of God, or the Holy Spirit, or the Son of God; whereas, by Paul, they are designated either as utterances of Scripture in general, or of individual writers. Very common in this Epistle are the expressions, “God saith, said, spake, testifieth,” or the like. See Hebrews 2:11, Hebrews 2:13; Hebrews 3:7; Hebrews 4:4, Hebrews 4:7; Hebrews 7:21; Hebrews 10:5, Hebrews 10:8, Hebrews 10:15, Hebrews 10:30. Comp. with these Romans 1:17; Romans 2:24; Romans 4:17; Romans 7:7; Romans 9:13; Romans 10:5, Romans 10:16, Romans 10:20, Romans 10:21; Romans 11:2. Ὅταν εἰσαγάγῃ wheneverhe shall have brought. The event is conceived as occurring at an indefinite time in the future, but is viewed as complete. Comp. John 16:4; Acts 24:22. This use of ὅταν with the aorist subjunctive never describes an event or series of events as completed in the past. [source]
Jude 1:11 Went [επορευτησαν]
First aorist passive (deponent) indicative of πορευομαι — poreuomai the way of Cain Locative case οδωι — hodōi Cain is Jude‘s fourth example. Not in 2 Peter, but in Hebrews 11:4; 1 John 3:11. From Genesis 4:7.Ran riotously (εχεχυτησαν — exechuthēsan). First aorist passive indicative of εκχεω — ekcheō to pour out, “they were poured out,” vigorous metaphor for excessive indulgence. But it is used also of God‘s love for us (Romans 5:5).In the error of Balaam The fifth example in Jude. In 2 Peter also (2 Peter 2:15). Either locative case (in) or instrumental (by). Πλανη — Planē (in Peter also) is the common word for such wandering (Matthew 24:4., etc.).Perished (απωλοντο — apōlonto). Second aorist middle (intransitive) of απολλυμι — apollumi the gainsaying of Korah (τηι αντιλογιαι του Κορε — tēi antilogiāi tou Kore). Again either locative or instrumental. The word αντιλογια — antilogia is originally answering back (Hebrews 6:16), but it may be by act also (Romans 10:21) as here. This is the sixth example in Jude, not in 2 Peter. [source]
Jude 1:11 In the error of Balaam [τηι πλανηι του αλααμ]
The fifth example in Jude. In 2 Peter also (2 Peter 2:15). Either locative case (in) or instrumental (by). Πλανη — Planē (in Peter also) is the common word for such wandering (Matthew 24:4., etc.).Perished (απωλοντο — apōlonto). Second aorist middle (intransitive) of απολλυμι — apollumi the gainsaying of Korah (τηι αντιλογιαι του Κορε — tēi antilogiāi tou Kore). Again either locative or instrumental. The word αντιλογια — antilogia is originally answering back (Hebrews 6:16), but it may be by act also (Romans 10:21) as here. This is the sixth example in Jude, not in 2 Peter. [source]
Jude 1:11 Perished [απωλοντο]
Second aorist middle (intransitive) of απολλυμι — apollumi the gainsaying of Korah Again either locative or instrumental. The word αντιλογια — antilogia is originally answering back (Hebrews 6:16), but it may be by act also (Romans 10:21) as here. This is the sixth example in Jude, not in 2 Peter. [source]

What do the individual words in Romans 10:21 mean?

As for however - Israel he says All the day I have stretched out the hands of Me to a people disobeying and contradicting
Πρὸς δὲ τὸν Ἰσραὴλ λέγει Ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἐξεπέτασα τὰς χεῖράς μου πρὸς λαὸν ἀπειθοῦντα καὶ ἀντιλέγοντα

Πρὸς  As  for 
Parse: Preposition
Root: πρός  
Sense: to the advantage of.
δὲ  however 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
τὸν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰσραὴλ  Israel 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰσραήλ  
Sense: the name given to the patriarch Jacob (and borne by him in addition to his former name).
λέγει  he  says 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
ἡμέραν  day 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἡμέρα  
Sense: the day, used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise and sunset, as distinguished from and contrasted with the night.
ἐξεπέτασα  I  have  stretched  out 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐκπετάννυμι  
Sense: to spread out, stretch forth.
χεῖράς  hands 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: χείρ  
Sense: by the help or agency of any one, by means of any one.
μου  of  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
λαὸν  a  people 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: λαός  
Sense: a people, people group, tribe, nation, all those who are of the same stock and language.
ἀπειθοῦντα  disobeying 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀπειθέω  
Sense: not to allow one’s self to be persuaded.
ἀντιλέγοντα  contradicting 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀντιλέγω  
Sense: to speak against, gainsay, contradict.