The Meaning of Romans 9:31 Explained

Romans 9:31

KJV: But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

YLT: and Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, at a law of righteousness did not arrive;

Darby: But Israel, pursuing after a law of righteousness, has not attained to that law.

ASV: but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But  Israel,  which followed  after the law  of righteousness,  hath  not  attained  to  the law  of righteousness. 

What does Romans 9:31 Mean?

Study Notes

righteousness
Scofield " Romans 10:3 ".

Context Summary

Romans 9:25-33 - Stumbling Over The Cornerstone
There has been a notable transference of privilege from the Jew to the Gentile believer. This is not due to fickleness on God's part, but to a fatal defect in the Hebrew people. The vessel that was marred in the potter's hand suffered not from the clumsiness of the potter, but from some inherent flaw in the clay. The Chosen People stumbled over the law of faith and rejected their Messiah. The Gentiles, on the other hand, have exercised faith in Him, and have thereby attained a justifying righteousness. There is no caprice with God, "neither shadow that is cast by turning," James 1:17. Any apparent change in His dealings is determined by our attitude toward Him.
Jesus is a stone of stumbling to the blind, but all who confide in Him and rest on Him shall not be put to shame. God has laid the foundation of our salvation deep in the waters of death and judgment. In the death of Christ He condemned sin in the flesh, and now we who are built into Him, as a stone is clamped to the foundation, shall rest secure when the last great storms sweep over land and sea. [source]

Chapter Summary: Romans 9

1  Paul is sorry for the Jews
7  All of Abraham not of the promise
18  God's sovereignty
25  The calling of the Gentiles and rejecting of the Jews, foretold
32  The cause of their stumbling

Greek Commentary for Romans 9:31

Did not arrive at that law [εις νομον ουκ επτασεν]
First aorist active indicative of πτανω — phthanō old verb to anticipate (1 Thessalonians 4:15), now just to arrive as here and 2 Corinthians 10:14. The word “that” is not in the Greek. Legal righteousness Israel failed to reach, because to do that one had to keep perfectly all the law. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 9:31

Romans 10:4 The end of the law [τελος νομου]
Christ put a stop to the law as a means of salvation (Romans 6:14; Romans 9:31; Ephesians 2:15; Colossians 2:14) as in Luke 16:16. Christ is the goal or aim of the law (Galatians 3:24). Christ is the fulfilment of the law (Matthew 5:17; Romans 13:10; 1 Timothy 1:5). But here (Denney) Paul‘s main idea is that Christ ended the law as a method of salvation for “every one that believeth” whether Jew or Gentile. Christ wrote finis on law as a means of grace. [source]
Romans 9:30 Attained [κατέλαβεν]
See on perceived, Acts 4:13, and see on taketh, Mark 9:18; see on John 1:5. Compare attained ( ἔφθασεν , Romans 9:31). Rev., arrive at. See on Matthew 12:28. The meaning is substantially the same, only the imagery in the two words differs; the former being that of laying hold of a prize, and the latter of arriving at a goal. The latter is appropriate to following after, and is carried out in stumbling (Romans 9:32). [source]
1 Thessalonians 2:16 Is come [ἔφθασεν]
The verb not frequent in N.T. and used mostly by Paul. See on 2 Corinthians 10:14, and comp. Romans 9:31; Philemon 3:16. [source]
2 Timothy 2:22 Follow [δίωκε]
Pursue. Stronger than follow. A favorite word with Paul to denote the pursuit of moral and spiritual ends. See Romans 9:30, Romans 9:31; Romans 12:13; 1 Corinthians 14:1; Philemon 3:12. [source]
Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace [εἰρήνην διώκετε]
Comp. lxx, Romans href="/desk/?q=ro+14:19&sr=1">Romans 14:19; 1 Peter 3:11. The verb is used of the pursuit of moral and spiritual ends, Romans 9:30, Romans 9:31; Romans 12:13; 1 Corinthians 14:1; Philemon 3:12, Philemon 3:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:15; 1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:22. [source]

What do the individual words in Romans 9:31 mean?

Israel however pursuing a law of righteousness to [that] law not did attain
Ἰσραὴλ δὲ διώκων νόμον δικαιοσύνης εἰς νόμον οὐκ ἔφθασεν

Ἰσραὴλ  Israel 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰσραήλ  
Sense: the name given to the patriarch Jacob (and borne by him in addition to his former name).
δὲ  however 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
διώκων  pursuing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: διώκω  
Sense: to make to run or flee, put to flight, drive away.
νόμον  a  law 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: νόμος  
Sense: anything established, anything received by usage, a custom, a law, a command.
δικαιοσύνης  of  righteousness 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: δικαιοσύνη  
Sense: in a broad sense: state of him who is as he ought to be, righteousness, the condition acceptable to God.
νόμον  [that]  law 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: νόμος  
Sense: anything established, anything received by usage, a custom, a law, a command.
ἔφθασεν  did  attain 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: φθάνω  
Sense: to come before, precede, anticipate.