Romans 11:36 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

NIV: For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

NASB: For from Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

CSB: For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen.

NLT: For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

KJV: For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

NKJV: For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

Paul concludes Romans 11 and his hymn about God's vastness with this verse. Paul declares in no uncertain terms that the universe belongs to God, and we're simply living in it, and part of it.

Paul builds on the question he asked in the previous verse: Who has given anything to God valuable enough that God owes him something back? The answer is nobody. God doesn't owe us anything. In this verse, Paul explains why. Everything that is in the universe came from God to start with. He is the Creator and the source of all that is good. How could we ever give Him anything He doesn't already have?

Second, all things are through God. This means that not only is God the source of all things, He holds them together. He sustains everything that is. He is active and present in the work of keeping the universe running. All things that exist continue through Him.

Third, all things are to Him or for Him. In other words, everything that exists has been made for God's purposes. They all reflect glory back to Him. Nothing exists that doesn't serve His great plan and purpose for all things.

Paul finishes his hymn with statement of great worship: To God be glory forever. This is both a statement of fact and a prayer for its fulfillment. Glory will flow to God forever, and Paul affirms that is exactly as it should be in the form of a prayer. He ends this section of his letter with a formal "amen," meaning "so be it" or "let it be so."

Romans 11:33–36 is Paul's poetic, hymn-like praise of God and His amazing wisdom. He quotes Old Testament texts such as Isaiah and Job. The prior passage explained how God's intent for Israel came with some level of mystery. As limited, created people, we will never be able to fully grasp the mind of God. The proper response, when we realize how beyond our understanding He is, is praise and worship.

In Romans 11, Paul concludes his exploration of God's plan for His chosen people Israel. It's true that as a nation, Israel has rejected faith in Christ, but a remnant of Israelites has believed in Jesus. God has hardened the rest in unbelief, but will bring Israel back to faith when enough Gentiles have come to Him through Christ. Then many Israelites will trust in Christ, as well, and God will renew His covenant with His people. Paul concludes this section with a powerful poem or hymn about God's independence and how He is beyond our full comprehension.

Romans 11 concludes Paul's discussion about God's plan for the Israelites begun in Romans 9 and 10. Paul insists that, though Israel as a nation has rejected Christ, a remnant of Jewish Christians exists by God's grace. God has hardened the rest in their unbelief until enough Gentiles have come to Him through Christ. Then God will release Israel to believe in Christ and restore His covenant with her as many individual Jews come to faith in Christ, as well. Paul stands in awe of God's vast and unknowable mind and complete ownership of all things.

The book of Romans is the New Testament's longest, most structured, and most detailed description of Christian theology. Paul lays out the core of the gospel message: salvation by grace alone through faith alone. His intent is to explain the good news of Jesus Christ in accurate and clear terms. As part of this effort, Paul addresses the conflicts between law and grace, between Jews and Gentiles, and between sin and righteousness. As is common in his writing, Paul closes out his letter with a series of practical applications.