Romans 9:30

KJV

¶ What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.

KJV (with Strong's)

What {G5101} shall we say {G2046} then {G3767}? That {G3754} the Gentiles {G1484}, which {G3588} followed {G1377} not {G3361} after righteousness {G1343}, have attained {G2638} to righteousness {G1343}, even {G1161} the righteousness {G1343} which {G3588} is of {G1537} faith {G4102}.

Complete Jewish Bible

So, what are we to say? This: that Gentiles, even though they were not striving for righteousness, have obtained righteousness; but it is a righteousness grounded in trusting!

Berean Standard Bible

What then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;

American Standard Version

What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who followed not after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith:

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Romans 9:30 introduces a profound theological paradox at the heart of Paul's argument concerning Israel's rejection and Gentile inclusion: the Gentiles, who were not actively pursuing righteousness through the Mosaic Law, surprisingly attained a right standing with God, a righteousness that is received solely through faith. This verse sets the stage for Paul's explanation of why Israel, despite zealously pursuing righteousness, ultimately stumbled, while the Gentiles, unexpectedly, found salvation.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Romans 9:30 marks a pivotal transition within Paul's extended discourse in chapters 9-11, where he addresses the perplexing question of Israel's present unbelief in Christ and its implications for God's faithfulness to His covenant promises. Having established God's sovereign prerogative in election (e.g., the choice of Jacob over Esau in [Romans 9:6-13](/romans/9-6-13 "God's Sovereign Choice")), Paul shifts from the theological foundation of election to the practical reality of Israel's current spiritual state. This verse, posed as a rhetorical question, serves as a direct summary of the surprising outcome: Gentiles, who were not seeking righteousness through the Law, attained it, whereas Israel, who diligently pursued it, did not. It anticipates the detailed explanation in [Romans 9:31-33](/romans/9-31-33 "Israel's Stumbling Block") and [Romans 10:1-4](/romans/10-1-4 "Israel's Zeal Without Knowledge") regarding Israel's misdirected zeal.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In the first century, the Jewish people, as God's chosen covenant nation, largely understood righteousness as adherence to the Mosaic Law, including its ceremonial and moral precepts. This pursuit often led to a form of self-righteousness, where one's standing before God was perceived to be based on personal merit and obedience. Gentiles, on the other hand, were outside this covenant framework, often viewed by Jews as "sinners" and "unclean." The early Christian movement, originating within Judaism, faced significant challenges in integrating Gentile believers without requiring full adherence to Jewish law. Paul's letters, particularly Romans, address this tension, asserting that God's plan of salvation was always broader than ethnic Israel and that true righteousness is not achieved through works of the Law but through faith in Christ, a concept revolutionary to many Jewish contemporaries and foundational for the inclusion of Gentiles into the nascent church.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully encapsulates several overarching themes in Romans. Foremost is the theme of **righteousness by faith**, a cornerstone of Paul's theology, which posits that a right standing before God is a divine gift received through belief in Jesus Christ, entirely apart from human effort or legalistic observance. This contrasts sharply with the pursuit of **righteousness by works of the Law**, which Paul argues is ultimately futile for salvation (cf. [Romans 3:20](/romans/3-20 "No One Justified by the Law")). The verse also highlights the **inclusion of the Gentiles** into God's saving plan, an unexpected and gracious act that defied traditional Jewish expectations and demonstrated the universal scope of God's redemptive purpose, foreshadowed in passages like [Isaiah 49:6](/isaiah/49-6 "A Light for the Gentiles"). Furthermore, it implicitly underscores **God's sovereignty and grace**, as He extends salvation freely to those who do not "follow after" it in human terms, revealing His unconventional methods that transcend human merit and expectation.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Gentiles (Greek, _éthnos'_):** From G1484, meaning "a race (as of the same habit), i.e. a tribe; specially, a foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually, by implication, pagan)." In this context, it refers specifically to non-Jewish peoples, highlighting their status as outsiders to the Mosaic covenant and its legal requirements for righteousness.
* **followed (Greek, _diṓkō'_):** From G1377, meaning "to pursue (literally or figuratively); by implication, to persecute." Here, it carries the sense of actively striving, earnestly seeking, or diligently pursuing a goal. The negative "followed not" emphasizes that the Gentiles were not engaged in the Jewish pursuit of righteousness through legal observance.
* **righteousness (Greek, _dikaiosýnē'_):** From G1343, meaning "equity (of character or act); specially (Christian) justification." This is a crucial term, referring to a state of being declared just or right in God's sight. Paul consistently uses it to denote the divine righteousness that God imputes to believers, rather than a humanly achieved moral perfection.
* **attained (Greek, _katalambánō'_):** From G2638, meaning "to take eagerly, i.e. seize, possess, etc. (literally or figuratively); apprehend, attain, come upon, comprehend, find, obtain, perceive, (over-)take." In this context, it signifies the successful acquisition or grasp of righteousness, implying that the Gentiles, despite not pursuing it by works, nevertheless came into possession of it.
* **faith (Greek, _pístis'_):** From G4102, meaning "persuasion, i.e. credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly, constancy in such profession; by extension, the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself." Here, it denotes the active trust and reliance upon God and His provision in Christ as the means by which righteousness is received.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"What shall we say then?":** This is a classic Pauline **rhetorical question**, serving as a transition and a dramatic way to introduce a profound theological conclusion. Paul often uses such questions to anticipate objections or to draw the reader's attention to a significant point he is about to make, signaling a summary or a new line of argument.
* **"That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness,":** This clause describes the unexpected recipients of righteousness. The Gentiles, by definition, were not under the Mosaic Law and therefore were not engaged in the Jewish pursuit of righteousness through legalistic observance or ritual purity. Their spiritual condition was one of not actively seeking a right standing with God through human effort.
* **"have attained to righteousness,":** This is the surprising outcome. Despite their lack of pursuit through works, the Gentiles successfully "seized" or "obtained" righteousness. This highlights the radical nature of God's grace, which bestows righteousness irrespective of prior human merit or effort.
* **"even the righteousness which is of faith.":** This final phrase clarifies the *nature* and *source* of the righteousness attained by the Gentiles. It is not a righteousness earned by works, but one that originates "out of" or "from" faith. This is the core of Paul's gospel: justification is by grace through faith in Christ, a divine imputation rather than a human achievement.

#### Literary Devices
Romans 9:30 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its profound message. The opening phrase, "**Rhetorical Question**" ("What shall we say then?"), immediately engages the reader, signaling a crucial point of summary and transition. This device creates anticipation and allows Paul to introduce a seemingly contradictory truth. The verse then presents a striking "**Paradox**": the Gentiles, who "followed not after righteousness," nevertheless "have attained to righteousness." This unexpected reversal of roles—those not seeking finding, and by implication, those seeking (Israel) not finding—underscores the unconventional nature of God's saving work. Furthermore, the verse uses "**Contrast**" between the Gentiles' lack of pursuit ("followed not after righteousness") and their ultimate attainment of it ("have attained to righteousness"), setting up the subsequent contrast with Israel's zealous but misdirected pursuit. The phrase "righteousness which is of faith" serves as a concise "**Definition**" or "**Explanation**," clarifying the unique nature of the righteousness being discussed and emphasizing its source in faith rather than works.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Romans 9:30 is a foundational statement for understanding the nature of salvation in the New Covenant. It decisively shifts the paradigm from a righteousness based on human performance of the Law to one freely given by God through faith. This truth dismantles any notion of human merit as a basis for God's favor, asserting that God's saving grace is extended universally to all who believe, regardless of their ethnic or religious background. It underscores that God's ways are not man's ways, often subverting human expectations and demonstrating His sovereign freedom to save whom He wills, on His terms. The verse thus serves as a powerful theological bridge, connecting the historical reality of Gentile inclusion to the core doctrine of justification by faith, a theme Paul elaborates on throughout his epistles.

* [Romans 3:21-22](/romans/3-21-22 "Righteousness Through Faith")
* [Philippians 3:9](/philippians/3-9 "Righteousness from God by Faith")
* [Galatians 2:16](/galatians/2-16 "Justified by Faith in Christ")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Romans 9:30 challenges us to re-evaluate the basis of our standing before God. It confronts the inherent human tendency to earn or achieve righteousness through our own efforts, good works, religious rituals, or moral uprightness. The surprising truth that Gentiles, who were not pursuing righteousness through the Law, attained it through faith, serves as a profound reminder that salvation is a gift of God's grace, not a reward for human striving. This should cultivate deep humility and gratitude within us, recognizing that our acceptance by God is solely dependent on Christ's perfect work and our trust in Him. It also broadens our perspective on God's reach, reminding us that His grace extends beyond our preconceived notions of who is "worthy" or "religious enough," calling us to embrace and welcome all who come to Christ by faith. Ultimately, this verse compels us to examine where our hope for righteousness truly lies: in our own performance, or in the perfect, imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, received by faith alone.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what ways might I, like ancient Israel, be tempted to pursue righteousness through my own efforts or religious performance, rather than resting in Christ's finished work?**
* **How does the unexpected inclusion of the Gentiles challenge my own preconceived notions about who God extends His grace to, and how might this impact my evangelistic efforts or my welcome of others into the church?**
* **What does it truly mean for me to live by "the righteousness which is of faith" in my daily life, and how can I grow in my reliance on Christ's righteousness rather than my own?**

### FAQ
**What is the "righteousness which is of faith" that the Gentiles attained?**

Answer: The "righteousness which is of faith" (Greek: _dikaiosýnē ek písteōs_) refers to a divine declaration of "not guilty" or "just" that God imputes to individuals who place their trust in Jesus Christ. It is not a righteousness earned through human effort, adherence to the Mosaic Law, or moral perfection, but rather a perfect legal standing before God that is freely given by grace and received through faith. This concept is central to Paul's theology, particularly in Romans, where he argues that all humanity, both Jew and Gentile, are under sin and cannot achieve righteousness through their own works (see [Romans 3:9-20](/romans/3-9-20 "All Under Sin")). Therefore, God provides a way for humanity to be declared righteous through faith in Christ's atoning sacrifice, as elaborated in [Romans 3:21-26](/romans/3-21-26 "Righteousness Through Faith in Jesus Christ")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Romans 9:30 finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is the embodiment and source of the "righteousness which is of faith." The Gentiles, who "followed not after righteousness," attained it because Christ, through His perfect obedience, sacrificial death, and resurrection, became the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes ([Romans 10:4](/romans/10-4 "Christ is the End of the Law")). He perfectly fulfilled all the demands of God's righteousness on humanity's behalf, and then, through His atoning sacrifice, bore the penalty for sin, enabling God to be both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus ([Romans 3:26](/romans/3-26 "God's Righteousness Through Faith")). Thus, the righteousness attained by the Gentiles is not their own, but Christ's righteousness imputed to them by faith. This highlights the radical grace of God in Christ, who broke down the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile, making one new humanity reconciled to God through the cross ([Ephesians 2:14-16](/ephesians/2-14-16 "Christ Our Peace")). In Christ, the surprising inclusion of the Gentiles, and indeed all who believe, into God's family becomes the glorious demonstration of God's sovereign plan to save by grace through faith, apart from any human merit or ethnic privilege.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Philippians 3:9

¶ And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Hebrews 11:7

By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Romans 4:11

And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which [he had yet] being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

Galatians 2:16

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Romans 10:6

But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down [from above:])

Romans 10:20

But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.

Isaiah 51:1

¶ Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock [whence] ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit [whence] ye are digged.