Romans 9:31

KJV

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

KJV (with Strong's)

But {G1161} Israel {G2474}, which followed {G1377} after the law {G3551} of righteousness {G1343}, hath {G5348} not {G3756} attained {G5348} to {G1519} the law {G3551} of righteousness {G1343}.

Complete Jewish Bible

However, Isra’el, even though they kept pursuing a Torah that offers righteousness, did not reach what the Torah offers.

Berean Standard Bible

but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.

American Standard Version

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

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Romans 9:31 encapsulates the tragic paradox of Israel's spiritual journey: despite their earnest and diligent pursuit of righteousness through adherence to the Mosaic Law, they ultimately failed to attain the very righteousness they sought. This verse serves as a pivotal statement in Paul's argument, explaining why a people so deeply devoted to God's covenant and law ultimately stumbled over the true path to righteousness, which is found in Christ through faith.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated within Paul's deeply emotional and theologically profound discourse in [Romans 9-11](/romans/9 "Romans 9-11 - Israel's Past, Present, and Future"), where he grapples with the perplexing question of Israel's present unbelief and future restoration. Having just affirmed God's sovereign right to choose whom He will ([Romans 9:6-13](/romans/9-6-13 "Romans 9:6-13 - God's Sovereign Choice")), Paul shifts his focus to Israel's human responsibility for their failure. [Romans 9:31](/romans/9-31 "Romans 9:31 - Israel's Failure to Attain Righteousness") immediately follows the assertion that Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained it by faith ([Romans 9:30](/romans/9-30 "Romans 9:30 - Gentiles Attain Righteousness by Faith")), setting up a stark contrast. It then leads directly into the explanation of Christ as the "stumbling stone" over whom Israel tripped ([Romans 9:32-33](/romans/9-32-33 "Romans 9:32-33 - Christ, the Stumbling Stone")). This verse is a crucial bridge, setting the stage for Paul's more explicit explanation of Israel's misguided zeal in [Romans 10:1-4](/romans/10-1-4 "Romans 10:1-4 - Israel's Ignorance of God's Righteousness").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In Paul's time, the Jewish people, particularly the Pharisees, held a profound reverence for the Mosaic Law and believed that diligent observance of its commandments was the path to righteousness and covenant faithfulness. Their national identity and relationship with God were intrinsically tied to the Law. There was a strong emphasis on meticulous adherence to its precepts, often leading to a system of works-righteousness where one's standing before God was perceived to be earned through personal effort and obedience. This cultural understanding meant that the idea of righteousness apart from the Law, received through faith, was a radical and often offensive concept, as it seemed to diminish the Law's importance and challenge their established religious framework. Paul, himself a former Pharisee, understood this mindset intimately, which makes his critique in [Romans](/romans/1 "The Book of Romans") particularly poignant.
* **Key Themes:** [Romans 9:31](/romans/9-31 "Romans 9:31 - Israel's Failure to Attain Righteousness") contributes significantly to several major themes within the book of Romans. Firstly, it highlights the **futility of righteousness by works**, demonstrating that human effort, no matter how zealous, cannot achieve the perfect righteousness God demands. Israel's failure underscores that zeal alone is insufficient if the method is flawed. Secondly, the verse implicitly contrasts the **Law as a means of salvation versus faith in Christ**. While the Law is holy and good, its purpose was to reveal sin and point to the need for a Savior, not to provide a means of earning salvation ([Galatians 3:24](/galatians/3-24 "Galatians 3:24 - The Law as a Guardian")). True righteousness is a divine gift, received by faith in Jesus Christ, as Paul elaborates throughout [Romans 3-5](/romans/3 "Romans 3 - Righteousness Through Faith"). Finally, this verse introduces the theme of **Israel's stumbling block**, foreshadowing the explicit identification of Christ as the stone over whom they stumbled because they sought righteousness "not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law" ([Romans 9:32](/romans/9-32 "Romans 9:32 - Israel Stumbles Over Christ")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Israel (Greek, _Israḗl'_):** This refers to the physical descendants of Jacob, the Jewish people, who were God's chosen covenant nation. Paul uses this term to specifically address his kinsmen, expressing his deep sorrow over their spiritual condition. The verse emphasizes that it was *Israel*, the people uniquely entrusted with God's law and promises, who failed to grasp the true path to righteousness.
* **followed (Greek, _diṓkō'_):** This verb means "to pursue (literally or figuratively); by implication, to persecute; to press forward." In this context, it denotes an eager, diligent, and even zealous pursuit. It highlights Israel's earnest effort and intense dedication to the "law of righteousness," underscoring that their failure was not due to a lack of effort but a misdirection of that effort. They ran the race, but on the wrong track.
* **law (Greek, _nómos'_):** This term refers to "law (through the idea of prescriptive usage), regulation, specially, (of Moses (including the volume); also of the Gospel), or figuratively (a principle)." Here, "the law of righteousness" can be understood as the Mosaic Law itself, perceived as the standard or means for achieving righteousness, or more broadly, the principle by which righteousness is attained. Paul's point is that Israel pursued righteousness *through* a system of law, rather than through faith.
* **righteousness (Greek, _dikaiosýnē'_):** From `dikaios`, meaning "equity (of character or act); specially (Christian) justification." This is a central theological concept for Paul, referring to a right standing before God. It encompasses both God's attribute of justice and the state of being declared just by God. The paradox of the verse is that Israel pursued this very quality but failed to "attain" it, because they sought it by works rather than by God's freely given justification.
* **attained (Greek, _phthánō'_):** This verb means "to be beforehand, i.e., anticipate or precede; by extension, to have arrived at." In this context, it signifies reaching a goal or arriving at a destination. Israel's failure is explicitly stated: they "hath not attained" the "law of righteousness," meaning they did not arrive at the righteous standing before God that they so diligently pursued.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness":** This clause sets up the central tension. It acknowledges Israel's earnest endeavor and their focus on "the law of righteousness," which likely refers to the Mosaic Law as the perceived path or standard for achieving a right standing with God. The term "followed after" (Gk. _diṓkō_) implies a zealous, even aggressive, pursuit, highlighting their commitment and effort.
* **"hath not attained to the law of righteousness":** This second clause delivers the shocking conclusion. Despite their fervent pursuit, Israel failed to reach the very goal they sought. The repetition of "the law of righteousness" emphasizes that their method, rooted in legalistic observance, was fundamentally incapable of securing the divine righteousness God requires. They pursued it *through* the law but did not arrive *at* the righteousness God provides.

#### Literary Devices
Romans 9:31 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its profound theological truth. The most prominent is **Paradox**, as it presents the seemingly contradictory situation of a people diligently pursuing righteousness yet failing to attain it. This paradox highlights the fundamental flaw in their approach. Closely related is **Irony**, where Israel's intense zeal for the Law, intended to bring them closer to God, actually became a stumbling block preventing them from embracing God's true path to righteousness. The **Repetition** of the phrase "the law of righteousness" (νόμον δικαιοσύνης) in both clauses serves to underscore the object of Israel's pursuit and the tragic irony of their failure to achieve it. This repetition emphasizes the direct connection between their method and their outcome.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Romans 9:31 is a cornerstone for understanding Paul's doctrine of justification by faith alone, apart from works of the law. It powerfully illustrates that human effort, even when sincerely directed towards God's commands, cannot achieve the righteousness that God demands and provides. Israel's failure to attain the "law of righteousness" demonstrates that a right standing before God is not earned through obedience to a legal code, but is a gift freely given by God through faith in Jesus Christ. This verse thus serves as a stark warning against any form of self-righteousness or reliance on human merit for salvation, directing all hope and trust to God's gracious provision.

* [Romans 3:20](/romans/3-20 "Romans 3:20 - No One Justified by Works of the Law")
* [Galatians 2:16](/galatians/2-16 "Galatians 2:16 - Justification by Faith in Christ")
* [Philippians 3:9](/philippians/3-9 "Philippians 3:9 - Righteousness from God by Faith")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Romans 9:31 offers a profound mirror for self-examination, challenging us to consider the foundation of our own hope for righteousness before God. It cautions against the insidious human tendency to rely on our own efforts, good deeds, moral performance, or religious observances as a means of earning God's favor or salvation. We are prone to "follow after" our own versions of "the law of righteousness," whether it's adherence to a particular set of rules, participation in religious rituals, or simply striving to be a "good person." This verse reminds us that such pursuits, while perhaps well-intentioned, are ultimately futile if they are not rooted in humble reliance on God's grace. True righteousness is not something we attain by striving, but something we receive by trusting. It compels us to abandon all self-sufficiency and embrace the liberating truth that our standing before God is solely based on the perfect righteousness of Christ, imputed to us by faith.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life do I tend to "follow after" righteousness through my own efforts rather than by faith?**
* **How does understanding Israel's failure in Romans 9:31 deepen my appreciation for God's grace in salvation?**
* **What practical steps can I take to shift my focus from earning God's favor to resting in His freely given righteousness through Christ?**

### FAQ
**What does "the law of righteousness" mean in this verse?**

Answer: The phrase "the law of righteousness" (Greek: _nomon dikaiosynes_) can be understood in a couple of ways, both pointing to the same conclusion. It can refer to the Mosaic Law itself, which Israel pursued as the means or standard for achieving righteousness. In this sense, they sought righteousness by meticulously obeying the Law. Alternatively, it can refer to the principle or system by which righteousness is attained. Paul's point is that Israel pursued righteousness through a legalistic framework, attempting to earn it by their own obedience to the Law, rather than by submitting to God's way of righteousness through faith ([Romans 10:3](/romans/10-3 "Romans 10:3 - Israel's Ignorance of God's Righteousness")). Their failure was not in pursuing righteousness, but in the method of their pursuit.

**Why did Israel fail to attain the law of righteousness, despite their zealous pursuit?**

Answer: Israel failed because they sought righteousness by works of the Law rather than by faith in Christ. As Paul explains in the very next verse, "they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed" ([Romans 9:32-33](/romans/9-32-33 "Romans 9:32-33 - Christ, the Stumbling Stone")). They misunderstood the purpose of the Law, viewing it as a means to earn salvation rather than as a guide to reveal sin and point to the need for a Savior ([Galatians 3:24](/galatians/3-24 "Galatians 3:24 - The Law as a Guardian")). Their pursuit was sincere and zealous, but it was fundamentally misdirected, attempting to establish their own righteousness instead of submitting to God's righteousness, which is revealed in Christ ([Romans 10:3-4](/romans/10-3-4 "Romans 10:3-4 - Christ is the End of the Law for Righteousness")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Romans 9:31, while lamenting Israel's failure, implicitly points to the glorious fulfillment of righteousness in Jesus Christ. Israel's inability to "attain to the law of righteousness" through their own efforts underscores the universal human condition of being unable to meet God's perfect standard. Christ, however, perfectly fulfilled the Law, not for His own sake, but as the representative of humanity. He is the "end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth" ([Romans 10:4](/romans/10-4 "Romans 10:4 - Christ, the End of the Law")). Where Israel pursued and failed, Christ achieved and offers. His perfect obedience and sacrificial death on the cross provide the righteousness that humanity desperately needs but cannot earn. Through faith in Him, believers are clothed with His righteousness, receiving a right standing before God that is entirely apart from works of the Law ([Philippians 3:9](/philippians/3-9 "Philippians 3:9 - Righteousness from God by Faith")). Thus, Christ is the answer to the paradox of [Romans 9:31](/romans/9-31 "Romans 9:31 - Israel's Failure to Attain Righteousness"), offering the true and only path to the righteousness that God demands and graciously provides, bringing to fruition what Israel could not achieve through their own striving. He is the "righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe" ([Romans 3:22](/romans/3-22 "Romans 3:22 - The Righteousness of God Through Faith")).

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

Romans 11:7

What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded

Romans 3:20

Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin.

Galatians 5:3

For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

Galatians 5:4

Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

James 2:10

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one [point], he is guilty of all.

James 2:11

For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

Romans 10:2

For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.