The Meaning of Romans 10:13 Explained

Romans 10:13

KJV: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

YLT: for every one -- whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, he shall be saved.'

Darby: For every one whosoever, who shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be saved.

ASV: for, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  whosoever  shall call upon  the name  of the Lord  shall be saved. 

What does Romans 10:13 Mean?

Study Notes

saved
.
salvation
The Heb. and (Greek - ἀλεκτοροφωνία , safety, preservation, healing, and soundness). Salvation is the great inclusive word of the Gospel, gathering into itself all the redemptive acts and processes: as justification, redemption, grace, propitiation, imputation, forgiveness, sanctification, and glorification. Salvation is in three tenses:
(1) The believer has been saved from the guilt and penalty of sin Luke 7:50 ; 1 Corinthians 1:18 ; 2 Corinthians 2:15 ; Ephesians 2:5 ; Ephesians 2:8 ; 2 Timothy 1:9 and is safe.
(2) the believer is being saved from the habit and dominion of sin Romans 6:14 ; Philippians 1:19 ; Philippians 2:12 ; Philippians 2:13 ; 2 Thessalonians 2:13 ; Romans 8:2 ; Galatians 2:19 ; Galatians 2:20 ; 2 Corinthians 3:18 .
(3) The believer is to be saved in the sense of entire conformity to Christ. Romans 13:11 ; Hebrews 10:36 ; 1 Peter 1:5 ; 1 John 3:2 . Salvation is by grace through faith, is a free gift, and wholly without works; Romans 3:27 ; Romans 3:28 ; Romans 4:1-8 ; Romans 6:23 ; Ephesians 2:8 . The divine order is: first salvation, then works; Ephesians 2:9 ; Ephesians 2:10 ; Titus 3:5-8 .

Verse Meaning

The "Lord" of Joel 2:32 is the same as the "Lord Jesus Christ." Peter also appealed to Joel 2:32 in his Pentecost sermon for the same reason Paul did here ( Acts 2:21). Both apostles wanted to show that the door of salvation is open to everyone. When the elect call on God they are responding to His calling of them ( Romans 8:28-30). The only prayer of an unbeliever that God has promised to answer is this prayer for salvation, though He sometimes graciously answers other prayers that they pray.
Possibly Paul had a more restricted concept of salvation in mind in this verse.
"This verse ( Romans 10:13) is a quotation from Joel 2:32 and refers to the physical deliverance from the future day of wrath upon the earth and the restoration of the Jews to Palestine and not deliverance from hell." [1]

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 10:13

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Paul here quotes Joel 3:5 ( Joel 2:32 , lxx). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 10:13

Romans 10:14 How then shall they call? [πως ουν επικαλεσωνται]
Deliberative subjunctive (first aorist middle) of επικαλεομαι — epikaleomai (see Romans 10:12, Romans 10:13). The antecedent of εις ον — eis hon (in whom) is not expressed. [source]
2 Corinthians 1:23 I call God for a record [τὸν Θεὸν ἐπικαλοῦμαι]
Rev., better, witness. A common classical idiom. Compare Plato: “Next will follow the choir of young men under the age of thirty, who will call upon the god Paean to testify to the truth of these words” (“Laws,” 664). Homer: “For the gods will be the best witnesses” (“Iliad,” xxii., 254). Compare Romans 1:9; Galatians 1:20; Philemon 1:8; 1 Thessalonians 2:5, 1 Thessalonians 2:10; Genesis 31:50, Sept. This particular form of expression occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. The verb is often translated appeal, as Acts 25:11, Acts 25:12. Also to call upon, in the sense of supplication, Romans 10:12, Romans 10:13, Romans 10:14; 1 Corinthians 1:2. [source]
2 Timothy 2:22 Call on the Lord [ἐπικαλουμένων τὸν κύριον]
A Pauline phrase, only here in Pastorals. See Romans 10:12, Romans 10:13, Romans 10:14; 1 Corinthians 1:2. See also Acts 2:21; Acts 9:14; Acts 22:16. [source]

What do the individual words in Romans 10:13 mean?

Whoever for that - shall call upon the name of [the] Lord will be saved
Πᾶς γὰρ ὃς ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου σωθήσεται

Πᾶς  Whoever 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: πᾶς  
Sense: individually.
ὃς  that 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
ἂν  - 
Parse: Particle
Root: ἄν  
Sense: has no exact English equivalent, see definitions under AV.
ἐπικαλέσηται  shall  call  upon 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐπικαλέω  
Sense: to put a name upon, to surname.
ὄνομα  name 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ὄνομα  
Sense: name: univ.
Κυρίου  of  [the]  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
σωθήσεται  will  be  saved 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐκσῴζω 
Sense: to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction.

What are the major concepts related to Romans 10:13?

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