The Meaning of Romans 15:12 Explained

Romans 15:12

KJV: And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.

YLT: and again, Isaiah saith, 'There shall be the root of Jesse, and he who is rising to rule nations -- upon him shall nations hope;'

Darby: And again, Esaias says, There shall be the root of Jesse, and one that arises, to rule over the nations: in him shall the nations hope.

ASV: And again, Isaiah saith, There shall be the root of Jesse, And he that ariseth to rule over the Gentiles; On him shall the Gentiles hope.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  again,  Esaias  saith,  There shall be  a root  of Jesse,  and  he that shall rise  to reign over  the Gentiles;  in  him  shall  the Gentiles  trust. 

What does Romans 15:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Romans 15:1-13 - Following Christ In Pleasing Others
This chapter is remarkable for its threefold designation of God. The God of patience and comfort, Romans 15:5; the God of hope, Romans 15:13; and the God of peace, Romans 15:33. Our character may be deficient in these things, but His fullness is there for us to draw upon. There is no stint or lack for those to whom He says, "Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine."
We must always be on the lookout for the weak, the heavy-laden, and the downcast. Let us help them with their burdens, anxieties, fears, and questionings-imparting to them something of our cheery hope. Never pleasing ourselves; merciful to others; though merciless in the standard and criticism we apply to our own conduct; comforting ourselves with the Word of God, that we may be able to impart these divine consolations to others. Where such conditions are realized, life becomes a dream of heaven actualized in flesh and blood. But we must fulfill the injunctions of Romans 15:9-13, rejoicing in praise and abounding in hope. The outlook on the earth-side may be dark and depressing, but uncurtain your windows toward God-see, the land is light. [source]

Chapter Summary: Romans 15

1  The strong must bear with the weak
2  We must not please ourselves;
3  for Christ did not so;
7  but receive one another, as Christ did us all;
8  both Jews and Gentiles;
15  Paul excuses his writing;
28  and promises to see them;
30  and requests their prayers

Greek Commentary for Romans 15:12

The root [η ριζα]
Rather here, as in Revelation 5:5; Revelation 22:16, the sprout from the root. From Isaiah 11:10. [source]
On him shall the Gentiles hope [επ αυτωι ετνη ελπιουσιν]
Attic future of ελπιζω — elpizō for the usual ελπισουσιν — elpisousin f0). [source]
Root []
See on Nazarene, Matthew 2:23. Root is a sprout from the root. [source]
He that shall rise to reign []
Rev., that ariseth to reign. Literally from the Septuagint. Ariseth to reign is a paraphrase of the Hebrew stands as banner. Bengel says: “There is a pleasant contrast: the root is in the lowest place, the banner rises highest, so as to be seen even by the remotest nations.” [source]
Shall - hope []
So Septuagint, which is a free rendering of the Hebrew seek or resort to. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 15:12

Romans 15:13 The God of hope [ο τεος της ελπιδος]
Taking up the idea in Romans 15:12 as in Romans 15:5 from Romans 15:4. [source]
1 Timothy 4:10 We trust in [ἠλπίκαμεν ἐπὶ]
Better, have set our hope on. The verb with ἐπὶ in Pastorals, in Paul, Romans 15:12, a citation, and in 1 Peter 1:13. [source]
1 Timothy 4:10 We labour [κοπιωμεν]
Both Pauline words. Because we have set our hope (οτι ελπικαμεν — hoti elpikamen). Perfect active indicative of ελπιζω — elpizō (Romans 15:12). Saviour of all men See note on 1 Timothy 1:1 for σωτηρ — sōtēr applied to God as here. Not that all men “are saved” in the full sense, but God gives life (1 Timothy 6:13) to all (Acts 17:28). Specially of them that believe (μαλιστα πιστων — malista pistōn). Making a distinction in the kinds of salvation meant. “While God is potentially Saviour of all, He is actually Saviour of the πιστοι — pistoi ” (White). So Jesus is termed “Saviour of the World” (John 4:42). Cf. Galatians 6:10. [source]
1 Timothy 4:10 and strive [και αγωνιζομετα]
Both Pauline words. Because we have set our hope (οτι ελπικαμεν — hoti elpikamen). Perfect active indicative of ελπιζω — elpizō (Romans 15:12). Saviour of all men See note on 1 Timothy 1:1 for σωτηρ — sōtēr applied to God as here. Not that all men “are saved” in the full sense, but God gives life (1 Timothy 6:13) to all (Acts 17:28). Specially of them that believe (μαλιστα πιστων — malista pistōn). Making a distinction in the kinds of salvation meant. “While God is potentially Saviour of all, He is actually Saviour of the πιστοι — pistoi ” (White). So Jesus is termed “Saviour of the World” (John 4:42). Cf. Galatians 6:10. [source]
1 Timothy 4:10 Because we have set our hope [οτι ελπικαμεν]
Perfect active indicative of ελπιζω — elpizō (Romans 15:12). [source]
1 John 3:3 Hope []
John's only reference to Christian hope. The phrase used here, to have the hope upon one, is unique in the New Testament. Compare ἐπ ' αὐτῷ ἔθνη ἐλπιοῦσιν “on Him shall the Gentiles hope” (Romans 15:12): ἠλπίκαμεν ἐπὶ Θεῷ ζῶντι “we have hoped on the living God” (1 Timothy 4:10). On the force of ἔχων , see on John 16:22. [source]

What do the individual words in Romans 15:12 mean?

And again Isaiah says There will be the root - of Jesse the [One] arising to rule over Gentiles in Him [the] Gentiles will hope
Καὶ πάλιν Ἠσαΐας λέγει Ἔσται ῥίζα τοῦ Ἰεσσαί ἀνιστάμενος ἄρχειν ἐθνῶν ἐπ’ αὐτῷ ἔθνη ἐλπιοῦσιν

πάλιν  again 
Parse: Adverb
Root: πάλιν  
Sense: anew, again.
Ἠσαΐας  Isaiah 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἠσαί̈ας  
Sense: a famous Hebrew prophet who prophesied in the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.
λέγει  says 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
Ἔσται  There  will  be 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
ῥίζα  root 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ῥίζα  
Sense: a root.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰεσσαί  of  Jesse 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰεσσαί  
Sense: the father of David the king.
  the  [One] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀνιστάμενος  arising 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀναπηδάω 
Sense: to cause to rise up, raise up.
ἄρχειν  to  rule  over 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active
Root: ἄρχω  
Sense: to be chief, to lead, to rule.
ἐθνῶν  Gentiles 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root: ἔθνος  
Sense: a multitude (whether of men or of beasts) associated or living together.
ἔθνη  [the]  Gentiles 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: ἔθνος  
Sense: a multitude (whether of men or of beasts) associated or living together.
ἐλπιοῦσιν  will  hope 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἐλπίζω  
Sense: to hope.