The Meaning of Romans 8:31 Explained

Romans 8:31

KJV: What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

YLT: What, then, shall we say unto these things? if God is for us, who is against us?

Darby: What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who against us?

ASV: What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

What  shall we  then  say  to  these things?  If  God  [be] for  us,  who  [can be] against  us? 

What does Romans 8:31 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The key to the believer"s security is that, "God is for us." What He has done for us through His Son in the past and what He is doing for us through the Spirit in the present should give us confidence. He will certainly complete His work of salvation by glorifying us in the future (cf. Philippians 1:6). Nobody and nothing can stand in His way.

Context Summary

Romans 8:31-39 - No Separation From Christ's Love
This is the close of the Apostle's argument. He has shown that believers are dear to God because they are in Christ; that their every need has been anticipated and provided for; that their guilt has been canceled and provision made for their holy and victorious character; that the Holy Spirit is in them and with them forever; that sin is under their feet and heaven over their heads-what, then, have they to fear?
Paul then goes on to show that the love of God is unaffected by even the most extreme changes of our condition-neither death, nor life, Romans 8:38. That it is undiverted from us by any other order of beings, whether angels, principalities, or powers. That it is universally present throughout creation. And finally, that this love is in Christ Jesus our Lord. But in order to know and experience this love, we must be united to the Lord Jesus by a living faith. Then we shall be more than conquerors, that is, we shall not only be victorious, but shall get spoil out of the very things that have hurt us. [source]

Chapter Summary: Romans 8

1  Those who are in Christ are free from condemnation
5  What harm comes of the flesh;
13  and what good of the Spirit
19  The glorious deliverance the creation longs for,
29  was beforehand decreed from God
38  Nothing can sever us from his love

Greek Commentary for Romans 8:31

For these things [προς ταυτα]
From Romans 8:12 on Paul has made a triumphant presentation of the reasons for the certainty of final sanctification of the sons of God. He has reached the climax with glorification But Paul lets the objector have his say as he usually does so that in Romans 8:31-39 he considers the objections. [source]
If God is for us, who is against us? [ει ο τεος υπερ ημων τις κατ ημων]
This condition of the first class carries Paul‘s challenge to all doubters. There is no one on a par with God. Note the two prepositions in contrast (κατα — huper over, kata down or against). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 8:31

Romans 4:1 What shall we say? [τι ἐροῦμεν]
See Romans 4:1; Romans 6:1; Romans 7:7; Romans 8:31; Romans 9:14, Romans 9:30. The phrase anticipates an objection or proposes an inference. It is used by Paul only, and by him only in this Epistle and in its argumentative portions. It is not found in the last five chapters, which are hortatory. [source]
Romans 4:1 What then shall we say? [τι ουν ερουμεν]
Paul is fond of this rhetorical question (Romans 4:1; Romans 6:1; Romans 7:7; Romans 8:31; Romans 9:14, Romans 9:30). [source]
Romans 8:31 For these things [προς ταυτα]
From Romans 8:12 on Paul has made a triumphant presentation of the reasons for the certainty of final sanctification of the sons of God. He has reached the climax with glorification But Paul lets the objector have his say as he usually does so that in Romans 8:31-39 he considers the objections. [source]
James 2:13 Glorieth against [κατακαυχαται]
Present middle indicative of the old compound verb κατακαυχαομαι — katakauchaomai to exult over (down), in N.T. only here, James 3:14; Romans 11:18. Only mercy can triumph over justice with God and men. “Mercy is clothed with the divine glory and stands by the throne of God” (Chrysostom). See Romans 8:31-39; Matthew 9:13; Matthew 12:7. [source]
1 John 2:1 That ye may not sin [ινα μη αμαρτητε]
Purpose (negative) clause with ινα μη — hina mē and the second aorist (ingressive, commit sin) active subjunctive of αμαρτανω — hamartanō to sin. John has no patience with professional perfectionists (1 John 1:8-10), but he has still less with loose-livers like some of the Gnostics who went to all sorts of excesses without shame.If any man sin (εαν τις αμαρτηι — ean tis hamartēi). Third-class condition with εαν — ean and second aorist (ingressive) active subjunctive again, “if one commit sin.”We have Present active indicative of εχω — echō in the apodosis, a present reality like εχομεν — echomen in 2 Corinthians 5:1.An advocate (παρακλητον — paraklēton). See note on John 14:16, and John 14:26; and note on John 15:26; and John 16:7 for this word, nowhere else in the N.T. The Holy Spirit is God‘s Advocate on earth with men, while Christ is man‘s Advocate with the Father (the idea, but not the word, in Romans 8:31-39; Hebrews 7:25). As δικαιος — dikaios (righteous) Jesus is qualified to plead our case and to enter the Father‘s presence (Hebrews 2:18). [source]
1 John 2:1 We have [εχομεν]
Present active indicative of εχω — echō in the apodosis, a present reality like εχομεν — echomen in 2 Corinthians 5:1.An advocate (παρακλητον — paraklēton). See note on John 14:16, and John 14:26; and note on John 15:26; and John 16:7 for this word, nowhere else in the N.T. The Holy Spirit is God‘s Advocate on earth with men, while Christ is man‘s Advocate with the Father (the idea, but not the word, in Romans 8:31-39; Hebrews 7:25). As δικαιος — dikaios (righteous) Jesus is qualified to plead our case and to enter the Father‘s presence (Hebrews 2:18). [source]
1 John 2:1 An advocate [παρακλητον]
See note on John 14:16, and John 14:26; and note on John 15:26; and John 16:7 for this word, nowhere else in the N.T. The Holy Spirit is God‘s Advocate on earth with men, while Christ is man‘s Advocate with the Father (the idea, but not the word, in Romans 8:31-39; Hebrews 7:25). As δικαιος — dikaios (righteous) Jesus is qualified to plead our case and to enter the Father‘s presence (Hebrews 2:18). [source]

What do the individual words in Romans 8:31 mean?

What then will we say to these things If - God [is] for us who [can be] against
Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν πρὸς ταῦτα εἰ Θεὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν τίς καθ’

ἐροῦμεν  will  we  say 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to utter, speak, say.
ταῦτα  these  things 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεὸς  God  [is] 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
ἡμῶν  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
τίς  who  [can  be] 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: τίς  
Sense: who, which, what.
καθ’  against 
Parse: Preposition
Root: κατά 
Sense: down from, through out.