And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”
Parallel translations
- KJV And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
- BSB And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
- NKJV And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
- NASB But how are they to preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”
- NLT And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Preachers cannot proclaim unless they are sent, and Scripture celebrates the beautiful feet of those who bring good news. God sends messengers to carry the gospel of peace.
Overview
Completing the chain of v. 14, Paul notes that preaching requires sending, and he quotes Isaiah 52:7 to honor those who bring glad tidings. The beauty of the messengers lies in their message of peace and good things, ultimately the gospel of Christ. This verse undergirds the sending work of the church and reminds believers that gospel proclamation is both necessary and honorable in God's eyes.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 25
- Isa 52:7How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
- Nah 1:15Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace! Keep your feasts, Judah! Perform your vows, for the wicked one will no more pass through you. He is utterly cut off.
- Eph 2:17He came and preached peace to you who were far off and to those who were near.
- Matt 28:18–20Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.
- Eph 6:15and having fitted your feet with the preparation of the Good News of peace;
- Isa 61:1The Lord Yahweh’s Spirit is on me; because Yahweh has anointed me to preach good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to those who are bound;
- Isa 40:9You who tell good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who tell good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with strength. Lift it up. Don’t be afraid. Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold, your God!”
- Eph 3:8To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
- Eph 4:11–12He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers;
- Jer 23:32Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams,” says Yahweh, “who tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their vain boasting; yet I didn’t send them, nor command them; neither do they profit this people at all,” says Yahweh.
- 1 Pet 1:12To them it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to you, they ministered these things, which now have been announced to you through those who preached the Good News to you by the Holy Spirit sent out from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.
- Acts 9:15But the Lord said to him, “Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel.
- Acts 13:2–4As they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them.”
- Isa 57:19I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace, to him who is far off and to him who is near,” says Yahweh; “and I will heal them.”
- Luke 10:1Now after these things, the Lord also appointed seventy others, and sent them two by two ahead of him into every city and place, where he was about to come.
- Luke 2:14“Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.”
- John 20:21Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”
- Luke 2:10The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.
- Acts 13:26Brothers, children of the stock of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, the word of this salvation is sent out to you.
- Matt 9:38Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers into his harvest.”
- 2 Cor 5:18–20But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation;
- Acts 22:21“He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you out far from here to the Gentiles.’”
- 1 Cor 12:28–29God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various kinds of languages.
- Luke 8:1Soon afterwards, he went about through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of God’s Kingdom. With him were the twelve,
- Acts 10:36The word which he sent to the children of Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ — he is Lord of all —
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Paul unfolds the gospel in full: Christ our righteousness received by faith, the second Adam in whom many are made righteous, in whose death and resurrection we are buried and raised.
How Romans 10:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.