“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?”
Parallel translations
- WEB “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”
- KJV For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
- ESV “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”
- NKJV “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?”
- NASB For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor?
- NLT For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice?
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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
No one has known the Lord's mind or served as his counselor.
Overview
Quoting Isaiah 40:13, Paul affirms that God's wisdom is utterly self-sufficient; he needs no advisor. This rebukes human pride that would presume to judge or instruct God. It calls the believer to trust God's saving plan even where it surpasses understanding.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Isa 40:13Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or informed Him as His counselor?
- 1 Cor 2:16“For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
- Job 15:8Do you listen in on the council of God or limit wisdom to yourself?
- Job 36:22Behold, God is exalted in His power. Who is a teacher like Him?
- Jer 23:18But which of them has stood in the council of the LORD to see and hear His word? Who has given heed to His word and obeyed it?
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 11:34 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.