Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Neither, because they are Abraham’s offspring, are they all children. But, “your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac.”
- KJV Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
- ESV and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”
- NKJV nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.”
- NASB nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but: “through Isaac your descendants shall be named.”
- NLT Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,” though Abraham had other children, too.
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
Being Abraham's physical offspring does not automatically make one his true child, for God specified that the line of promise runs through Isaac. Descent alone does not secure the promise.
Overview
Paul illustrates the principle of v. 6 from Abraham's own family. Though Abraham had other offspring (such as Ishmael), God declared that the covenant line would be reckoned through Isaac (Genesis 21:12). Thus God himself, by sovereign choice, distinguished the children of promise from mere physical descendants, establishing that election, not biology, defines the people of God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Gen 21:12But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to everything that Sarah tells you, for through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.
- Heb 11:18even though God had said to him, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”
- John 8:37–39I know you are Abraham’s descendants, but you are trying to kill Me because My word has no place within you.
- Gal 4:23His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise.
- Luke 3:8Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
- Phil 3:3For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—
- Luke 16:24–25So he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. For I am in agony in this fire.’
- Luke 16:30‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone is sent to them from the dead, they will repent.’
- John 8:33“We are Abraham’s descendants,” they answered. “We have never been slaves to anyone. How can You say we will be set free?”
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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 9:7 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.