Read & explore together
Israel’s Unbelief
This passage compares Gentiles and Israel to explain how righteousness is attained. It centres on faith, the failure to arrive through seeking by works of the law, and a quoted promise about believing in him.
Understanding the passage
The setting of these words
These verses are written as teaching in a letter. The writer asks, “What shall we say then?” and answers by comparing Gentiles and Israel. He explains why one group attained righteousness and the other did not, then supports his point with a written quotation about a stumbling stone in Zion.
Romans 9:30–33Main takeaway
This passage teaches that righteousness is attained by faith, while seeking it by works of the law leads to stumbling over the one spoken of in the quotation.
Follow the letter’s teaching
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Gentiles attained righteousness by faithThe passage begins with a surprising conclusion. The Gentiles were not following after righteousness, yet they attained righteousness.
Explanation
The passage begins with a surprising conclusion. The Gentiles were not following after righteousness, yet they attained righteousness. The writer immediately defines what he means: it is “the righteousness which is of faith”. The emphasis falls on the kind of righteousness attained and the way it is received.
02Israel pursued but did not arriveThe contrast is sharp. Israel was following after “a law of righteousness”, yet did not arrive at “the law of righteousness”.
Explanation
The contrast is sharp. Israel was following after “a law of righteousness”, yet did not arrive at “the law of righteousness”. The wording highlights a difference between pursuing something and reaching it. In this verse, serious effort and pursuit are not the same as attaining the goal described.
03The reason: not by faithThe next verse asks why Israel did not arrive and then answers plainly. They “didn’t seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law”.
Explanation
The next verse asks why Israel did not arrive and then answers plainly. They “didn’t seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law”. In this passage, faith and works of the law are set in contrast as two different ways of seeking righteousness.
04A stumbling stone and a promiseThe explanation ends with the image of stumbling. They “stumbled over the stumbling stone”, and the quotation says, “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense”.
Explanation
The explanation ends with the image of stumbling. They “stumbled over the stumbling stone”, and the quotation says, “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense”. The same quotation also gives a promise: “no one who believes in him will be disappointed.”
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What exact phrase describes the righteousness the Gentiles attained?
Look at the end of Romans 9:30 and answer with the wording used there.
02Why does the passage say Israel did not arrive at the law of righteousness?
Use the direct explanation in Romans 9:32, where faith is contrasted with works of the law.
03What two ideas appear together in the quotation about the stone?
Notice both the warning words and the promise in Romans 9:33.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Romans 9:30–33
30What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who didn’t follow after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith;
31but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, didn’t arrive at the law of righteousness.
32Why? Because they didn’t seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,
33even as it is written, “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense; and no one who believes in him will be disappointed.”