Romans 9:21

¹⁹ Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?

²⁰ Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

²² What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

²³ And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Does not the potter have the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special occasions and another for common use?
KJV: Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
WEB: Or hasn’t the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel for honor, and another for dishonor?
ASV: Or hath not the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?
DARBY: Or has not the potter authority over the clay, out of the same lump to make one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour?
BLB: Or does the potter not have authority over the clay to make out of the same lump the one vessel indeed for honor, but the one for dishonor?

ÅB: Har ikke pottemakeren makt over leiren, så han av samme klump kan lage et kar til ære, og et annet til vanære?
OTB: Har ikke pottemakeren myndighet til å forme fra den samme leirklumpen noen kar til spesielle formål og noen til vanlig bruk?
B1930: Eller har ikke pottemakeren makt over leret, så han av samme deig kan arbeide det ene kar til ære, det andre til vanære?

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Isaiah 64:8
But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
Read in context
2 Timothy 2:20–21
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
Read in context
Proverbs 16:4
The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
Read in context
Jeremiah 18:3–6
Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
Read in context
Acts 9:15
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Read in context
Romans 9:22–23
What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
Read in context
Romans 9:11
(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
Read in context
Romans 9:18
Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
Read in context