Romans 9:31
New International Version
but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal.

New Living Translation
But the people of Israel, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded.

English Standard Version
but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law.

Berean Standard Bible
but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.

Berean Literal Bible
but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not attain to that law.

King James Bible
But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

New King James Version
but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness.

New American Standard Bible
however, Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.

NASB 1995
but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.

NASB 1977
but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.

Legacy Standard Bible
but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not attain that law.

Amplified Bible
whereas Israel, [though always] pursuing the law of righteousness, did not succeed in fulfilling the law.

Christian Standard Bible
But Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not achieved the righteousness of the law.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But Israel, pursuing the law for righteousness, has not achieved the righteousness of the law.

American Standard Version
but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.

English Revised Version
but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The people of Israel tried to gain God's approval by obeying Moses' Teachings, but they did not reach their goal.

Good News Translation
while God's people, who were seeking a law that would put them right with God, did not find it.

International Standard Version
But Israel, who pursued righteousness based on the Law, did not achieve the Law.

Majority Standard Bible
but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.

NET Bible
but Israel even though pursuing a law of righteousness did not attain it.

New Heart English Bible
but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.

Webster's Bible Translation
But Israel, who followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

Weymouth New Testament
while the descendants of Israel, who were in pursuit of a Law that could give righteousness, have not arrived at one.

World English Bible
but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, didn’t arrive at the law of righteousness.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at a law of righteousness;

Berean Literal Bible
but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not attain to that law.

Young's Literal Translation
and Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, at a law of righteousness did not arrive;

Smith's Literal Translation
And Israel following the law of justice, reached not the law of justice.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But Israel, by following after the law of justice, is not come unto the law of justice.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Yet truly, Israel, though following the law of justice, has not arrived at the law of justice.

New American Bible
but that Israel, who pursued the law of righteousness, did not attain to that law?

New Revised Standard Version
but Israel, who did strive for the righteousness that is based on the law, did not succeed in fulfilling that law.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But Israel, who followed after the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But Israel that had run after The Written Law of righteousness did not obtain the Law of righteousness?
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
but Israel, who sought after a law of justification, has not attained to a law of justification.

Godbey New Testament
but Israel, following after the law, did not attain unto the law of righteousness.

Haweis New Testament
But Israel, pursuing after the law of righteousness, hath not come up to the law of righteousness.

Mace New Testament
but Israel, who followed the law of justice, hath not attained to the law of justice.

Weymouth New Testament
while the descendants of Israel, who were in pursuit of a Law that could give righteousness, have not arrived at one.

Worrell New Testament
but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, did not attain to such a law.

Worsley New Testament
but Israel, who followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness: why?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Israel's Unbelief
30What then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. 32Why not? Because their pursuit was not by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,…

Cross References
Galatians 5:4
You who are trying to be justified by the law have been severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.

Galatians 3:10-12
All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” / Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” / The law, however, is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.”

Philippians 3:9
and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.

Hebrews 4:2
For we also received the good news just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, since they did not share the faith of those who comprehended it.

Galatians 2:16
know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

Romans 10:3
Because they were ignorant of God’s righteousness and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

Romans 3:20
Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin.

Romans 7:10
So I discovered that the very commandment that was meant to bring life actually brought death.

Romans 11:7
What then? What Israel was seeking, it failed to obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened,

Matthew 5:20
For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 23:23
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

Luke 18:9-14
To some who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt, He also told this parable: / “Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. / The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. ...

John 5:39-40
You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me, / yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.

Isaiah 64:6
Each of us has become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.

Isaiah 65:2-3
All day long I have held out My hands to an obstinate people who walk in the wrong path, who follow their own imaginations, / to a people who continually provoke Me to My face, sacrificing in the gardens and burning incense on altars of brick,


Treasury of Scripture

But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness.

followed.

Romans 9:30-32
What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith…

Romans 10:2-4
For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge…

Galatians 3:21
Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

hath.

Romans 3:20
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Romans 4:14,15
For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: …

Romans 11:7
What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded

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Romans 9
1. Paul is sorry for the Jews.
7. All of Abraham not of the promise.
18. God's sovereignty.
25. The calling of the Gentiles and rejecting of the Jews, foretold.
32. The cause of their stumbling.














but Israel
Israel refers to the descendants of Jacob, also known as the Israelites or the Jewish people. In the context of Romans, Paul is addressing the nation of Israel, which had a special covenant relationship with God. Historically, Israel was chosen to be God's people, receiving the Law through Moses at Mount Sinai. This covenant relationship is central to understanding Israel's pursuit of righteousness. The nation of Israel is often seen as a type of the Church, with its history serving as a foreshadowing of the spiritual journey of believers.

who pursued a law of righteousness
The phrase "pursued a law of righteousness" indicates Israel's attempt to achieve righteousness through adherence to the Mosaic Law. The Law, given in the Old Testament, was intended to guide Israel in living a life pleasing to God. However, the Law also highlighted human inability to achieve perfect righteousness on their own. This pursuit reflects a misunderstanding of the purpose of the Law, which was to point to the need for a Savior. The pursuit of righteousness through the Law is contrasted with the righteousness that comes by faith, as seen in the lives of Abraham and other patriarchs.

has not attained it
Despite their efforts, Israel did not attain the righteousness they sought. This failure is not due to the Law itself but to the reliance on human effort rather than faith. The concept of attaining righteousness is central to Paul's argument in Romans, where he emphasizes that true righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ, not through works of the Law. This echoes the prophetic writings, such as Isaiah 64:6, which declare that human righteousness is like "filthy rags" before God. The inability to attain righteousness through the Law underscores the necessity of Christ's atoning sacrifice, fulfilling the Law and providing the means for true righteousness through faith.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Israel
Refers to the nation of Israel, God's chosen people, who were given the Law through Moses and sought righteousness through adherence to it.

2. The Law
The Mosaic Law, which includes the commandments and ordinances given to Israel, intended to guide them in righteousness.

3. Righteousness
The state of being morally right or justifiable, which Israel sought through the Law but did not achieve.
Teaching Points
The Limitation of the Law
The Law was never intended to be the ultimate means of achieving righteousness. It serves to reveal sin and point to the need for a Savior.

The Pursuit of Righteousness
True righteousness cannot be attained through human effort or adherence to the Law. It is a gift from God, received through faith in Jesus Christ.

The Danger of Self-Righteousness
Like Israel, we can fall into the trap of trying to earn God's favor through our own efforts. We must rely on Christ's righteousness, not our own.

Faith Over Works
Emphasize the importance of faith in Christ as the means to righteousness, rather than relying on works or legalistic adherence to rules.

Reflecting on Our Pursuits
Encourage believers to examine their own lives and consider whether they are pursuing righteousness through faith or through their own efforts.(31) Israel, on the other hand, though ostensibly pursuing a law the object of which was righteousness, did not reach such a law. They tried to keep the Law, but failed to keep it, and to bring themselves under its protection. The second "righteousness" is omitted in the best MSS.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
but
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

Israel,
Ἰσραὴλ (Israēl)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2474: Of Hebrew origin; Israel, the adopted name of Jacob, including his descendants.

who pursued
διώκων (diōkōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1377: To pursue, hence: I persecute. A prolonged form of a primary verb dio; to pursue; by implication, to persecute.

a law
νόμον (nomon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3551: From a primary nemo; law, genitive case, specially, (including the volume); also of the Gospel), or figuratively.

of righteousness,
δικαιοσύνης (dikaiosynēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1343: From dikaios; equity; specially justification.

has not attained
ἔφθασεν (ephthasen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5348: Apparently a primary verb; to be beforehand, i.e. Anticipate or precede; by extension, to have arrived at.

[it].
νόμον (nomon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3551: From a primary nemo; law, genitive case, specially, (including the volume); also of the Gospel), or figuratively.


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NT Letters: Romans 9:31 But Israel following after a law (Rom. Ro)
Romans 9:30
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