Ὅσα γὰρ προεγράφη, εἰς τὴν ἡμετέραν διδασκαλίαν προεγράφη, ἵνα διὰ τῆς ὑπομονῆς καὶ τῆς παρακλήσεως τῶν γραφῶν τὴν ἐλπίδα ἔχωμεν. (Romans 15:4)
For whatever was written beforehand was written for our instruction, in order that through the endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Exegetical Analysis
Paul begins with a generalizing relative clause: ὅσα γὰρ προεγράφη — “For whatever was written beforehand.” The verb προεγράφη (aorist passive of προγράφω) occurs twice in the verse, stressing prior inscription — a deliberate record in sacred history. The repetition underscores Scripture’s enduring intentionality. These writings, though ancient, were not sealed off from the present.
The purpose of this prior writing is then made explicit: εἰς τὴν ἡμετέραν διδασκαλίαν — “for our instruction.” The possessive ἡμετέραν (our) personalizes the audience; Paul is writing to Roman believers, but the principle applies to all believers. The noun διδασκαλία implies not just information, but moral formation, spiritual direction, and theological grounding.
The clause introduced by ἵνα expresses the intended result: ἵνα διὰ τῆς ὑπομονῆς καὶ τῆς παρακλήσεως τῶν γραφῶν τὴν ἐλπίδα ἔχωμεν — “in order that through the endurance and encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” The double genitive phrase τῆς ὑπομονῆς καὶ τῆς παρακλήσεως describes the means by which hope arises. ὑπομονή refers to steadfastness under pressure; παράκλησις refers to consolation, comfort, or exhortation.
Both of these, Paul says, are mediated through the Scriptures: τῶν γραφῶν. The genitive is likely subjective — Scripture is both the source and vehicle of endurance and encouragement. The clause ends with τὴν ἐλπίδα ἔχωμεν — “we might have hope.” The present subjunctive ἔχωμεν under ἵνα denotes an ongoing experiential outcome — Scripture fuels not mere optimism, but eschatological and theological hope.
Interpreting the Sacred Patterns
Paul is writing in a pastoral context, urging unity between Jewish and Gentile believers (cf. Rom 15:1–3), and he appeals to Scripture as a formational authority. The phrase προεγράφη… προεγράφη is not casual; it defines the character of the written Word as eternally relevant, designed for the instruction of God’s people even before they existed.
This verse does not present Scripture as a distant artifact but as living pedagogy. Instruction (διδασκαλία) is never isolated; it is always aimed toward the formation of character and community. Paul shows that the Scriptures are not only retrospective but prospective — written with the future in view.
The combination of ὑπομονή and παράκλησις forms a theology of perseverance. Scripture comforts not by fantasy, but by forming a people who endure. And from this dual formation — a tenacity shaped by the text, and consolation breathed through it — arises ἐλπίς, the confident expectation of God’s redemptive outcome.
Where Word Meets Worship
This verse reframes how we approach the Old Testament. These texts — psalms of lament, stories of exile, covenants made and broken — were written for us, not merely preserved. Scripture is not relic but revelation, designed to shape the heart and stabilize the soul.
In worship, Romans 15:4 teaches us that the text is not just about the past but about the present journey toward glory. Through the Scriptures, we are both stretched by hardship (ὑπομονή) and comforted in that stretching (παράκλησις). The result? ἐλπίς — the same hope that anchors the soul (cf. Rom 5:4–5; Heb 6:19).
Paul invites the Church to immerse itself in the narratives and patterns of God’s dealings with His people. Those stories are not closed — they are our story, and in them we find the God who still speaks, still strengthens, still saves.
Exegetical Feature Table
| Greek Word | Form | Lexical Meaning | Interpretive Role | Exegetical Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| προεγράφη | Aorist Passive Indicative, 3rd Singular | “was written beforehand” | Main verb (twice) | Refers to OT Scripture recorded for future generations; intentionality |
| διδασκαλίαν | Accusative Feminine Singular | “instruction, teaching” | Purpose clause object | Implies moral, theological, and communal formation |
| ὑπομονῆς | Genitive Feminine Singular | “endurance, perseverance” | Means of hope | Developed through engagement with Scripture |
| παρακλήσεως | Genitive Feminine Singular | “encouragement, comfort” | Means of hope | Scripture is the source and vehicle of consolation and exhortation |
| ἔχωμεν | Present Active Subjunctive, 1st Plural | “we might have” | Result clause | Hope is the ongoing, desired result of scriptural formation |
The Scriptures Were Written for You
Romans 15:4 reminds the Church that Scripture is not frozen history. It was written with us in mind. The same words that sustained the exiles, comforted David, and warned Pharaoh were designed to shape the Church’s journey in the last days.
We do not read Scripture merely for inspiration, but for formation — for instruction that presses us into patient endurance and fills us with comforting hope. And from that furnace of trial and encouragement emerges a people of ἐλπίς, who trust not in circumstance, but in the God who writes, speaks, and saves.
The scroll is open. The stories are ours. And through them, hope is born again.
