Tag Archives: Romans 9:6

Οὐχ οἷον δὲ ὅτι ἐκπέπτωκεν ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ. οὐ γὰρ πάντες οἱ ἐξ Ἰσραήλ, οὗτοι Ἰσραήλ, (Romans 9:6) When Theology Hides in the Missing Verb

Romans 9:6 is short, sharp, and syntactically explosive. Paul defends the integrity of God’s word: Οὐχ οἷον δὲ ὅτι ἐκπέπτωκεν ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ — “But it is not as though the word of God has failed.” But what follows is a clause of both mystery and meaning:

οὐ γὰρ πάντες οἱ ἐξ Ἰσραήλ, οὗτοι Ἰσραήλ

Where is the verb? There is none. And yet the statement stands firm. Paul uses a verbless clause — a structure common in Koine Greek — to make a profound theological distinction.… Learn Koine Greek