Romans - 8:37



37 No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Romans 8:37.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
But in all these things we overcome, because of him that hath loved us.
But in all these things we more than conquer through him that has loved us.
But in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us.
but in all these we more than conquer, through him who loved us;
Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who has loved us.
But we are able to overcome all these things and more through his love.
Yet amid all these things we more than conquer through him who loved us!
Sed in iis omnibus supervincimus per eum qui dilexit nos.

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

We do more than conquer, etc.; that is, we always struggle and emerge. I have retained the word used by Paul, [1] though not commonly used by the Latins. It indeed sometimes happens that the faithful seem to succumb and to lie forlorn; and thus the Lord not only tries, but also humbles them. This issue is however given to them, -- that they obtain the victory. That they might at the same time remember whence this invincible power proceeds, he again repeats what he had said before: for he not only teaches us that God, because he loves us, supports us by his hand; but he also confirms the same truth by mentioning the love of Christ. [2] And this one sentence sufficiently proves, that the Apostle speaks not here of the fervency of that love which we have towards God, but of the paternal kindness of God and of Christ towards us, the assurance of which, being thoroughly fixed in our hearts, will always draw us from the gates of hell into the light of life, and will sufficiently avail for our support.

Footnotes

1 - "Supervincimus" -- hupernikomen; Beza's version is, amplius quam victores sumus;" Macknight's, "we do more than overcome;" Schleusner gives this as one of his explanations, "plenissime vincimus -- we most fully overcome." Paul commonly uses huper in an enhansive sense; so the version may be, "we abundantly overcome," as though he said, "We have strength given us which far exceeds the power of evils." Some say that the faithful abundantly overcome, because they sustain no real loss, but like silver in the furnace, they lose only their dross; and not only so, but they also carry, as it were from the field of battle, chapter spoils -- the fruits of holiness and righteousness. Hebrews 12:10,11. It is further said, that the victory will be this, -- that Christ, who has loved them, will raise them from death and adorn them with that glory, with which all the evils of this life are not worthy to be compared. Beza says, "Not only we are not broken down by so many evils nor despond, but we even glory in the cross." -- Ed.

2 - "Per eum qui dilexit nos -- dia tou agapesantos hemas -- through him who has loved us." The aorist participle, says Wolfius, extends to every time, "who has loved and loves and will love us." From the fact that believers are overcome by no calamities, he draws the inference, that God's love is constant and most effectual, so that he is present with the distressed to give them courage, to strengthen their patience, and to moderate their calamities. See 1-Peter 5:10. -- Ed.

Nay - But. Notwithstanding our severe pressures and trials.
In all these things - In the very midst of them; while we are enduring them we are able to triumph; compare 1-Corinthians 15:57.
We are more than conquerors - We gain the victory. That is, they have not power to subdue us; to alienate our love and confidence; to produce apostasy. We are the victors, not they. Our faith is not destroyed; our love is not diminished; our hope is not blasted. But it is not simple victory; it is not mere life, and continuance of what we had before; it is more than simple triumph; it augments our faith, increases our strength, expands our love to Christ. The word used here is a strong, emphatic expression, such as the apostle Paul often employs (compare 2-Corinthians 4:17), and which is used with great force and appropriateness here.
Through him - Not by their own strength or power. It was by the might of the Saviour, and by his power pledged to them, and confirmed by the love evinced when he gave himself for them; compare Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me."

Nay - as the prophet adds in the same place, all this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee, nor dealt falsely in thy covenant, Romans 8:17, Romans 8:18, so all these things may happen unto us; but in all these things we are more than conquerors; We abide faithful in the new covenant of our God; and He is faithful who has promised to support and make us more than conquerors; i.e. to give us a complete triumph over sin, and death, and hell, not leaving one enemy unsubdued.

(r) Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
(r) We not only overcome so great and many miseries and calamities, but are also more than conquerors in all of them.

Nay, in all these things,.... The former words being inserted in a parenthesis, these are an answer to the question in Romans 8:35, "what shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation?" &c. "nay", it shall not, nor any of the other things mentioned: "in all these things"; afflictions, distresses, persecutions, famine, nakedness, sword, or any other thing of the same kind:
we are more than conquerors; not only over sin and Satan, but the world, the reproaches, afflictions, and persecutions of it; which they cheerfully and courageously undergo, insomuch that they are not only conquerors, but "more than conquerors": they have above overcome, they have exceedingly the better of it; for they not only patiently bear afflictions and persecutions, but they glory in them; their experience, faith, and joy, are often increased by them; they have sometime solicited, and even wearied their persecutors; they have got the victory with ease, over Satan and his hellish emissaries, by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony: but this is not owing to themselves, or through their own strength, but
through him that loved us; meaning either God the Father, whose love is mentioned in the following verses, or rather the Lord Jesus Christ; and so some copies express it, "through Christ that loved us": "through him", who has got the victory over all his and his people's enemies, and makes them sharers in his conquests; "through him", who is able to help them, and has strength sufficient to carry them through, and brings them off more than conquerors; who has loved them, still loves them, and whose love engages his power to stand by them and protect them against all their enemies.

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us--not, "We are so far from being conquered by them, that they do us much good" [HODGE]; for though this be true, the word means simply, "We are pre-eminently conquerors." See on Romans 5:20. And so far are they from "separating us from Christ's love," that it is just "through Him that loved us" that we are victorious over them.

We more than conquer - We are not only no losers, but abundant gainers, by all these trials. This period seems to describe the full assurance of hope.

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