Romans 4:19

Authorized King James Version

And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
καὶ
G2532
And
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
#2
μὴ
G3361
being not
(adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas g3756 expects an affirmative one)) whether
#3
ἀσθενήσας
G770
weak
to be feeble (in any sense)
#4
τῇ
G3588
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
#5
πίστει
G4102
in faith
persuasion, i.e., credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of god or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon christ
#6
οὐ
G3756
not
the absolute negative (compare g3361) adverb; no or not
#7
κατενόησεν
G2657
he considered
to observe fully
#8
τὸ
G3588
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
#9
ἑαυτοῦ
G1438
his own
(him- her-, it-, them-, my-, thy-, our-, your-)self (selves), etc
#10
σῶμα
G4983
body
the body (as a sound whole), used in a very wide application, literally or figuratively
#11
ἤδη
G2235
now
even now
#12
νενεκρωμένον
G3499
dead
to deaden, i.e., (figuratively) to subdue
#13
ἑκατονταετής
G1541
an hundred years old
centenarian
#14
που
G4225
about
as adverb of place, somewhere, i.e., nearly
#15
ὑπάρχων
G5225
when he was
to begin under (quietly), i.e., come into existence (be present or at hand); expletively, to exist (as copula or subordinate to an adjective, particip
#16
καὶ
G2532
And
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
#17
τὴν
G3588
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
#18
νέκρωσιν
G3500
the deadness
decease; figuratively, impotency
#19
τῆς
G3588
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
#20
μήτρας
G3388
womb
the matrix
#21
Σάῤῥας·
G4564
of Sara's
sarra (i.e., sarah), the wife of abraham

Analysis

Within the broader context of Romans, this passage highlights faith and obedience through simile or metaphorical language. The theological weight of faith connects to fundamental Christian doctrine about faith, contributing to our understanding of God's nature and relationship with humanity. This verse contributes to the book's overall argument by building upon previous themes while advancing the overall message of Romans.

Historical Context

The literary and historical milieu of Hellenistic epistolary literature with sophisticated theological argumentation shapes this text's meaning. The historical development of faith and obedience within the theological tradition of Romans Understanding a worldview shaped by both Jewish monotheism and Greco-Roman philosophical thought helps modern readers appreciate why the author emphasizes faith in this particular way.

Questions for Reflection

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