an interrogative pronoun · interrogative pronoun — accusative singular neuter
we
ἐρέωeréō
G2046
an alternate for G2036 (ἔπω) in certain tenses
then
οὖνoun
G3767
(adverbially) certainly · conjunction
say
ἐρέωeréō
G2046
an alternate for G2036 (ἔπω) in certain tenses
to
πρὸςpros
G4314
a preposition of direction · preposition
things
ταῦταtaûta
G5023
these things
If
εἰei
G1487
if · conditional particle
God
θεὸςtheos
G2316
figuratively · noun — nominative singular masculine, a title
for
ὑπὲρhuper
G5228
"over" · preposition
us
ἡμῶνhēmōn
G2257
of (or from) us
who
τίςtis
G5101
an interrogative pronoun · interrogative pronoun — nominative singular masculine
against
καθ᾽kath᾽
G2596
(prepositionally) down (in place or time) · preposition
us
ἡμῶνhēmōn
G2257
of (or from) us
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Psalms 118:6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
Jeremiah 1:19 And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.
Psalms 56:11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is t…
Jeremiah 20:11 But the LORD is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly…
Psalms 56:4 In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
Psalms 27:1-3 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Romans 8:31–end
The apostle closes this excellent discourse upon the privileges of believers with a holy triumph, in the name of all the saints. Having largely set forth the mystery of God's love to us in Christ, and the exceedingly great and precious privileges we enjoy by him, he concludes like an orator: What shall we then say to these things? What use shall we make of all that has been said? He speaks as one amazed and swallowed up with the contemplation and admiration of it, wondering at the height and depth, and length and breadth, of the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge. The more we know of other things the less we wonder at them; but the further we are led into an acquaintance with gospel mys…
What shall we then say to these things?--"We can no farther go, think, wish" [BENGEL]. This whole passage, to Rom 8:34, and even to the end of the chapter, strikes all thoughtful interpreters and readers, as transcending almost every thing in language, while OLSHAUSEN notices the "profound and colossal" character of the thought.
If God be for us, who can be against us?--If God be resolved and engaged to bring us through, all our enemies must be His; and "Who would set the briers and thorns against Him in battle? He would go through them. He would burn them together" (Isa 27:4). What strong consolation is here! Nay, but the great Pledge of all has already been given; for,
Adam Clarke on Romans 8:31
What shall we then say to these things? - What conclusion should we draw from the above premises? From all that was already laid down in the preceding chapters, but especially in the preceding verses, from Rom 8:28-30 inclusive. As if he had said: What comfort may we derive from these doctrines? God has called us all to holiness, and to love to him, which is the principle of holiness. We are persecuted and despised, it is true, and we may be more so; but, as God has called us to love him, and all things work together for good to them that love him; and, as his covenant with Abraham, while he was in his Gentile state, shows his gracious purpose towards us Gentiles, whom he has foreknown, who…
Who would dare attack us when the Judge himself has foreknown us and pronounced us to be suitable?
Paul wants to show that nobody can keep those who love God and who are loved by God from attaining the glory which has been promised, because the perfect love which is in them casts out every reason for mortal fear.
"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?" How God is for us is plain from the things which he has set forth above — that is, that the Spirit of God dwells in us, and that the Spirit of Christ, or Christ himself, is in us; or that the Spirit of him who raised Christ from the dead dwells in us; or that we are led by the Spirit of God; or that we have received the spirit of adoption; or that we are sons of God and heirs and coheirs of Christ; or that we receive the firstfruits of the Spirit; or that the Spirit himself intercedes for us with unutterable groanings; or that the whole creation groans together with us and suffers together with us; or that all things work together for good to us who love God; or that we have been called according to his purpose, and foreknown, and predestined, and justified, and glorified. For making, as it were, an epilogue of all these things, and at the same time gathering them all up again, he says: "What then shall we say to these things?" — that is, to all these things which we have said above; for if God is for us in such a way as to have granted us all these things, who will be able to be against us? Not that he says there is no adversary at all to us; otherwise, how will that stand which was said by Peter: "Your adversary the devil goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour"? But this is what he shows: that when God acts on our behalf, our adversary is made contemptible and comes to nothing. Similarly David also says: "The Lord is my light and my Saviour, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?" He does not therefore say that there is no one whom he fears and who opposes him, but although, he says, "my enemies who trouble me draw near against me to eat my flesh," nevertheless, since the Lord defends my life, "they were weakened and fell."
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Fellowship — (1.) With God, consisting in the knowledge of his will (Job 22:21; John 17:3); agreement with his designs (Amos 3:2); mutual affection (Rom. 8: 38, 39); enjoyment of his presence (Ps. 4:6);…
Justification · 23:6; — 23:6;
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
John Gill on Romans 8:31
What shall we then say to these things? &c. Either to these afflictions, shall we murmur and repine at them? no, since they work together for our good, and are not to be compared with our future glory, which is certain; for if we suffer with, and for Christ, we shall be glorified together: or to these blessings just now mentioned, as the foreknowledge of God, divine predestination, effectual calling, free justification, and eternal glorification, what can be said to these? nothing can be added to them, they are a complete set of blessings, wanting nothing; nor can the greatness of them be fully expressed, or the freeness of God's grace displayed in them, sufficiently declared: what remains f…
Romans 8:31-34
31. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
31. Quid ergo dicemus ad h?c? [271] Si Deus pro nobis, quis contra nos?
32. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
32. Qui propno Filio non pepercit, sed pro nobis omnibus tradidit, quomodo non etiam cum eo donaret nobis omnia?
33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
33. Quis intentabit crimina [272] adversus electos Dei? Deus est qui justificat.
34. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right ha…
such wonderful things: Paul is referring to everything he has taught in chs 5–8 about the blessings and sense of assurance that believers receive from their relationship with God.
