Romans 10:2

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Μαρτυρῶ γὰρ αὐτοῖς ὅτι ζῆλον Θεοῦ ἔχουσιν, ἀλλʼ οὐ κατʼ ἐπίγνωσιν.

Transliteration

Martyrō gar autois hoti zēlon Theou echousin, all' ou kat' epignōsin.

Grammar Details

*Martyrō*: present indicative, 1st singular - I testify/bear witness
*gar*: postpositive conjunction - for
*autois*: dative, masculine, plural - to/for them
*hoti*: conjunction - that
*zēlon*: accusative, masculine, singular - zeal
*Theou*: genitive, masculine, singular - of God
*echousin*: present indicative, 3rd plural - they have
*all'*: strong adversative conjunction - but
*ou*: negative particle - not
*kat'*: preposition + accusative - according to
*epignōsin*: accusative, feminine, singular - knowledge/full knowledge

Word Meanings

*zēlon*: zeal/enthusiasm/jealousy
*epignōsin*: knowledge/full knowledge/recognition/discernment

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Acts 21:20 : 20 And they, when they heard it, glorified God; and they said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of them that have believed; and they are all zealous for the law:
Phil 1:9 : 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment;
Phil 3:6 : 6 as touching zeal, persecuting the church; as touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.
Rom 9:31-32 : 31 but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, did not arrive at [that] law. 32 Wherefore? Because [they sought it] not by faith, but as it were by works. {G3551} {G1063} They stumbled at the stone of stumbling;
Rom 10:3 : 3 For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, {G1343} they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.
2 Cor 4:4 : 4 in whom the god of this world hath blinded {G1519} the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn [upon them].
2 Cor 4:6 : 6 Seeing it is God, that said, Light shall shine out of darkness, who shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2 Cor 8:3 : 3 For according to their power, I bear witness, yea and beyond their power, [they gave] of their own accord,
Gal 1:14 : 14 and I advanced in the Jews' religion beyond many of mine own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
Gal 4:15 : 15 Where then is that gratulation of yourselves? for I bear you witness, that, if possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.
Gal 4:17-18 : 17 They zealously seek you in no good way; nay, they desire to shut you out, that ye may seek them. 18 But it is good to be zealously sought in a good matter at all times, and not only {G1722} when I am present with you.
Acts 21:28 : 28 crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man that teacheth all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place; and moreover he brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath defiled this holy place.
Acts 22:3 : 3 I am {G3303} a {G435} Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as ye all are this day:
Acts 22:22 : 22 And they gave him audience unto this word; and they lifted up their voice, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.
Acts 26:9-9 : 9 I verily {G3303} thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And this I also did in Jerusalem: and I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them.
2 Kgs 10:16 : 16 And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for Jehovah. So they made him ride in his chariot.
Ps 14:4 : 4 Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, Who eat up my people [as] they eat bread, And call not upon Jehovah?
Prov 19:2 : 2 Also, that the soul be without knowledge is not good; And he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.
Col 4:13 : 13 For I bear him witness, that he hath much labor for you, and for them in Laodicea, and for them in Hierapolis.
Isa 27:1 : 1 In that day Jehovah with his hard and great and strong sword will punish leviathan the swift serpent, and leviathan the crooked serpent; and he will slay the monster that is in the sea.
John 16:2 : 2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you shall think that he offereth service unto God.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Rom 10:3
83%
3For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, {G1343} they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.
Rom 10:1
75%
1Brethren, my heart's desire and my supplication to God is for them, that they may be saved.
Gal 4:17-18
2 verses
73%
17They zealously seek you in no good way; nay, they desire to shut you out, that ye may seek them.
18But it is good to be zealously sought in a good matter at all times, and not only {G1722} when I am present with you.
1 Tim 1:7
73%
7desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor whereof they confidently affirm.
Rom 10:18-19
2 verses
72%
18But I say, Did they not hear? Yea, verily, Their sound went out into all the earth, And their words unto the ends of the world.
19But I say, Did Israel not know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, With a nation void of understanding will I anger you.
Phil 3:6
71%
6as touching zeal, persecuting the church; as touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.
Rom 3:17-18
2 verses
71%
17And the way of peace have they not known:
18There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Phil 1:16-17
2 verses
71%
16the one [do it] of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel;
17but the other {G3303} proclaim Christ of faction, not sincerely, thinking to raise up affliction for me in my bonds.
Titus 1:16
70%
16They profess that they know God; but by their works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
Acts 22:19
70%
19And I said, Lord, they themselves know that I {G2252} imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:
2 Cor 11:11
70%
11Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.
2 Tim 3:10
70%
10But thou didst follow my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience,
Gal 1:13-14
2 verses
69%
13For ye have heard of my manner of life in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and made havoc of it:
14and I advanced in the Jews' religion beyond many of mine own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
Rom 1:17-19
3 verses
69%
17For therein {G846} is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith.
18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness;
19because that which is known of God is manifest in them; for God manifested it unto them.
Rom 2:15
69%
15in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness therewith, and their thoughts one with another accusing or else {G2532} excusing [them] );
John 5:42
69%
42But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in yourselves.
Rom 9:30-32
3 verses
69%
30What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who followed not after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith:
31but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, did not arrive at [that] law.
32Wherefore? Because [they sought it] not by faith, but as it were by works. {G3551} {G1063} They stumbled at the stone of stumbling;
Rom 2:8
69%
8but unto them that are factious, and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, [shall be] wrath and indignation,
Phil 3:9
69%
9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of mine own, [even] that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith:
Acts 3:17
69%
17And now, brethren, I know that in ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.
Rom 1:21-22
2 verses
69%
21because that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened.
22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Jude 1:10
69%
10But these rail at whatsoever things they know not: and what they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason, in these things are they destroyed.
2 Cor 9:2
68%
2for I know your readiness, {G5216} of which I glory on your behalf to them of Macedonia, that Achaia hath been prepared for a year past; and {G1537} your zeal hath stirred up very many of them.
Rom 3:9
68%
9What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we before laid to the charge both of Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin;
Gal 6:13
68%
13For not even they who receive circumcision do themselves keep the law; but they desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.
Rom 2:17-18
2 verses
68%
17But if thou bearest the name of a Jew, and restest upon the law, and gloriest in God,
18and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law,
Rom 11:11
68%
11I say then, Did they stumble that they might fall? God forbid: but by their fall salvation [is come] unto the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.
1 Cor 15:34
68%
34Awake to soberness righteously, and sin not; for some have no knowledge of God: I speak [this] to move you to shame.
Eph 4:18
68%
18being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart;
Phil 1:8
68%
8For God is my witness, how I long after you all in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus.
2 Thess 1:8
68%
8rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus:
1 Thess 2:16
68%
16forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved; to fill up their sins always: but the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
Rom 1:13
68%
13And I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you (and was hindered hitherto), that I might have some fruit in you also, even as in the rest of the Gentiles.
Rom 9:1-3
3 verses
68%
1I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing witness with me in the Holy Spirit,
2that I have great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart.
3For I could wish that I myself were anathema from Christ for my brethren's sake, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
Rom 9:6
68%
6But [it is] not as though {G3754} the word of God hath come to nought. For they are not all {G1537} Israel, that {G3778} are of Israel:
1 Cor 9:21
68%
21to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law.
Rom 3:20
67%
20because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for through the law [cometh] the knowledge of sin.