WHAT IT MEANS
God at Work
God works through all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.
CONTEXT
What is happening here?
Romans 8 is about life in the Spirit, suffering, future glory, prayer, and God’s unbreakable purpose—not the claim that every event is itself good.
APPLY IT
For today
When life is confusing, trust that God can weave even painful circumstances into His larger purpose.
Read it in 5 translations
KJV King James Version
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.
BSB Berean Standard Bible
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
WEB World English Bible
We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.
ASV American Standard Version
And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose.
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
And we have known that to those loving God all things do work together for good, to those who are called according to purpose;
Surrounding context — Romans 8
25 But if we hope for that we see not, [then] do we with patience wait for [it].
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what [is] the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to [the will of] God.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God [be] for us, who [can be] against us?
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
ΟἴδαμενG6063 · oidato knowδὲG1161 · dethenὅτιG3754 · hotithat/since: thatτοῖςG3588 · hothe/this/whoἀγαπῶσινG25 · agapaōto loveτὸνG3588 · hothe/this/whoθεὸνG2316 · theosGodπάνταG3956 · pasallσυνεργεῖG4903 · sunergeōto work withεἰςG1519 · eistowardἀγαθόν,G18 · agathosgoodτοῖςG3588 · hothe/this/whoκατὰG2596 · kataaccording toπρόθεσινG4286 · prothesispurposeκλητοῖςG2822 · klētoscalledοὖσιν.G1510 · eimito be
Cross-references
1 Peter 5:10But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle [you].James 1:12Blessed [is] the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.Genesis 50:20But as for you, ye thought evil against me; [but] God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as [it is] this day, to save much people alive.Romans 5:3-5And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;1 Corinthians 2:9But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.Romans 8:35-39Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [shall] tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?James 1:3-4Knowing [this], that the trying of your faith worketh patience.Romans 8:30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.2 Timothy 1:9Who hath saved us, and called [us] with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,1 Peter 1:7-8That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:1 Corinthians 1:9God [is] faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.Deuteronomy 8:2-3And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, [and] to prove thee, to know what [was] in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.Revelation 3:19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.Ephesians 1:9-11Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:Hebrews 12:6-12For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.2 Corinthians 4:15-17For all things [are] for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.Exodus 20:6And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.Galatians 1:15But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called [me] by his grace,
CLASSIC COMMENTARY & PREACHING
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HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
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