Romans: Paul's Old Testament Quotes Quiz

Answer: Habakkuk

Romans 1:17 talks about righteousness, which is equivalent to being 'innocent'. Since all men are unrighteous by nature, Paul says here that the way to become righteous before God is through faith. The full verse reads, "For in the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to the faith: as it is written, 'The just shall live by faith'." He quotes Habakkuk 2:4 here, which reads: "Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith". Habakkuk is relaying a message from God here which includes a warning for those that are to be judged in the future, but there is hope for the just who have faith.

Answer: Blasphemed

The wording more closely resembles the wording of Isaiah 52:5, which ends with the phrase, "And My name is blasphemed continually every day". Ezekiel 36:22-23 contains a message from God which reads, "I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name's sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst..." The Israelites worshipped the idols of the nations where they lived in exile.

When Paul references these verses in Romans 2:24, he is admonishing the Jews for not being a good example for the Gentiles. In the verses leading up to this, he asks them if they do not teach themselves as they teach others.

They know what is right but they do not do it, just as the Israelites worshipped the idols of the nations, knowing that it was wrong.

Answer: Abraham

At the end of Romans 3, Paul warns about boasting about our works and actions, and he talks of the law of faith. In chapter 4, he uses Abraham as an example of being justified by faith. In verse 3, he quotes Genesis 15:6 when he says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness". One of Paul's arguments centers around circumcision. There were many Jews that felt that since they were circumcised, then they were blessed, but Paul points out that the circumcision itself does not make them righteous and blessedness is not only for the circumcised. In verses 9-12, he uses Abraham as an example since Abraham was blessed with righteousness because of his faith before he was circumcised.

The second half of Romans 4 deals with Abraham's faith and its importance to God's promise. Paul ends the chapter by asserting that, just like Abraham, we too can become righteous through faith. Verses 23-25 read: "Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification".

Answer: David

Paul is speaking of the importance of faith and becoming righteous through faith and not just works. While chapter 4 focuses on Abraham's faith as an example, in order to further support his argument, Paul also quotes Psalm 32, a Psalm of David, titled in the Study Bible for Women as 'The Joy of Forgiveness'. Paul is quoting the first two verses of the Psalm, which read: "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit".

Answer: You shall not covet.

Paul talks about the relationship between the law and sin. He doesn't say that the law can provide salvation, but the law can make people aware of sin and cause them to feel guilty. Romans 7:7-8 reads: "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! on the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, 'You shall not covet'.

But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead".

He then speaks of how the law is holy, but sin is evil and deceitful.

Answer: Moses

Exodus 33:19 reads, "Then He said, 'I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion'." Paul's argument here is that God chooses who receives his mercy, which means that Gentiles can also receive it.

He also supports this in verses 25-26 with references to Hosea 2:23 and Hosea 1:10. Romans 9:25-26 reads, "I will call them My people, who were not My people, and her beloved, who was not beloved. And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not My people', there they shall be called sons of the living God".

Answer: Feet

This verse comes at a part of Paul's letter where he is relaying key actions necessary, one of which is preaching the gospel. The people can't believe the gospel if they never hear it, and they can't hear it if no one preaches to them. The full verse for Romans 10:15 is "And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!'" This verse echoes words from Isaiah 52:7, which reads: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things..." This verse also references Nahum 1:15: "Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good tidings, who proclaims peace!..."

Answer: Elijah

Romans 11:2-5 reads, "God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, 'Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life'? But what does the divine response say to him? 'I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.' Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace". Paul uses a reference to Elijah's words and God's answer from 1 Kings 19 to show that, even though there are many that reject the gospel, God still has a remnant of faithful.

This also shows that God has not forgotten them or abandoned them.

Answer: You will heap coals of fire on his head.

Romans chapter 12 advises us on how to serve God and behave like Christians. Verses 19-21 read, "Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord. Therefore 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head'. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good".

The phrase, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay" comes from Deuteronomy 32:35, but the advice from verse 20 is from Proverbs 25:1-2. Paul instructs Christians to not repay any wrongs with vengeance. We should be kind to those who have done wrong against us and the Lord will handle their punishment.

Answer: We shouldn't judge others because everyone will be judged by God.

The reference comes from Isaiah 45:23, which reads, "I have sworn by Myself; the word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath". Paul leads into this by asking the questions, "But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother?" (verse 10).

He gives his reason and argument in verses 12-13: "So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way".

Instead of worrying about others' sins, we should be worried about our own since we will have to give an account to God. Also, we should strive to help others as Christians and not do things to hinder their faith.