Meaning, commentary and cross references
Romans 8:39
“nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”In other translations
KJV · King James Version
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
NIV · New International Version
neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
WEB · World English Bible
nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from God’s love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
What does Romans 8:39 mean?
John Gill · Exposition of the Entire Bible, on Romans 8:39
Nor height, nor depth,.... Neither heaven, earth, nor hell, nor any of the inhabitants of either, or anything in either; no high or low place, to be cast down from the one, or into the other; nor the height of honour and prosperity, or the depth of meanness and adversity; nor the height of power, or depth of policy in men or devils; nor any other creature. This takes in the whole compass of created beings in heaven, earth, and sea; and most strongly expresses the inseparableness of the saints from the love of God, by anything or creature whatever; nothing in the whole universe shall be able to separate us the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord: by "the love of God", is not meant…
John Gill, Exposition of the Entire Bible (1746–63). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Matthew Henry · Commentary on the Whole Bible, on Romans 8:31–39
(4.) Nor height, nor depth - neither the height of prosperity and preferment, nor the depth of adversity and disgrace; nothing from heaven above, no storms, no tempests; nothing on earth below, no rocks, no seas, no dungeons. (5.) Nor any other creature - any thing that can be named or thought of.
Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
John Calvin · Commentaries, on Romans 8:38–39
39. Which is in Christ, etc. That is, of which Christ is the bond; for he is the beloved Son, in whom the Father is well pleased. If, then, we are through him united to God, we may be assured of the immutable and unfailing kindness of God towards us.
John Calvin, Commentaries (Calvin Translation Society English text). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Context: Romans 8:36–39 (WEB)
36Even as it is written, “For your sake we are killed all day long. We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from God’s love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Cross references
- John 10:28–30
I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
- Romans 8:35
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Could oppression, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
- Romans 5:8
But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
- 1 John 4:19
We love him, because he first loved us.
- Ephesians 3:18–19
may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth,
- 1 John 4:9–10
By this God’s love was revealed in us, that God has sent his only born Son into the world that we might live through him.
- John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only born Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
- Ephesians 1:4
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love,