Romans 10:17 (ASV)

Passage

So belief [cometh] of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

Nearby Context

Romans 10:15 and how shall they preach, except they be sent? even as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of good things!

Romans 10:16 But they did not all hearken to the glad tidings. For Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

Romans 10:17 So belief [cometh] of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

Romans 10:18 But 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.

Romans 10:19 But 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.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "belief", "cometh", "hearing", "word", and "christ". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "belief" and "cometh", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "But they did not all hearken to..." into verse 18's "But I say Did they not hear...", so "belief" and "cometh" belong inside that flow. In Romans context, the local focus is righteousness by faith, union with Christ, life in the Spirit, and God's covenant faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "belief" and "cometh" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.