Failed (1601) (ekpipto from ek = from + pípto = to fall) literally means to fall from or fall off or fall out, to drop off or away as would a withered, dying flower (reflecting the effect of scorching heat James 1:11, 1Pe 1:24) or as would a fetter or chain (Acts 12:7). Drop off or fall short. Ekpipto was clearly a nautical term in Paul's day for it is used 4x in Luke's description of the shipwreck scene (Acts 27:17, 26, 29, 32). Ekpipto was used in the ancient Greek theater of one who could not remember his lines, so that ekpipto meant he could not play his part. Ekpipto was a technical naval term to describe a ship driven off course, to drift, to be cast assure, basically because of inability to follow the course on which the ship had initially set sail. To lose one's way. In the passive sense = to be driven out, excluded, or lose something. (NIDNTT) Ekpipto is used figuratively in Ro 9:6 where it means to fall away and to to fail, to be without effect or to be in vain (to become inefficient, come to nothing, be annulled, become inadequate). In other words here it conveys the sense of non-fulfillment of the divine promise. Paul's point is this is something that can never happen to God's Word of promise - it shall never, ever lose its intended effect or efficacy (cp Isaiah 55:10-12, listen to the last words of Joshua - Joshua 21:45, Josh 23:14, 15). God's Word does not fail, because it ultimately is perfectly fully fulfilled in the Living Word, Christ Jesus (cf Jn 1:1-3, "For all of the promises of God in Him [Jesus, the Living Word] are yea, and in Him Amen" = 2Cor 1:20KJV, Heb 1:1-2-note). Ekpipto is also used figuratively in Gal 5:4 of "fallen from grace," (driven off course, as a ship captain on the seas) signifying that their works mentality made grace of "no effect." Grace was still amazing grace, but their efforts to achieve righteousness by keeping the Law, in effect took the "grace" out of grace, so to speak. If works are water and grace is oil, you can see that they simply DO NOT MIX! As an aside, this is the same spiritual dynamic that occurs in anyone (believers or not), whenever we begin to fall into the subtle snare of keeping a list of laws or regulations ("I won't do this," "I will do that," etc - note the emphasis on the personal pronoun "I", the middle letter of the word prIde!!!). Why? Because laws were not given to make us more spiritual, but to show us our desperate need for the Spirit, Who Alone can give us the desire and the power to keep the law. Beware, this line between law and grace is very easily blurred under the guise of seeking to be "spiritual." Wuest - ekpiptō = “to fall out of, to fall down from, to fail, to fall from a place which one cannot keep, to fall powerless, be without effect.” (In Romans 9:6) The verb is in the perfect tense speaking here in connection with the negative, of the fact that the Word with reference to Israel has not failed to work effectively in time past and at present is still potentially effective. Ekpipto - 10x in 10v - failed(1), fall(1), fall away(1), fallen(1), falls off(2), fell off(1), run aground(3). Acts 12:7 And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter's side and woke him up, saying, "Get up quickly." And his chains fell off his hands. Acts 27:17 After they had hoisted it up, they used supporting cables in undergirding the ship; and fearing that they might run aground (ekpipto here pictures the so to speak falling off course) on the shallows of Syrtis, they let down the sea anchor and in this way let themselves be driven along. Acts 27:26 "But we must run aground on a certain island." Acts 27:29 Fearing that we might run aground somewhere on the rocks, they cast four anchors from the stern and wished for daybreak. Acts 27:32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship's boat and let it fall away. Romans 9:6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; Galatians 5:4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. James 1:11 For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away. 1 Peter 1:24 For, "ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, 2 Peter 3:17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, Ekpipto - 15x in the non-apocryphal Septuagint - Deut 19:5 (the iron head slips off the handle); 2Kgs 6:5 (he axe head fell into the water) ; 4.2" class="scriptRef">Job 14:2 (describes man who "withers"); Job 15:30, 33; 24:9; Eccl 10:10; Isa 6:13 (Whose stump remains when it is felled); Isa 14:12 (How you [Satan] have fallen from heaven); Isa 28:1, 4; 40:7; Dan 7:20; Isaiah 40:7 The grass withers, the flower fades (flower fades), When the breath of the LORD blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. Near the end of his life, Joshua addressed the issue of God's Word "failing" declaring to Israel... "Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the LORD your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed. And it shall come about that just as all the good words which the LORD your God spoke to you have come upon you, so the LORD will bring upon you all the threats, until He has destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God has given you." (Joshua 23:14-15) FOR THEY ARE NOT ALL ISRAEL WHO ARE DESCENDED FROM ISRAEL: ou gar pantes oi ex Israel houtoi Israel: (Ro 2:28,29; 4:12, 13, 14, 15, 16; John 1:47; Galatians 6:16) "For it is not everybody who is a descendant of Jacob (Israel) who belongs to [the true] Israel" (Amplified) For (gar) is a term of explanation, which should always prompt you to pause and ask yourself what is the Spirit seeking to explain? Earlier in this letter Paul explained that... he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God. (Romans 2:28, 29-note) Paul explains that God's Word has not failed because not all of physical Israel (Jew by birth) are "spiritual" Israel (Jew by new birth). The natural "Israel" is the national, cultural, political Israel, all of whom were to be circumcised physically. The "supernatural" Israel is represented by a "remnant" who God in great mercy and grace preserved. The church is emphatically not the continuation of "political Israel" as is taught by a number of commentators. In fact, even scholars as highly esteemed as John Calvin arrived at this erroneous interpretation (see the Israel of God for why this is an erroneous interpretation). The point is that God is not finished with Israel or the Jew as explained later in Romans 9-11. Now, if God made promises to Israel as His chosen earthly people, how can this be compatible with Israel’s present rejection and with the Gentiles being brought into the place of blessing? Paul explains that this does not indicate any breach of promise on God’s part. He goes on to show that God has always had a sovereign election process based upon promise and not just on natural descent. Just because a person was born into the nation of Israel does not mean that they are automatically an heir to the promises of God given through Abraham to Israel. Within the nation of Israel, God has always had a genuine believing remnant who have had heart circumcision (related topic Scriptures on Circumcision) and not just external physical circumcision. So Paul will show God sovereignly chose Isaac as the child of promise and the spiritual descendent of Abraham instead of the first born Ishmael. Then God sovereignly chose the twin Jacob over the firstborn Esau even before birth, even before they did anything good or bad to emphasize that it was God's choice who would be shown mercy and compassion. Remember that God is God and we are not! Keep the following table in mind as you study Romans 9-11. Summary of Romans 9-11 Romans 9 Romans 10 Romans 11 Past Election Present Rejection Future Reception God's Sovereignty Israel's Election by God Man's responsibility Israel's Rejection of God God's Ways Higher God Not Rejecting Israel Gentiles who believe are also of Abraham's spiritual seed ("And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise" Galatians 3:29) but in this passage in Romans 9, Paul is not considering the Gentiles but only the "two kinds of Israelites", the natural and the supernatural (spiritual) Jew. Paul now offers to show in defense of God’s word that the inner reality does not correspond to the outer appearance, for “they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel” (v6-7), but there is a true Israel, an born again Israel within physical Israel, that is comprised, not of “the children of the flesh,” but of the children of the promise. Jesus made a similar distinction when talking with the unbelieving Jews in Jn 8:33-39. They said to Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants ... ” (John 8:33). Jesus admitted this, saying, “I know you are Abraham’s descendants” (John 8:37). But when they said, “Abraham is our father” the Lord replied “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham” (John 8:39). In other words, they were physically descended from Abraham, but they didn’t have Abraham’s faith and therefore they were not his spiritual children. In fact Jesus went on to explain to the spiritually unregenerate Jews... "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies. (John 8:44, read what occurred at the end of this discourse - Jn 8:57, 58, 59! Notice how John introduced this section - Jn 8:30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 - Point: There is a "belief" which does not lead to salvation. See related studies - pisteuo - word study; James 2:14-26 on saving faith - notes begin at Jas 2:14) Romans 9:7 nor are they all children because they are Abraham's descendants, but: "THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED." Greek: oud' hoti eisin (3SPAI) sperma Abraam, pantes tekna, all', En Isaak klethesetai (3SFPI) soi sperma. Amplified: And they are not all the children of Abraham because they are by blood his descendants. No, [the promise was] Your descendants will be called and counted through the line of Isaac [though Abraham had an older son].(3) ESV: and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named." ICB: And only some of Abraham's descendants are true children of Abraham. But God said to Abraham: "The descendants I promised you will be from Isaac." NKJV: nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "In Isaac your seed shall be called." NIV: Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." NLT: Just the fact that they are descendants of Abraham doesn't make them truly Abraham's children. For the Scriptures say, "Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted," though Abraham had other children, too. Philips: Nor can all Abraham's descendants be considered truly children of Abraham. The promise was that 'in Isaac your seed shall be called'. Wuest: nor because they are offspring of Abraham are all children, but: In Isaac an offspring shall be named for you. Young's Literal: nor because they are seed of Abraham are all children, but -- 'in Isaac shall a seed be called to thee;' NOR ARE THEY ALL CHILDREN BECAUSE THEY ARE ABRAHAM'S DESCENDANTS (singular - seed): oud hoti eisin (3SPAI) sperma Abraam pantes tekna: (Luke 3:8; 16:24,25,30; John 8:37, 38, 39; Philippians 3:3) Nor are they all children - They all born again, believers in Messiah is Paul's emphasis. Because they are Abraham's descendants (because they are by blood his descendants) - Speaks of his physical seed, not his spiritual seed. Jews rightly can trace their ethnicity to Abraham. But Paul is saying that ethnicity does not automatically equate with spirituality, so to speak (see Paul's contrast in Php 3:2-note and Php 3:3-note)! Listen to the words of the greatest Teacher speaking to the chosen people... John 8:37 “I know that you are Abraham’s offspring (Jesus does not argue that the Jews are Abraham's seed, his physical offspring); yet (dramatic term of contrast) you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father (Satan - see Jn 8:44 - as an aside there are only two "families" in all humankind - Family of God, Family of Satan - not saying the latter are worshipers of Satan, but that he is their "spiritual father" so to speak - that is the clear teaching of Scripture, where we find it "palatable" or not!). 39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus *said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham." (Abraham's most important "deed" was the expression of faith - see Genesis 15:6, cp Jesus on working the works of God - Jn 6:28, 29).