Romans 10:17
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
What Romans 10:17 means
Paul is explaining how anyone comes to believe, and he traces the chain backwards: faith depends on hearing, and hearing depends on someone speaking Christ’s word. It does not begin with a feeling or a decision arrived at in isolation.
The practical consequence is the argument of the surrounding verses — how will they hear without someone preaching? Faith is not self-generated, which is why the sending of messengers matters so much to Paul.
Related topics
Questions about Romans 10:17
What does Romans 10:17 mean?
It means faith arises from hearing the message, and that message is the word of Christ — so belief has an external source rather than being self-produced.
Why does Romans 10:17 matter for evangelism?
Because it is the hinge of Paul’s argument: if faith comes by hearing, then someone has to speak. It is the reason he presses the question of who will be sent.