Romans 11 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
FBV Free Bible Version
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
PT1904 Patriarchal Text 1904 (accented, eBible edition)
1 But then I ask, “Has God rejected his people?” Of course not! I'm an Israelite myself, from the tribe of Benjamin.
1 I ask then, did God reject his people? May it never be! For I also am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
1 Λέγω οὖν, μὴ ἀπώσατο ὁ Θεὸς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ; μὴ γένοιτο· καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ Ἰσραηλίτης εἰμί, ἐκ σπέρματος Ἀβραάμ, φυλῆς Βενιαμίν.
2 God has not rejected his chosen people. Don't you recall what Scripture says about Elijah? How he complained about Israel to God, saying,
2 God didn’t reject his people, whom he foreknew. Or don’t you know what the Scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel:
2 οὐκ ἀπώσατο ὁ Θεὸς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ὃν προέγνω. ἢ οὐκ οἴδατε ἐν Ἠλίᾳ τί λέγει ἡ γραφή, ὡς ἐντυγχάνει τῷ Θεῷ κατὰ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ λέγων;
3 “Lord, they've killed your prophets and destroyed your altars. I'm the only one left, and they're trying to kill me too!”
3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets. They have broken down your altars. I am left alone, and they seek my life.”
3 Κύριε, τοὺς προφήτας σου ἀπέκτειναν καὶ τὰ θυσιαστήριά σου κατέσκαψαν, κἀγὼ ὑπελείφθην μόνος, καὶ ζητοῦσι τὴν ψυχήν μου.
4 How did God answer him? “I still have seven thousand left who have not worshiped Baal.”
4 But how does God answer him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
4 ἀλλὰ τί λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ χρηματισμός; κατέλιπον ἐμαυτῷ ἑπτακισχιλίους ἄνδρας, οἵτινες οὐκ ἔκαμψαν γόνυ τῇ Βάαλ.
5 Today it's just the same: there are still some faithful people left, chosen by God's grace.
5 Even so too at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
5 οὕτως οὖν καὶ ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ λεῖμμα κατ᾽ ἐκλογὴν χάριτος γέγονεν.
6 And since it's through grace, then clearly it's not based on what people do, otherwise grace wouldn't be grace!
6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
6 εἰ δὲ χάριτι, οὐκέτι ἐξ ἔργων· ἐπεὶ ἡ χάρις οὐκέτι γίνεται χάρις. εἰ δὲ ἐξ ἔργων, οὐκέτι ἐστὶ χάρις· ἐπεὶ τὸ ἔργον οὐκέτι ἐστὶν ἔργον.
7 So what do we conclude? That the people of Israel didn't achieve what they were striving for—only the chosen, while the rest became hard-hearted.
7 What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he didn’t obtain, but the chosen ones obtained it, and the rest were hardened.
7 Τί οὖν; ὃ ἐπιζητεῖ Ἰσραήλ, τοῦτο οὐκ ἐπέτυχεν, ἡ δὲ ἐκλογὴ ἐπέτυχεν· οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ ἐπωρώθησαν,
8 As Scripture says, “God dulled their minds so their eyes could not see and their ears could not hear, to this very day.”
8 According as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, to this very day.”
8 καθὼς γέγραπται· ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς πνεῦμα κατανύξεως, ὀφθαλμοὺς τοῦ μὴ βλέπειν καὶ ὦτα τοῦ μὴ ἀκούειν, ἕως τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας.
9 David adds, “May their feasts become a trap for them, a net that catches them, a temptation that brings punishment.
9 David says, “Let their table be made a snare, a trap, a stumbling block, and a retribution to them.
9 καὶ Δαυῒδ λέγει· γενηθήτω ἡ τράπεζα αὐτῶν εἰς παγίδα καὶ εἰς θήραν καὶ εἰς σκάνδαλον καὶ εἰς ἀνταπόδομα αὐτοῖς·
10 May their eyes become blind so they cannot see, and may their backs always be bent low in dejection.”
10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see. Always keep their backs bent.”
10 σκοτισθήτωσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτῶν τοῦ μὴ βλέπειν, καὶ τὸν νῶτον αὐτῶν διὰ παντὸς σύγκαμψον.
11 So am I saying that they stumbled and consequently failed completely? Not at all! But as a result of their mistakes, salvation came to other nations, to “make them jealous.”
11 I ask then, did they stumble that they might fall? May it never be! But by their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.
11 Λέγω οὖν, μὴ ἔπταισαν ἵνα πέσωσι; μὴ γένοιτο· ἀλλὰ τῷ αὐτῶν παραπτώματι ἡ σωτηρία τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, εἰς τὸ παραζηλῶσαι αὐτούς.
12 Now if even their failure benefits the world, and their loss profits the foreigners, how much more beneficial it would be if they were to completely fulfill what they were meant to be.
12 Now if their fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
12 εἰ δὲ τὸ παράπτωμα αὐτῶν πλοῦτος κόσμου καὶ τὸ ἥττημα αὐτῶν πλοῦτος ἐθνῶν, πόσῳ μᾶλλον τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτῶν;
13 Now let me speak to you foreigners. Insofar as I'm a missionary to foreigners, I promote what I'm doing
13 For I speak to you who are Gentiles. Since then as I am an apostle to Gentiles, I glorify my ministry,
13 Ὑμῖν γὰρ λέγω τοῖς ἔθνεσιν. ἐφ᾽ ὅσον μέν εἰμι ἐγὼ ἐθνῶν ἀπόστολος, τὴν διακονίαν μου δοξάζω,
14 that somehow I might make my people jealous and save some of them.
14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh, and may save some of them.
14 εἴ πως παραζηλώσω μου τὴν σάρκα καὶ σώσω τινὰς ἐξ αὐτῶν.
15 If the result of God's rejection of them is that the world becomes God's friends, the result of God's acceptance of them would be like the dead coming back to life!
15 For if the rejection of them is the reconciling of the world, what would their acceptance be, but life from the dead?
15 εἰ γὰρ ἡ ἀποβολὴ αὐτῶν καταλλαγὴ κόσμου, τίς ἡ πρόσληψις εἰ μὴ ζωὴ ἐκ νεκρῶν;
16 If the first part of the bread dough given as an offering is holy, then so is all the rest; if the roots of a tree are holy, then so are the branches.
16 If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy, so are the branches.
16 εἰ δὲ ἡ ἀπαρχὴ ἁγία, καὶ τὸ φύραμα· καὶ εἰ ἡ ῥίζα ἁγία, καὶ οἱ κλάδοι.
17 Now if some of the branches have been broken off, and you—a wild olive shoot—have been grafted in, and have shared with them the benefit of nourishment from the olive tree's roots,
17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the root and of the richness of the olive tree,
17 Εἰ δέ τινες τῶν κλάδων ἐξεκλάσθησαν, σὺ δὲ ἀγριέλαιος ὢν ἐνεκεντρίσθης ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ συγκοινωνὸς τῆς ῥίζης καὶ τῆς πιότητος τῆς ἐλαίας ἐγένου,
18 then you shouldn't look down on the other branches. If you're tempted to boast, remember it's not you who are supporting the roots, but the roots that are supporting you.
18 don’t boast over the branches. But if you boast, remember that it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you.
18 μὴ κατακαυχῶ τῶν κλάδων· εἰ δὲ κατακαυχᾶσαι, οὐ σὺ τὴν ῥίζαν βαστάζεις, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ ῥίζα σέ.
19 You could make the claim, “Branches were broken off so I could be grafted in.”
19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.”
19 ἐρεῖς οὖν· ἐξεκλάσθησαν [οἱ] κλάδοι, ἵνα ἐγὼ ἐγκεντρισθῶ.
20 All well and good—but they were broken off because of their failure to trust in God, and you stay there because you trust in God. So don't think highly of yourselves, but be respectful,
20 True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don’t be conceited, but fear;
20 καλῶς· τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ ἐξεκλάσθησαν, σὺ δὲ τῇ πίστει ἕστηκας. μὴ ὑψηλοφρόνει, ἀλλὰ φοβοῦ·
21 because if God didn't spare the original branches, he won't spare you either.
21 for if God didn’t spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.
21 εἰ γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς τῶν κατὰ φύσιν κλάδων οὐκ ἐφείσατο, μή πως οὐδὲ σοῦ φείσεται.
22 You should recognize both God's kindness and toughness—he was tough on the fallen, but God is kind to you so long as you trust in his kindness—otherwise you'll be removed too.
22 See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
22 ἴδε οὖν χρηστότητα καὶ ἀποτομίαν Θεοῦ, ἐπὶ μὲν τοὺς πεσόντας ἀποτομίαν, ἐπὶ δὲ σὲ χρηστότητα, ἐὰν ἐπιμείνῃς τῇ χρηστότητι· ἐπεὶ καὶ σὺ ἐκκοπήσῃ.
23 If they no longer refuse to trust in God, they can be grafted in as well, for God is able to graft them back in again.
23 They also, if they don’t continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
23 καὶ ἐκεῖνοι δέ, ἐὰν μὴ ἐπιμείνωσι τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ, ἐγκεντρισθήσονται· δυνατὸς γὰρ ὁ Θεός ἐστι πάλιν ἐγκεντρίσαι αὐτούς.
24 If you could be cut from a wild olive tree, and then be grafted artificially onto a cultivated olive tree, how much more easily they could be grafted back naturally to their own tree.
24 For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
24 εἰ γὰρ σὺ ἐκ τῆς κατὰ φύσιν ἐξεκόπης ἀγριελαίου καὶ παρὰ φύσιν ἐνεκεντρίσθης εἰς καλλιέλαιον, πόσῳ μᾶλλον οὗτοι οἱ κατὰ φύσιν ἐγκεντρισθήσονται τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἐλαίᾳ;
25 I don't want you, my brothers and sisters to miss this previously-hidden truth, for otherwise you could become conceited. The people of Israel have become hard-hearted in part, until the process of the foreigners coming in is complete.
25 For I don’t desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won’t be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in,
25 Οὐ γὰρ θέλω ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν, ἀδελφοί, τὸ μυστήριον τοῦτο, ἵνα μὴ ἦτε παρ᾽ ἑαυτοῖς φρόνιμοι, ὅτι πώρωσις ἀπὸ μέρους τῷ Ἰσραὴλ γέγονεν ἄχρις οὗ τὸ πλήρωμα τῶν ἐθνῶν εἰσέλθῃ,
26 This is how all Israel will be saved. As Scripture says, “The Savior will come from Zion, and he will turn Jacob away from his opposition to God.
26 and so all Israel will be saved. Even as it is written, “There will come out of Zion the Deliverer, and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
26 καὶ οὕτω πᾶς Ἰσραὴλ σωθήσεται, καθὼς γέγραπται· ἥξει ἐκ Σιὼν ὁ ῥυόμενος καὶ ἀποστρέψει ἀσεβείας ἀπὸ Ἰακώβ·
27 My promise to them is that I'll take away their sins.”
27 This is my covenant with them, when I will take away their sins.”
27 καὶ αὕτη αὐτοῖς ἡ παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ διαθήκη, ὅταν ἀφέλωμαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν.
28 Though they are enemies of the good news—and this is to your benefit—they are still the chosen people, and loved because of their forefathers.
28 Concerning the Good News, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake.
28 κατὰ μὲν τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἐχθροὶ δι᾽ ὑμᾶς, κατὰ δὲ τὴν ἐκλογὴν ἀγαπητοὶ διὰ τοὺς πατέρας·
29 God's gifts and his calling can't be withdrawn.
29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
29 ἀμεταμέλητα γὰρ τὰ χαρίσματα καὶ ἡ κλῆσις τοῦ Θεοῦ.
30 At one time you disobeyed God, but now God has shown you mercy as a result of their disobedience.
30 For as you in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience,
30 ὥσπερ γὰρ καὶ ὑμεῖς ποτε ἠπειθήσατε τῷ Θεῷ, νῦν δὲ ἠλεήθητε τῇ τούτων ἀπειθείᾳ,
31 In just the same way that they're now disobedient as you were, they will also be shown mercy like you received.
31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they may also obtain mercy.
31 οὕτω καὶ οὗτοι νῦν ἠπείθησαν, τῷ ὑμετέρῳ ἐλέει ἵνα καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐλεηθῶσι·
32 For God treated everyone as prisoners because of their disobedience so that he could be merciful to everyone.
32 For God has bound all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.
32 συνέκλεισε γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς τοὺς πάντας εἰς ἀπείθειαν, ἵνα τοὺς πάντας ἐλεήσῃ.
33 Oh how deep are God's riches, wisdom, and knowledge! How incredible his decisions, how unimaginable his methods!
33 Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!
33 Ὦ βάθος πλούτου καὶ σοφίας καὶ γνώσεως Θεοῦ! ὡς ἀνεξερεύνητα τὰ κρίματα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνεξιχνίαστοι αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτοῦ!
34 Who can know God's thoughts? Who can give him advice?
34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”
34 τίς γὰρ ἔγνω νοῦν Κυρίου; ἢ τίς σύμβουλος αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο;
35 Who has ever given anything to God that God would be obliged to repay?
35 “Or who has first given to him, and it will be repaid to him again?”
35 ἢ τίς προέδωκεν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀνταποδοθήσεται αὐτῷ;
36 Everything comes from him, everything exists through him, and everything is for him. Glory to him forever, Amen!
36 For of him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen.
36 ὅτι ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ δι᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν τὰ πάντα. αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας· ἀμήν.
Cross references (36)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 2 Corinthians 11:22; 1 Samuel 12:22; Jeremiah 33:24–26; Philippians 3:5; Acts 26:4
- 2 Psalm 94:14; Romans 8:29–30; 1 Peter 1:2; Acts 3:17; Numbers 16:15
- 3 1 Kings 19:10–18; 1 Kings 18:13; Nehemiah 9:26; Jeremiah 2:30; 1 Kings 18:4
- 4 1 Kings 19:18; Numbers 25:3; Zephaniah 1:4; 2 Kings 10:19–20; Judges 2:13
- 5 Romans 9:27; Ephesians 1:5–6; Romans 9:11; Romans 11:6–7; Romans 11:28
- 6 Galatians 2:21; 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5; Romans 3:27–28; Romans 4:4–5
- 7 Romans 9:18; Romans 11:5; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Romans 11:25; Romans 9:31–32
- 8 Deuteronomy 29:4; Isaiah 29:10; Ezekiel 12:2; Jeremiah 5:21; 2 Corinthians 3:14–15
- 9 Psalm 69:22–23; Psalm 28:4; Deuteronomy 32:13–15; Isaiah 59:18; 1 Timothy 6:17–19
- 10 Psalm 69:23; Deuteronomy 28:64–68; 2 Peter 2:4; Romans 11:8; Romans 1:21
- 11 Acts 13:46–48; Romans 11:31; Romans 10:19; Romans 11:12; Romans 11:14
- 12 Romans 11:25; Colossians 1:27; Romans 11:15; Isaiah 11:11–12:6; Ephesians 3:8
- 13 Acts 9:15; 2 Timothy 1:11–12; Romans 15:16–19; Galatians 1:16; 1 Timothy 2:7
- 14 1 Corinthians 7:16; 1 Timothy 4:16; Romans 9:3; Titus 3:5; 1 Timothy 2:4
- 15 Ephesians 1:10; Romans 5:10–11; Luke 15:24; Romans 11:11–12; 2 Corinthians 5:18–20
- 16 Proverbs 3:9; Ezekiel 44:30; James 1:18; Jeremiah 2:21; Numbers 15:17–21
- 17 Ephesians 2:11–13; Ephesians 3:6; Jeremiah 11:16; John 15:2; Psalm 52:8
- 18 1 Corinthians 10:12; Romans 11:20; Romans 3:27; Ephesians 2:19–20; John 10:16
- 19 Romans 11:23–24; Romans 11:17; Romans 11:11–12
- 20 Romans 12:16; 2 Corinthians 1:24; 1 Corinthians 10:12; Philippians 2:12; 1 Peter 1:17
- 21 Jeremiah 49:12; 2 Peter 2:4–9; Jeremiah 25:29; Romans 8:32; Jude 5
- 22 Hebrews 3:14; Hebrews 3:6; 1 Corinthians 15:2; John 15:2; Revelation 2:5
- 23 2 Corinthians 3:16; Zechariah 12:10; Matthew 23:39
- 24 Romans 11:17–18
- 25 Luke 21:24; 2 Corinthians 3:14–16; Romans 16:25; Romans 12:16; Zechariah 8:20–23
- 26 Isaiah 59:20; Jeremiah 31:31–37; Psalm 14:7; Hosea 3:5; Zechariah 10:6–12
- 27 Jeremiah 31:31–34; Isaiah 59:21; Jeremiah 32:38–40; Ezekiel 36:25–29; Isaiah 43:25
- 28 Deuteronomy 10:15; Deuteronomy 7:7–8; Matthew 21:43; Romans 11:7; Romans 9:5
- 29 Numbers 23:19; Hebrews 7:21; Malachi 3:6; Romans 8:28; Hosea 13:14
- 30 Colossians 3:7; Ephesians 2:1–2; 1 Corinthians 7:25; Romans 11:31; Titus 3:3–7
- 31 Romans 11:25; Romans 11:15; Romans 10:16
- 32 Galatians 3:22; Romans 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:4–6; Romans 3:22; John 1:7
- 33 Job 5:9; Job 11:7–9; Psalm 92:5; Colossians 2:2–3; Romans 2:4
- 34 Isaiah 40:13; 1 Corinthians 2:16; Job 15:8; Job 36:22; Jeremiah 23:18
- 35 Job 41:11; Job 35:7; 1 Corinthians 4:7
- 36 Colossians 1:15–17; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Hebrews 2:10; 1 Timothy 1:17; Romans 16:27
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
He had said that God did not cast off His people; and to show in what sense He had not cast them off, he takes refuge in the Prophets again.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 11 (1889)
And that the Saviour received first-fruits of those whom He was to save, Paul declared when he said, "And if the first-fruits be holy, the lump is also holy," teaching that the expression "first-fruits" denoted that which is spiritual, but that "the lump" meant us, that is, the animal Church, the lump of which they say He assumed, and blended …
What was it that Thou didst then, O my God, and how unsearchable are the depths of Thy judgments! For when, sore sick of a fever, he long lay unconscious in a death-sweat, and all despaired of his recovery, he was baptized without his knowledge; myself meanwhile little caring, presuming that his soul would retain rather what it had imbibed …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
"But yet Paul," one may say, "allows them, saying on this wise, As touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sake.'" But tell me, when, and of what things was he discoursing, and to whom?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Thou art transplanted henceforth among the spiritual olive-trees, being grafted from the wild into the good olive-tree, from sins into righteousness, from pollutions into purity.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)