Romans 11

King James Version (1769) · Tap a verse to see it in context

About this chapter

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God has not cast away his people, Paul writes, for as God kept "seven thousand men" in Elijah's day, "there is a remnant according to the election of grace," and through Israel's fall "salvation is come unto the Gentiles." Speaking "to you Gentiles," he says they are a wild olive branch "graffed in," so "Boast not against the branches," and "Be not highminded, but fear," for the natural branches can be grafted in again. "Blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in," and "so all Israel shall be saved," for "the gifts and calling of God are without repentance," and Paul ends in praise, "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God." Romans 11:1 Romans 11:4 Romans 11:5 Romans 11:11 Romans 11:13 Romans 11:17 Romans 11:18 Romans 11:20 Romans 11:23 Romans 11:25 Romans 11:26 Romans 11:29 Romans 11:33

Who, where, when, and the key verses

Who

Paul, "an Israelite" and "the apostle of the Gentiles"; Elias (Elijah); Israel; and the Gentile believers. Romans 11:1 Romans 11:2 Romans 11:13

Where

Paul quotes the promise, "There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer." Romans 11:26 Zion

When

Traditionally about AD 56-57, near the end of Paul's third journey, as he prepared to take the collection to Jerusalem. Scholars agree Paul wrote it and generally date it about AD 55-58. Romans overview

How it fits

Chapter 10 ended with God stretching out his hands to Israel. Having ended this chapter in praise, Paul turns in chapter 12 to how to live: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God." Romans 10:21 Romans 11:36 Romans 12:1 Romans overview

Key verses

Verse 4
"I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal." This recalls 1 Kings 19:18. Romans 11:4 1 Kings 19:18
Verse 26
"And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer." Isaiah 59:20 says, "the Redeemer shall come to Zion." Romans 11:26 Isaiah 59:20
Verse 33
"O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out." Romans 11:33 Romans 11:36

Takeaway

Do not boast over others, but stand in faith with humility, and praise God, whose purposes for His people never fail. Romans 11:18 Romans 11:20 Romans 11:29

Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a separate AI reader. Updated 2026-11-01.

The remnant

¹I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. ²God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, ³Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. ⁴But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. ⁵Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. ⁶And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. ⁷What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded. ⁸(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. ⁹And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: ¹⁰Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

The olive tree

¹¹I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. ¹²Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? ¹³For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: ¹⁴If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. ¹⁵For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? ¹⁶For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. ¹⁷And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; ¹⁸Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. ¹⁹Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. ²⁰Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: ²¹For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. ²²Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. ²³And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. ²⁴For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?

All Israel shall be saved

²⁵For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. ²⁶And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: ²⁷For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. ²⁸As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes. ²⁹For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. ³⁰For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: ³¹Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. ³²For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. ³³O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! ³⁴For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? ³⁵Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? ³⁶For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.