Romans 11

Romans · Chapter 11

Romans 11:4

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.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?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.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
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.And what was the divine reply to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have left for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

Romans 11:1-10The remnant

About Romans 11God 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 11:1Romans 11:4Romans 11:5Romans 11:11Romans 11:13Romans 11:17Romans 11:18Romans 11:20Romans 11:23Romans 11:25Romans 11:26Romans 11:29Romans 11:33

Why this verse matters here"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 11:41 Kings 19:18

Who, where and when in this chapter

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
ButἀλλὰallaG0235
but

ἀλλά (alla) ἀλλά (ἀλλ᾽ usually bef. α and υ, often bef. ε and η, rarely bef. ο and ω, never bef. ι; Tdf., Pr., 93 f.; WH, App., 146), adversative particle, stronger than δέ; prop. neuter pl. of ἄλλος, used adverbially, with changed accent; hence prop. otherwise, on the other hand (cf. Rom.3:31); …

what [was]τίtiG5101
which?

τίς (tis) τίς, neut., τί, genitive, τίνος, interrog. pron., [in LXX for מָה ,מִי ;] in masc. and fem., who, which, what?; in neut., which, what?, used both in direct and in indirect questions. I. I. As subst., 1. 1. masc., fem.: τίς; who, what?, Mat.3:7 26:68; Mrk.11:28, Luk.9:9, al. mult.; with genitive partit., Act.7:52, Heb.1:5, al; before ἐκ (= genitive partit.), Mat.6:27, Luk.14:28, Jhn.8:46; = ποῖος, Mrk.4:41 6:2, Luk.19:3, Act.17:19, al.; = πότερος (M, Pr., 77), Mat.21:31 27:17, Luk.22:27, al.; = ὅς or ὅστις (rare in cl.; cf. Bl., §50, 5; M, Pr., 93), Act.13:25. …

spokenλέγειlegeiG3004G
to say

λέγω (legō) λέγω, [in LXX very freq., chiefly for אמר; λέγει for נְאֻם, Gen.22:16, al. ;] 1. in Hom., to pick out, gather, reckon, recount. 2. In Hdt. and Att., to say, speak, affirm, declare: absol., Act.13:15, 24:10; before orat. dir., Mat.9:34, Mrk.3:11, Jhn.1:29, al.; before ὅτι recit., Mrk.3:21, Luk.1:24, Jhn.6:14, al.; accusative and inf., Luk.11:18, Jhn.12:29, al.; after another verb of speaking, προσφωνεῖν κ. λέγειν, Mat.11:17, al.; ἀπεκρίθη (ἐλάλησεν) λέγων (καὶ λέγει; Dalman, Words, 24 ff.), Mat.25:9, Mrk.3:33, 7:28, Luk.24:6, 7, al.; of unspoken thought, λ. ἐν ἑαυτῷ, Mat.3:9, Luk.3:8, al.; of …

to himαὐτῷautōG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

divine answer?χρηματισμός;chrēmatismosG5538
proclamation

χρηματισμός (chrēmatismos) χρηματισμός, -οῦ), ὁ (χρηματίζω, which see), [in LXX: Pro.31:1 (מַשָּׂא), 2Ma.2:4 2Mac 11:17 * ;] a divine response, an oracle: Rom.11:4 (Xen., Plat., al.).† (AS)

I have leftκατέλιπονkateliponG2641
to leave behind

καταλείπω (kataleipō) κατα-λείπω [in LXX chiefly far שָׁאַר, ni., hi., also for עָזַב, יָתַר, etc. ;] 1 1, to leave behind, leave: with accusative of person(s) (of thing(s)), Mat.4:13, Mrk.12:19, 21, Luk.20:31, Act.24:27 25:14, Heb.11:27; of sailing by a place, Act.21:3; ptcp., καταλιπών, redundant (Dalman, Words, 21 f.), Mat.16:4 21:17; pass., Jhn.8:9, 1Th.3:1; metaphorically, εὐθεῖαν ὁδόν, 2Pe.2:15. 2. to forsake, abandon: Mat.19:5, Mrk.10:7" (LXX) Mrk.14:52, Luk.5:28 15:4, Act.6:2, Eph.5:31" (LXX) . …

to MyselfἐμαυτῷemautōG1473
I/we

ἐγώ (egō) ἐγώ, genitive, etc., ἐμοῦ, ἐμοί, ἐμέ (enclitic μου, μοι, με), pl. ἡμεῖς, -ῶν, -ῖν, -ᾶς, of person(s) pron. I. (a) The nom. is usually emphatic, when expressed as subjc, as in Mat.3:11, Mrk.1:8, Luk.3:16, al. But often there is no apparent emphasis, as Mat.10:16, Jhn.10:17; ἰδοὺ ἐ. (= Heb. הִנֵּנִי, cf. 1Ki.3:8), Act.9:10; ἐ. (like Heb. אֲנִי), I am, Jhn.1:23 (LXX), Act.7:32 (LXX). …

seven thousandἑπτακισχιλίουςheptakischiliousG2035
seven thousand

ἑπτακισχίλιοι (heptakischilioi) ἐπτακισχίλιοι, -αι, -α seven thousand: Rom.11:4.† (AS)

menἄνδραςandrasG0435G
man

ἀνήρ (anēr) ἀνήρ, ἀνδρός, ὁ, [in LXX chiefly for אִישׁ, frequently אֱנוֹשׁ, also אָדָם, etc. ;] a man, Lat. vir. 1. As opposite to a woman, Act.8:12, 1Ti.2:12; as a husband, Mat.1:16, Jhn.4:16, Rom.7:2, Tit.1:6. 2. As opposite to a boy or infant, 1Co.13:11, Eph.4:13, Jas.3:2. 3. In appos. with a noun or adj., as ἀ. ἁμαρτωλός, Luk.5:8; ἀ. προφήτης, 24:19; frequently in terms of address, as ἀ. ἀδελφοί, Act.1:16; and esp. with gentilic names, as ἀ. Ἰουδαῖος, Act.22:3; ἀ. Ἐφέσιοι, 19:35. 4. In general, a man, a male person: = τις, Luk.8:41, Act.6:11. …

whoοἵτινεςoitinesG3748
who/which

ὅστις (hostis, hētis) ὅστις, ἥτις, ὅ τι (also written ὅ, τι and ὅτι; see LS, see word; WH, §411; Tdf., Pr., 111), in NT scarcely ever except in nom. (M, Pr., 91), the only instance of the oblique cases being found in ἕως ὅτου (see: ἕως), relative of indef. reference (related to simple ὅς as Lat. quisquis to qui), whoever, anyone who; (a) of an indef. person or thing: in general statements, Mat.5:39, 41 13:12, and freq., Luk.14:27, Gal.5:4, al.; in relative sentences, Mat.7:26, Luk.15:7, Php.3:7, al.; πᾶς, with indic., Mat.7:24 10:32; ὅ ἄν (ἐάν), with subjc., Mat.12:50 13:12, Jhn.14:13, 1Co.16:2, Gal.5:10, al.; …

notοὐκoukG3756
no

οὐ (ou) οὐ, before a vowel with smooth breathing οὐκ, before one with rough breathing οὐχ (but improperly οὐχ ἰδού, Act.2:7, WH, mg.; cf. WH, Intr., §409; M, Pr., 44, 244), [in LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,לֹא ;] neg. particle, not, no, used generally with indic, and for a denial of fact (cf . μή); 1. absol. (accented), οὔ, no: Mat.13:29 Jhn.1:21 21:5; οὒ οὕ, Mat.5:37 Jas.5:12. …

bowedἔκαμψανekampsanG2578
to bend/bow

κάμπτω (kamptō) κάμπτω [in LXX chiefly for כָּרַע, 4Ki.1:13, 2Ch.29:29, Isa.45:24 (23), al. ;] to bend, bow: with accusative of thing(s), γόνυ, τὰ γ.; with dative of person(s), τῇ Βάαλ, Rom.11:4 (LXX); πρὸς τ. πατέρα, Eph.3:14; by meton., πᾶν γόνυ for πᾶς, Rom.14:11 (LXX) Php.2:10 (cf. ἀνα-, συν-κάμπτω).† (AS)

[the] kneeγόνυgonuG1119
a knee

γόνυ (gonu) γόνυ, -ατος, τό, [in LXX chiefly for בֶּרֶךְ ;] the knee: Heb.12:12; of a suppliant, προσπίπτειν τοῖς γ., Luk.5:8; so also τιθέναι τὰ γ., to kneel: Luk.22:41, Act.7:60 9:40 20:36 21:5; in mockery, Mrk.15:19; κάμπτειν τὰ γ., to bend the knee: Rom.11:4 (LXX) 14:11 (LXX), Eph.3:14, Php.2:10.† (AS)

to Baal.Βάαλ.BaalG0896
Baal

Βάαλ (Baal) Βάαλ (Rec. βαάλ), ὁ, ἡ, indecl. (Heb. בַּעַל, lord), Baal: Rom.11:4 (LXX). The fem. art. here agrees with the usage of LXX, where, following a similar Hebrew practice (בֹּשֶׁת for בַּעַל), αἰσχύνη appears to have been substituted in reading for the written Βάαλ (cf. 3Ki.18:19), and to account for the frequently use of the fem. art. bef. Β. The usage, however, is not general, and in the passage cited in Ro (3Ki.19:18), LXX reads τῷ Β. † (AS)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.