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Romans Chapter 11

New Testament Epistle (Pauline) 36 Verses

What is Romans 11 about?

Paul's systematic exposition of the gospel — justification by faith, the sovereignty of God, sin's universality, and life in the Spirit. The complete chapter text below provides the immediate literary context for study.

Text — American Standard Version (1901)

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. For original Hebrew/Greek interlinear text, open in BibleWord.ai.
1I say then, Did God cast off his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
2God did not cast off his people which he foreknew. Or know ye not what the scripture saith of Elijah? how he pleadeth with God against Israel:
3Lord, they have killed thy prophets, they have 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 left for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal.
5Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
6But if it is by grace, it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.
7What then? that which Israel seeketh for, that he obtained not; but the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened:
8according as it is written, God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, unto this very day.
9And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, And a stumblingblock, and a recompense unto them:
10Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, And bow thou down their back always.
11I say then, Did they stumble that they might fall? God forbid: but by their fall salvation [is come] unto the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.
12Now if their fall, is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
13But I speak to you that are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I glorify my ministry;
14if by any means I may provoke to jealousy [them that are] my flesh, and may save some of them.
15For if the casting away of them [is] the reconciling of the world, what [shall] the receiving [of them be], but life from the dead?
16And if the firstfruit is holy, so is the lump: and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17But if some of the branches were broken off, and thou, being a wild olive, wast grafted in among them, and didst become partaker with them of the root of the fatness of the olive tree;
18glory not over the branches: but if thou gloriest, it is not thou that bearest the root, but the root thee.
19Thou wilt say then, Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
20Well; by their unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by thy faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
21for if God spared not the natural branches, neither will he spare thee.
22Behold then the goodness and severity of God: toward them that fell, severity; but toward thee, God`s goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
23And they also, if they continue not in their unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.
24For if thou wast cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and wast grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree; how much more shall these, which are the natural [branches], be grafted into their own olive tree?
25For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of this mystery, lest ye be wise in your own conceits, that a hardening in part hath befallen Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in;
26and so all Israel shall be saved: even as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer; He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27And this is my covenant unto them, When I shall take away their sins.
28As touching the gospel, they are enemies for your sake: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers` sake.
29For the gifts and the calling of God are not repented of.
30For as ye in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience,
31even so have these also now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they also may now obtain mercy.
32For God hath shut up all unto disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all.
33O 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!
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 unto him, are all things. To him [be] the glory for ever. Amen.
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What do historical commentaries say about this chapter?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · on verse 1
“I say then, hath God cast away his people? etc..] The Alexandrian, copy adds here, “whom he foreknew”, as in (<451102>Romans 11:2): upon the citation of the above passages out of Moses and Isaiah, relating to the calling of the Gentiles, and the rejection of the Jews, the apostle saw an objection would arise, which he here takes up from the mouth of an adversary, and proposes it; in which is suggested, that God has cast away all his people the Jews, according to this count; and if so, where is his covenant with Abraham? what is become of his promises? and how is his faithfulness to be accounted for? and what hope…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED AND CONCLUDED--THE ULTIMATE INBRINGING OF ALL ISRAEL, TO BE, WITH THE GENTILES, ONE KINGDOM OF GOD ON THE EARTH. (Rom. 11:1-36) I say then, Hath--"Did" God cast away his people? God forbid--Our Lord did indeed announce that "the kingdom of God should be taken from Israel" (Mat 21:41); and when asked by the Eleven, after His resurrection, if He would at that time "restore the kingdom to Israel," His reply is a virtual admission that Israel was in some sense already out of covenant (Act 1:9). Yet here the apostle teaches that, in two respects, Israel was not "cast away"; First, Not totally;…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“I say then - This expression is to be regarded as conveying the sense of an objection. Paul, in the previous chapters, had declared the doctrine that all the Jews were to be rejected. To this a Jew might naturally reply, Is it to be believed, that God would cast off his people whom he had once chosen; to whom pertained the adoption, and the promises, and the covenant, and the numerous blessings conferred on a favorite people? It was natural for a Jew to make such objections. And it was important for the apostle to show that his doctrine was consistent with all the promises which God had made to his people. The…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · on verse 1
“Hath God rejected his whole people - All Israel? In no wise. Now there is "a remnant" who believe, Rom 11:5; and hereafter "all Israel will be saved," Rom 11:26. Romans 11:2”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · on verse 2
“11:2 chose from the very beginning: Before the people of Israel could do anything to earn their status, God selected them to be his people based on his grace alone. • Elijah the prophet: In 1 Kgs 19:1-18, the apostate King Ahab had slaughtered many of the Lord’s prophets, and Ahab’s wife Jezebel threatened Elijah with the same fate. Elijah fled to the wilderness, where he bemoaned his fate. God responded with the assurance that many faithful people remained. Paul found the present situation to be somewhat parallel. While many Jews did not believe, and some were even hostile, God was (and is) still working to…”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · on verse 1
“Hath God: Sa1 12:22; Kg2 23:27; Psa 77:7, Psa 89:31-37, Psa 94:14; Jer 31:36, Jer 31:37; Jer 33:24-26; Hos 9:17; Amo 9:8, Amo 9:9 God forbid: Rom 3:4 For I also: Rom 9:3; Act 22:3, Act 26:4; Co2 11:22; Phi 3:5 Romans 11:2”
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