ROM 11:15 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 11:11–24: Do not be arrogant toward Jews who do not believe in Jesus

In this section, Paul asked his readers if God has rejected the Jews forever. He answered his own question, indicating that God has not. At that time many Jews rejected Jesus as the Christ/Messiah. As a result, God made the message about Jesus known to people who were not Jews. But God will one day include the Jews and save them through Jesus too.

Paul then spoke directly to the believers who were not Jews. He said that he boasted about his ministry to the non-Jews so as to make the Jews jealous of the results of his ministry among the Gentiles. Then maybe some would be curious and begin believing in Jesus. When God accepts their faith in Jesus, it will be like they rose from the dead.

Paul then used some metaphors to illustrate his point that God has not rejected forever the Jews who, at that time, did not believe in Jesus as the Christ. He showed that if some Jews were holy, then all were, in the same way that a part of a batch of dough represents the whole batch. And the branches of a tree that is holy are themselves holy, even if they have been broken off to allow branches from a different tree to be joined into the trunk. He used the picture of the branches of that different tree to represent the believers who were not Jews.

He reminded the believers who were not Jews of God’s kindness toward them. He told them to always be mindful of that kindness rather than being proud of themselves. He warned them that God is able to do to them as he did to the Jews who do not believe in Jesus, if they became proud of themselves.

Here are other possible headings for this section:

Do not look down on Jews who have not accepted Jesus as the Christ

Many Gentiles believing in Jesus will make the Jews want that blessing too

11:15a

For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world,

For if it is true that God rejecting them for a short time leads him to make peace with the people living on this world,
Indeed, God rejected them, and so he made it possible for many other people of the/this world to end the hostility and become friends with him/himself.

For: Here this word introduces an explanation of 11:13–14.Schreiner (page 596).

if: Here the word if introduces a situation that is true. If this first part is true, that supports the second part (acceptance of the Jews would mean life from the dead (11:15c)) to also be true.

In some languages, using an if-clause would have a different meaning. If that is true in your language, translate the correct meaning. For example:

if it is true that their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, and it is true,

their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, so

See how you translated this kind of if in 3:5 or 11:12.

their rejection: This phrase could mean “someone has rejected them” or “they have rejected someone or something.” Many English versions, like the BSB here, translate in a way that allows for either interpretation. If you can translate in a way that allows both interpretations, you may want to do so.

A few English versions choose “someone has rejected them.” For example:

they were rejected (GNT)

God turned away from the Jews (NCV)

Many scholars support this interpretation. If you must choose, you may want to follow this interpretation.

is: There is no verb in the Greek here. Usually, “be/is” is implied. Here “their trespass” leads to “riches for the world.” So some English versions add a verb like “means” (as in the ESV). You may be able to translate this as you did in 11:12.

reconciliation: This word refers to causing two people or two groups of people, who have been enemies, to be at peace with one another. Jesus, by his death and resurrection, has made a way for people to be reconciled to God. Some languages use a phrase for this meaning. For example:

he made peace

he brought us back to be God’s friends

See how you translated this word in 5:11.

the world: This phrase implies that reconciliation with God is available to all people, and in particular to the people who are not Jews.See Moo (page 693). It does not imply that all people will be reconciled with God. People must believe in Jesus to be reconciled in this way.

In some languages a literal translation would refer only to the physical world. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

Explain the meaning in your translation. For example:
people throughout the whole world
all other people (GNT)
other people in the world (NCV)
Translate literally and explain the meaning in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:
This phrase implies that reconciliation with God is available to all people, and in particular to the people who are not Jews.

11:15b–c

what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?: Here the word but introduces the answer to the question what will their acceptance be? In many languages the answer will need to be separated from the question. For example:

what will their acceptance be? It can only be life from the dead for them.

what will their acceptance be? It will be that they will gain life from the dead.

This is a rhetorical question. In some languages people will see this as a real question. If that is true in your language, translate it as a statement. For example:

their acceptance will be this: life from the dead.

11:15b

what will their acceptance be

what will God accepting them back into relationship with him mean?
So, what will happen when they accept the gospel?
So, this is what will happen when they accept the gospel:

acceptance: If you translated “their rejection” in 11:15a as someone rejecting them, then this word would refer to that same someone accepting them back into a relationship with him. Scholars generally see that here it is God who accepts them.

be: There is no verb in the Greek here. Usually, “be/is” is implied. Here “their trespass” leads to “riches for the world.” So some English versions add a verb like “mean” (as in the ESV). You may be able to translate this as you did in 11:15a.

11:15c

but life from the dead?

It means that they will receive life rather than death.
God will give them eternal life instead of death.

life from the dead: This phrase refers to life after the resurrection of the dead. It implies that God’s promises apply to the Jews when they believe in Jesus. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

bring them life after death (NCV)

they will receive the thing for being taken from death and given lifeYongkom Back Translation, by this author, unpublished manuscript, Papua New Guinea.

The dead [ones] will get life!Barok Back Translation, unpublished manuscript, Papua New Guinea.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

γὰρ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Γάρ ἡ ἀποβολή αὐτῶν καταλλαγή κόσμου τίς ἡ πρόσλημψις εἰ μή ζωή ἐκ νεκρῶν)

For indicates that what follows this word explains what came before it. Here, For indicates that what follows explains what Paul said in the previous verse. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: [In fact,]

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-condition-fact

εἰ

See how you translated if in [11:12](../11/12.md).

Note 3 topic: writing-pronouns

αὐτῶν & ἡ πρόσλημψις

˱of˲_them_‹is› & the acceptance

In this verse their refers to Jews who do not believe in Jesus. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [the unbelieving Jews’ … the Jewish people’s acceptance]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἡ ἀποβολὴ αὐτῶν & ἡ πρόσλημψις & ζωὴ

the the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Γάρ ἡ ἀποβολή αὐτῶν καταλλαγή κόσμου τίς ἡ πρόσλημψις εἰ μή ζωή ἐκ νεκρῶν)

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of rejection, acceptance, and life, you could express the same ideas in another way. Alternate translation: [them rejecting … them being accepted … to become alive]

Note 5 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

καταλλαγὴ κόσμου

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Γάρ ἡ ἀποβολή αὐτῶν καταλλαγή κόσμου τίς ἡ πρόσλημψις εἰ μή ζωή ἐκ νεκρῶν)

Here, is indicates that the phrase that follows is the result of their rejection. Use a natural way in your language for indicating result. Alternate translation: [led to reconciliation of the world]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

καταλλαγὴ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Γάρ ἡ ἀποβολή αὐτῶν καταλλαγή κόσμου τίς ἡ πρόσλημψις εἰ μή ζωή ἐκ νεκρῶν)

See how you translated reconciliation in [5:11](../05/11.md).

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

κόσμου

˱of˲_˓the˒_world

See how you translated world in [11:12](../11/12.md).

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

τίς ἡ πρόσλημψις εἰ μὴ ζωὴ ἐκ νεκρῶν?

what_‹is› the acceptance except (Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Γάρ ἡ ἀποβολή αὐτῶν καταλλαγή κόσμου τίς ἡ πρόσλημψις εἰ μή ζωή ἐκ νεκρῶν)

Paul is not asking for information, but is using the question form here to emphasize how wonderful it will be when God accepts the Jews. If you would not use a rhetorical question for this purpose in your language, you could translate his words as a statement or an exclamation and communicate the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: [their acceptance is certainly life from dead ones!]

Note 9 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

τίς ἡ πρόσλημψις

what_‹is› the acceptance

Here, is indicates that the phrase that follows is the result of their acceptance. Use a natural way in your language for indicating result. Alternate translation: [what would their acceptance lead to if not life from the dead]

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ζωὴ ἐκ νεκρῶν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Γάρ ἡ ἀποβολή αὐτῶν καταλλαγή κόσμου τίς ἡ πρόσλημψις εἰ μή ζωή ἐκ νεκρῶν)

This phrase could refer to: (1) the final resurrection of all Christians that will take place after the whole Jewish remnant has believed in Jesus. Elsewhere in this letter, Paul uses a similar phrase to refer to Jesus’ resurrection. Alternate translation: [bringing the dead back to life] (2) the Jewish remnant changing from being spiritually dead to being spiritually alive. Alternate translation: [eternally alive from being eternally dead]

Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

ἐκ νεκρῶν

from ˓the˒_dead

See how you translated a similar phrase in [4:24](../04/24.md).

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear ROM 11:15

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)

Section 11:11–24: Do not be arrogant toward Jews who do not believe in Jesus

11:15a

11:15b–c

11:15b

11:15c

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)