ROM 11:16 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

11:16a–b

If the first part of the dough is holy, so is the whole batch: This is a figure of speech. It indicates that if part of something is holy, then the whole thing is holy. The whole batch refers to the people of Israel. Scholars have various ideas about the part of the whole lump of dough that is offered:

It refers to Jewish Christians.
It refers to the patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
It refers to Jesus.
It refers to Adam.

Many English versions translate literally and so do not interpret this figure of speech in their translation. But part of the lump probably refers to Jewish Christians because Paul had been talking about saving his fellow Jews.The scholars also translate literally. Cranfield, Dunn, Witherington, Barrett, Fitzmyer, and Stott support interpretation (1) in their discussion of this issue. Moo, Morris, Schreiner, Kruse, Lenski, Alford, Nicoll, Sanday and Headlam, and Hodge support interpretation (2) in their discussion. Moo lists interpretations (3) and (4) as other scholars’ opinions.

In many languages the meaning of the figure of speech will not be understood here. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

Translate literally and explain the meaning of the figure of speech in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:
In this figure of speech, the “whole batch” refers to the people of Israel. The “dough” refers to either (1) the Jewish Christians of that time, or (2) Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Explain the meaning in your translation. It says:
The people of Israel are like a lump of dough, of which part of it has been offered to God as firstfruits and so all of it is holy
And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their descendants will also be holy—just as the entire batch of dough is holy because the portion given as an offering is holy. (NLT) Note that the NLT adds a complete explanation following interpretation (2), in addition to a literal translation.

11:16a

If the first part of the dough is holy,

¶ If the dough that is offered to God as a first offering of the harvest is holy,
¶ Suppose a person offers to God the first part of his grain/wheat harvest as the beginning-of-the-harvest offering. If that first part is dedicated/consecrated to God,
¶ People offer the first part of a lump of dough to God as a thank offering, and that offering is holy.

If the first part of the dough is holy: Here the word If introduces a situation that is true. If this first part is true, that supports the second part (the whole lump of dough (11:16b) is holy) 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 the first part of the dough is holy

the first part of the dough is holy, so

See how you translated this kind of If in 3:5 or 11:15.

the first part of the dough: This phrase refers to a part of the whole lump of dough mentioned in 11:16b. It also refers to the Jewish practice of giving part of a lump of dough to God as a gift offering (Numbers 15:17–21). Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

first piece of dough (NASB)

the part of the dough offered as first fruits (NRSV)

part of a batch of dough is made holy by being offered to God (CEV)

the dough: This refers to the mixture of flour, water, and other things for making bread. It is called dough before people cook it. When it is cooked, it becomes bread. Here are other ways to translate this word:

water and flour mixture

uncooked bread

Here this word refers to a part of the larger lump of dough (11:16b). In some languages that information needs to be added here to make the sentence clear. For example:

portion of the dough

holy: Here this word means “dedicated to God” or “set apart to serve God.”BDAG (page 10) and L&N (on TW) have “consecrated to the service of God.” This is the most likely sense here. The KBT (on TW) is similar: “dedicated to God.” Priests and people will eat the cooked dough and thank God for it. As a figure of speech, the Jews are set apart as God’s special people, because he made promises to them and some of those promises are in effect for the whole future of this earth. Here are other ways to translate this word:

offered to God (NCV)

belongs to GodOtomi Back Translation on TW.

made holy by being offered to God (CEV)

11:16b

so is the whole batch;

then the rest of the dough is holy also.
then all of the grain/wheat harvest is dedicated/consecrated to God.
And so the whole lump is holy.

so is the whole batch: This phrase indicates that the whole batch is holy like the first part of it is. In some languages the implied words must be explicit. For example:

then the whole batch is holy (NIV)

General Comment on 11:16a–b

There are several interpretations of this metaphor. See the first note at 11:16a–b above, if you have not already.

It is recommended that you do not put these interpretations in your translation. If you want to make the meaning of the metaphor more clear, you may want to explain it in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:

This metaphor indicates that the Jews are God’s special people. He has not abandoned them even if only a few Jews believe in him and his Messiah, Jesus, at this time.

11:16c–d

if the root is holy, so are the branches: This is a figure of speech. It indicates that if the source or beginning of something is holy, then the other parts are holy. The branches refer to the people of Israel. Many scholars believe the root refers to Abraham or perhaps Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Only a few scholars believe it refers to Jewish Christians.

Many English versions translate literally and so do not interpret this figure of speech in their translation. Many scholars also translate literally.

In many languages the meaning of the figure of speech will not be understood here. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

Translate literally and explain the meaning of the figure of speech in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:
In this figure of speech, the “branches” refers to the people of Israel. The “root” probably refers to either (1) Abraham or (2) Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Explain the meaning in your translation. It says:
The people of Israel are like the branches of a tree and Abraham is like its root. The root is holy, therefore the branches are holy.
And since Abraham was holy, his descendants, the people of Israel, will also be holy—just as the branches are holy because the root is holy.
or, just as, for example, the branches are holy because the root is holy

11:16c

if the root is holy,

Also, if the main root of a tree is holy,
Suppose that the root of a tree is dedicated/consecrated to God,
If, as another example, the root of a tree is holy,

The Greek of 11:16c begins with a word that is usually translated as “and.” The BSB does not translate this word but instead places a semicolon between 11:16c and 11:16a and b to indicate the connection. This word introduces a second metaphor. In some languages a new sentence would be more natural. For example:

And

If the root is holy… (GW)

if: Here the word if introduces a situation that is true. If this first part is true, that supports the second part. See how you translated it in 11:16a.

the root is holy: 11:16d refers to branches, so here the word root refers to the main root of a tree.

11:16d

so are the branches.

then the branches are too.
then its branches are holy as well.

so are the branches: This phrase indicates that the branches are holy like the main root is. In some languages the implied words must be explicit. For example:

then the branches are holy

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-condition-fact

εἰ & εἰ

if & if

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

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

καὶ τὸ φύραμα & καὶ οἱ κλάδοι

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Δέ ἡ ἀπαρχή ἁγία καί τό φύραμα καί εἰ ἡ ῥίζα ἁγία καί οἱ κλάδοι)

In these clauses Paul implies that the lump of dough and the branches are also holy. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [the lump of dough is also holy … the branches are also holy]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

εἰ & ἡ ἀπαρχὴ ἁγία, καὶ τὸ φύραμα;

if & the if & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Δέ ἡ ἀπαρχή ἁγία καί τό φύραμα καί εἰ ἡ ῥίζα ἁγία καί οἱ κλάδοι)

Paul is speaking of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Israelites’ ancestors, as if they were the firstfruits to be harvested. He is also speaking of the Israelites who descended from those men, as if they were a lump of dough that was made from the firstfruits that had been harvested. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this idea with a simile. Alternate translation: [if Abraham is like the first of what has been offered to God, all of his descendants should also be considered an offering]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

εἰ ἡ ῥίζα ἁγία, καὶ οἱ κλάδοι

if if the root_‹is› holy (Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Δέ ἡ ἀπαρχή ἁγία καί τό φύραμα καί εἰ ἡ ῥίζα ἁγία καί οἱ κλάδοι)

Paul is speaking of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Israelites’ ancestors, as if they were the root of a tree. He is also speaking of the Israelites who descended from those men as if they were the branches of that same tree. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this idea with a simile. Alternate translation: [if Abraham is like the root of a tree, all of his descendants should also be considered branches of that tree]

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 11:16

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