UTN uW Translation Notes:

Romans 11 Chapter Introduction

Structure and Formatting

6. God’s plan for Israel (9:1–11:36)
   • Paul’s sorrow for Israel’s unbelief (9:1–5)
   • God chooses whom he wants to choose (9:6–13)
   • God shows mercy on whom he wants to show mercy (9:14–18)
   • No one can question God’s choice (9:19–33)
   • Israel’s false righteousness (10:1–4)
   • Salvation is available to everyone (10:5–21)
   • Israel has a faithful remnant (11:1–10)
   • Israel’s unbelief resulted in non-Jews’ belief (11:11–24)
   • God will save Israel (11:15–32)
   • Praise for God’s wisdom (11:33–11:36)

Some translations set each line of poetry farther to the right than the rest of the text to make it easier to read. The ULT does this with 11:9–10, 26–27, and 34–35, which are words from the Old Testament.

Religious and Cultural Concepts in This Chapter

Grafting

In 11:17–24 Paul uses the image of “grafting” to refer to the place of the Gentiles and Jews in the plans of God. Permanently attaching a branch from one plant onto another plant is called “grafting.” Paul uses the picture of God grafting the Gentiles into his people as a wild branch is grafted into a cultivated olive tree. But God has not forgotten about the Jews, who are spoken of as a natural part of the tree. God will also save Jews who believe in Jesus and they will rejoin God’s people.