Romans 11:15
in Romans 11For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For if the casting away of them is the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
KJV
For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
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This verse in Romans 11
Commentary
11 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For if the casting away of them - If their rejection as the special people of God - their exclusion from their national privileges, on account of their unbelief. It is the same as “the fall of them;” Rom 11:12. Be the reconciling of the world - The word “reconciliation” καταλλαγή katallagē denotes commonly a pacification of contending parties; a removing the occasion of difference, so as again to be united; 1Co 7:11, “Let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband.” It is commonly applied to the reconciliation, or pacification, produced between man and God by the gospel.
This site's exposition
the apostle to the Gentiles
on Romans 11:13-16
Paul turns to address the Gentiles directly and names a Jewish aim for his Gentile work, to provoke his own people and save some. Verse 15 answers verse 12: their acceptance is life from the dead. Verse 16 lays the two figures, the first part of the dough with the whole batch, and the root with the branches.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
This is why Paul worked so hard for the conversion of the Jews, since the handicap of their blindness will be removed at the time when their sin is paid for, so that they might receive the free exercise of their will.
A commentator
Theodoret of CyrusINTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS · Written before 458.
proposed
Note how diplomatically Paul phrases his statements. On the one hand he teaches those who already believe not to think too highly of themselves, and on the other hand he extends a hand to those Jews who do not believe, showing them that they could …
"For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead?" Yet this again condemns them, since, while others gained by their sins, they did not profit by other men's well doings. But if he asserts that to be their doing which necessarily happened, be not surprised: since (as I have said several times) it is to humble these, and to exhort the other, that he throws his address into this form. For as I said before, if the Jews had been cast away a thousand times over, and the Gentiles had not shown faith, they would never have been saved. But he stands by the feeble party, and gives assistance to the distressed one. But see also even in his favors to them, how he solaces them in words only. "For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world," (and what is this to the Jews?) "what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead?" Yet even this was no boon to them, unless they had been received. But what he means is to this effect. If in anger with them He gave other men so great gifts, when He is reconciled to them what will He not give? But as the resurrection of the dead was not by the receiving of them, so neither now is our salvation through them. But they were cast out owing to their own folly, but it is by faith that we are saved, and by grace from above.
A commentator
Origen of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS · Written before 253.
proposed
"For if the loss of them is the reconciliation of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?"
The Medieval Church1 voice
If, he says, having been angered at them, He granted so much to others and made enemies into friends, what will He not grant when He receives them? Then there will be "life from the dead," that is, unending blessings; for He indicates these by …
4 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Then when he says, for if, he assigns the reason for his interest, namely, that the conversion of the Jews would contribute to the salvation of the gentiles. Hence he says, for if the loss of them, i.e., their unbelief and disobedience, as a slave …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
): The casting away of them is the reconciling of the world. God's displeasure towards them made way for his favour towards the Gentiles. God was in Christ reconciling the world, 2 Cor. v. 19 .
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
For if the casting away of them,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
But life from the dead - If the rejection of the Jews became the occasion of our receiving the Gospel, so that we can even glory in our tribulations, though they themselves became chief instruments of our sufferings; yet so far must we feel from exulting over them that we should esteem their full conversion to God as great and choice a favor as we would the restoration of a most intimate friend to life, who had been at the gates of death. The restoration of the Jews to a state of favor with God to which the apostle refers, and which is too plainly intimated by the spirit of prophecy to admit of a doubt, will be a most striking event. Their being preserved as a distinct people is certainly a strong collateral proof that they shall once more be brought into the Church of God: and their conversion to Christianity will be an incontestable proof of the truth of Divine revelation; and doubtless will become the means of converting multitudes of deists, who will see the prophecies of God, which had been delivered so long before, so strikingly fulfilled in this great event. We need not wonder, if a whole nation should then be born as in a day.
The words behind it
15 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἰ | ei | If | G1487 → | 508 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀποβολὴ | apobole | rejection | G580 → | |
| αὐτῶν | auton | of them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| καταλλαγὴ | katallage | [is the] reconciliation | G2643 → | |
| κόσμου, | kosmou | of [the] world, | G2889 → | 185 times |
| τίς | tis | what [will be] | G5101 → | 563 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πρόσλημψις | proslempsis | acceptance | G4356 → | |
| εἰ | ei | only | G1487 → | 508 times |
| μὴ | me | except | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| ζωὴ | zoe | life | G2222 → | 135 times |
| ἐκ | ek | out from | G1537 → | 911 times |
| νεκρῶν; | nekron | [the] dead? | G3498 → | 128 times |
εἰIf
eiG1487 →508 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
ἀποβολὴrejection
apoboleG580 →
αὐτῶνof them
autonG846 →5565 times
καταλλαγὴ[is the] reconciliation
katallageG2643 →
κόσμου,of [the] world,
kosmouG2889 →185 times
τίςwhat [will be]
tisG5101 →563 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
πρόσλημψιςacceptance
proslempsisG4356 →
εἰonly
eiG1487 →508 times
μὴexcept
meG3361 →1066 times
ζωὴlife
zoeG2222 →135 times
ἐκout from
ekG1537 →911 times
νεκρῶν;[the] dead?
nekronG3498 →128 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ephesians 1:10as a plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ.
it leads to
- Colossians 1:20
and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross.
- Philippians 2:9–10
Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names,
- Galatians 4:4
But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
- Daniel 2:44
In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will shatter all these kingdoms…
- Colossians 1:20
Through
Luke 15:24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.
it leads to
- Ephesians 2:5
made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!
- Ezekiel 34:16
I will seek the lost, bring back the strays, bind up the broken, and strengthen the weak; but the sleek and strong I will destroy. I will shepherd them with justice.’
- Luke 19:10
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
- Colossians 2:13
When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses,
- Ephesians 2:5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies11
About Romans
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Frederic Godet, Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans; John Chrysostom, Homily on Romans 19; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS; Theodoret of Cyrus, INTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Romans and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Romans.