Romans 11:28

Romans 11:28 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.
• New International Version (NIV)As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs,
• English Standard Version (ESV)As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.

Context of Romans 11:28

26and so [at that time] all Israel [that is, all Jews who have a personal faith in Jesus as Messiah] will be saved; just as it is written [in Scripture], “The Deliverer (Messiah) will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.” 27“This is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.” From the standpoint of the gospel, the Jews [at present] are enemies [of God] for your sake [which is for your benefit], but from the standpoint of God’s choice [of the Jews as His people], they are still loved by Him for the sake of the fathers. 29For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable [for He does not withdraw what He has given, nor does He change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call]. 30Just as you once were disobedient and failed to listen to God, but have now obtained mercy because of their disobedience,

Romans 11:28 word by word

κατὰ μὲν τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἐχθροὶ δι᾽ ὑμᾶς κατὰ δὲ τὴν ἐκλογὴν ἀγαπητοὶ διὰ τοὺς πατέρας·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·μένmen · on the other handG3303
• As concerningκατάkata · according toG2596
• the gospelὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the gospelεὐαγγέλιονeuaggelion · gospelG2098
• enemiesἐχθρόςechthros · enemyG2190
• forδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• yourσύsu · youG4771
• butδέde · thenG1161
• the electionἐκλογήeklogē · selectingG1589
• belovedἀγαπητόςagapētos · belovedG27
• the fathers’πατήρpatēr · fatherG3962

Cross-references for Romans 11:28

• Romans 11:11So I say, have they stumbled so as to fall [to spiritual ruin]? Certainly not! But by their transgression [their rejection of the Messiah] salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Israel jealous [when they realize what they have forfeited].
• Matthew 21:43Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to [another] people who will produce the fruit of it.
• Acts 13:45But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things said by Paul, and were slandering him.
• Acts 14:2but the unbelieving Jews [who rejected Jesus as Messiah] stirred up and embittered the minds of the Gentiles against the believers.
• Acts 18:6But since the Jews kept resisting and opposing him, and blaspheming [God], he shook out his robe and said to them, “Your blood (damnation) be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
• 1 Thessalonians 2:15who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and harassed and drove us out; and [they] continue to be highly displeasing to God and [to show themselves] hostile to all people,
• Romans 11:7What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking [that is, God’s favor by obedience to the Law], but the elect [those chosen few] obtained it, while the rest of them became hardened and callously indifferent;
• Isaiah 41:8“But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, The offspring of Abraham My friend,
• Genesis 26:4I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of the heavens, and will give to your descendants all these lands; and by your descendants shall all the nations of the earth be blessed,
• Genesis 28:14Your descendants shall be as [countless as] the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and the east and the north and the south; and all the families (nations) of the earth shall be blessed through you and your descendants.
• Leviticus 26:40‘If they confess their wickedness and the wickedness of their forefathers, in their unfaithfulness which they have committed against Me—and also in their acting with hostility toward Me—
• Deuteronomy 4:31For the Lord your God is a merciful and compassionate God; He will not fail you, nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them.
• Deuteronomy 7:7“The Lord did not love you and choose you because you were greater in number than any of the other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.
• Deuteronomy 8:18But you shall remember [with profound respect] the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore (solemnly promised) to your fathers, as it is this day.
• Deuteronomy 9:5It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God is driving them out before you, and to confirm the oath which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
• Deuteronomy 10:15Yet the Lord had a delight in loving your fathers and set His affection on them, and He chose their descendants after them, you above all peoples, as it is this day.

Commentaries on Romans 11:28

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 28As concerning the Gospel - The unbelieving Jews, with regard to the Gospel which they have rejected, are at present enemies to God, and aliens from his kingdom, under his Son Jesus Christ, on account of that extensive grace which has overturned their peculiarity, by admitting the Gentiles into his Church and family: but with regard to the original purpose of election, whereby they were chosen and separated from all the people of the earth to be the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 28As concerning the gospel - So far as the gospel is concerned; or, in order to promote its extension and spread through the earth. They are enemies - The word “enemies” here stands opposed to “beloved;” and as in one respect, to wit, on account of “election,” they were still beloved, that is, beloved by God, so in another respect they were his enemies, i. e., opposed to him, or cast off from him. The enemies of God denote all who are not his true friends…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-32Verses 22-32 Of all judgments, spiritual judgments are the sorest; of these the apostle is here speaking. The restoration of the Jews is, in the course of things, far less improbable than the call of the Gentiles to be the children of Abraham; and though others now possess these privileges, it will not hinder their being admitted again. By rejecting the gospel, and by their indignation at its being preached to the Gentiles, the Jews were become enemies to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-32n this section, Paul addresses a serious question. Many Jews did not believe in Jesus. If God had promised salvation to Israel, how could Jesus truly fulfill God’s plan when so few Jews believed (9:1–5)? In response, Paul uses the Old Testament to show that God always planned to save only a remnant, that is, a smaller group within Israel (9:6–29). Paul also explains that many Jews did not accept Christ because they refused to trust in him (9:30–10:21)…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 28-2928-29. As concerning the Gospel they are enemies for your sakes--that is, they are regarded and treated as enemies (in a state of exclusion through unbelief, from the family of God) for the benefit of you Gentiles; in the sense of Ro 11:11, 15. but as touching, the election--of Abraham and his seed. they are beloved--even in their state of exclusion for the fathers' sakes.Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 11:28

• God Continued...
• Intercession
• Salvation

In the dictionaries

• Cast
• Conclude
• Dark
• Depth
• Election
• Emulation
• Grace
• Judgment
• Rest
• Trap

Commentaries on Romans 11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings