God’s Word Translation
Romans 11:2
2God has not rejected his people whom he knew long ago. Don’t you know what Elijah says in the Scripture passage when he complains to God about Israel? He says,
Romans 11:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
- New International Version (NIV)God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel:
- English Standard Version (ESV)God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?
- New King James Version (NKJV)God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying,
Context of Romans 11:2
1So I ask, “Has God rejected his people Israel?” That’s unthinkable! Consider this. I’m an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham from the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he knew long ago. Don’t you know what Elijah says in the Scripture passage when he complains to God about Israel? He says, 3“Lord, they’ve killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I’m the only one left, and they’re trying to take my life.” 4But what was God’s reply? God said, “I’ve kept 7,000 people for myself who have not knelt to worship Baal.”
Read all of Romans 11Romans 11:2 word by word
οὐκ ἀπώσατο ὁ θεὸς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ὃν προέγνω.¶ Ἢ οὐκ οἴδατε ἐν Ἠλίᾳ τί λέγει ἡ γραφή, ὡς ἐντυγχάνει τῷ θεῷ κατὰ τοῦ ἸσραήλRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- hathἀπωθέωapōtheomai apōthomai · to rejectG683
- notοὐou · noG3756
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- peopleλαόςlaos · a peopleG2992
- whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- he foreknewπρογινώσκωproginōskō · to know/chooseG4267
- ·ἤē · orG2228
- Wot yeεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
- whatτίςtis · which?G5101
- the scriptureγραφήgraphē · a writingG1124
- saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- ofἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- EliasἩλίαςHēlias · ElijahG2243
- howὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- he maketh intercessionἐντυγχάνωentugchanō · to call onG1793
- againstκατάkata · according toG2596
- IsraelἸσραήλIsraēl · IsraelG2474
- sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
Cross-references for Romans 11:2
- Romans 8:29This is true because he already knew his people and had already appointed them to have the same form as the image of his Son. Therefore, his Son is the firstborn among many children.
- Romans 9:6Now it is not as though God’s word has failed. Clearly, not everyone descended from Israel is part of Israel
- Acts 13:48The people who were not Jews were pleased with what they heard and praised the Lord’s word. Everyone who had been prepared for everlasting life believed.
- Acts 15:18He is the one who will do these things that have always been known!’
- 1 Peter 1:2God the Father knew you long ago and chose you to live holy lives with the Spirit’s help so that you are obedient to Jesus Christ and are sprinkled with his blood. May good will and peace fill your lives!
- Genesis 44:15Joseph asked them, “What have you done? Don’t you know that a man like me can find things out because he knows the future?”
- Exodus 32:1When the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. They said to him, “We don’t know what has happened to this Moses, who led us out of Egypt. Make gods who will lead us.”
- Acts 3:17“And now, brothers, I know that like your rulers you didn’t know what you were doing.
- Acts 7:40They told Aaron, ‘We don’t know what has happened to this Moses, who led us out of Egypt. So make gods who will lead us.’
- Philippians 1:22If I continue to live in this life, my work will produce more results. I don’t know which I would prefer.
- Nehemiah 9:30You were patient with them for many years. You warned them by your Spirit through your prophets. However, they wouldn’t listen. So you handed them over to the people in the surrounding nations.
- Luke 4:1Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit as he left the Jordan River. The Spirit led him while he was in the desert,
- 1 Corinthians 6:2Don’t you know that God’s people will judge the world? So if you’re going to judge the world, aren’t you capable of judging insignificant cases?
- Hebrews 1:1In the past God spoke to our ancestors at many different times and in many different ways through the prophets.
- 1 Corinthians 15:15In addition, we are obviously witnesses who lied about God because we testified that he brought Christ back to life. But if it’s true that the dead don’t come back to life, then God didn’t bring Christ back to life.
- Numbers 16:15Moses became angry and said to the Lord, “Don’t accept their offering. I haven’t taken anything from them, not even a donkey. And I haven’t mistreated any of them.”
Commentaries on Romans 11:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew - God has not finally and irrecoverably rejected a people whom he has loved (or approved) so long, ̔ , for this is evidently the meaning of the word in this place, as we have already seen, Romans 8:29, and is a very general meaning of the original verb ידע yada in Hebrew and in Greek; as I have had often occasion to notice in different parts of this work, and what none will deny who consults the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2God hath set cast away - This is an explicit denial of the objection. Which he foreknew - The word “foreknew” is expressive not merely of foreseeing a thing, but implies in this place a previous purpose or plan; see the note at Romans 8:29. The meaning of the passage is simply, God has not cast off those whom he had before purposed or designed to be his people. It is the declaration of a great principle of divine government that God is not changeable: and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2whom He foreknew: Before the people of Israel could do anything to earn their place, God chose them to be his people. He did this because of his grace alone. Elijah: In 1 Kings 19:1–18, King Ahab had killed many of the Lord’s prophets, and his wife Jezebel threatened to kill Elijah as well. Elijah ran into the wilderness and expressed his deep discouragement. God answered him by saying that many faithful people still remained. Paul saw a similar situation…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-42-4. God hath--"did" not cast away his people--that is, wholly which he foreknew--On the word "foreknew," see on Ro 8:29. Wot--that is, "Know" ye not that the scripture saith of--literally, "in," that is, in the section which relates to Elias? how he maketh intercession--"pleadeth" against Israel--(The word "saying," which follows, as also the particle "and" before "digged down," should be omitted, as without manuscript authority).Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 11:2
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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