Romans 11:18

Romans 11:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
• English Standard Version (ESV)do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.
• New King James Version (NKJV)do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
• New Living Translation (NLT)But you must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. You are just a branch, not the root.

Context of Romans 11:18

16If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble.

Romans 11:18 word by word

μὴ κατακαυχῶ τῶν κλάδων· εἰ δὲ κατακαυχᾶσαι, οὐ σὺ τὴν ῥίζαν βαστάζεις ἀλλ᾽ ἡ ῥίζα σέ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Boastκατακαυχάομαιkatakauchaomai · to boastG2620
• notμήmē · notG3361
• against the branchesὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• against the branchesκλάδοςklados · branchG2798
• Butδέde · thenG1161
• ifεἰei · ifG1487
• thouσύsu · youG4771
• bearestβαστάζωbastazō · to carryG941
• notοὐou · noG3756
• the rootῥίζαrhiza · rootG4491
• butἀλλάalla · butG235

Cross-references for Romans 11:18

• Romans 11:20Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble.
• Romans 3:27Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith.
• 1 Kings 20:11The king of Israel answered, “Tell him: ‘One who puts on his armor should not boast like one who takes it off.’ ”
• Proverbs 16:18Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
• Matthew 26:33Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”
• Luke 18:9To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable:
• 1 Corinthians 10:12So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!
• Romans 4:16Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.
• Zechariah 8:20This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come,
• John 10:16I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
• Galatians 3:29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
• Ephesians 2:19Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,

Commentaries on Romans 11:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Boast not against the branches - While you are ready to acknowledge that you were included in the covenant made with Abraham, and are now partakers of the same blessings with him, do not exult over, much less insult, the branches, his present descendants, whose place you now fill up, according to the election of grace: for remember, ye are not the root, nor do ye bear the root, but the root bears you. You have not been the means of deriving any blessing…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Boast not … - The tendency of people is to triumph over one that is fallen and rejected. The danger of pride and boasting on account of privileges is not less in the church than elsewhere. Paul saw that some of the Gentiles might be in danger of exultation over the fallen Jews, and therefore cautions them against it. The ingrafted shoot, deriving all its vigor and fruitfulness from the stock of another tree, ought not to boast against the branches. But if…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-21Verses 11-21 The gospel is the greatest riches of every place where it is. As therefore the righteous rejection of the unbelieving Jews, was the occasion of so large a multitude of the Gentiles being reconciled to God, and at peace with him; the future receiving of the Jews into the church would be such a change, as would resemble a general resurrection of the dead in sin to a life of righteousness. Abraham was as the root of the church. The Jews…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18You do not support the root, but the root supports you: When Paul wrote to the church in Rome, most of its members were not Jewish. This was common in many early Christian communities. Because Gentiles had become the majority, some began to boast about their place in God’s people. Some also looked down on Jews and on Israel’s religious heritage. Paul corrects this attitude. He reminds Gentile believers that they share in God’s blessings only because they…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-1817-18. And if--rather, "But if"; that is, "If notwithstanding this consecration of Abraham's race to God. some of the branches--The mass of the unbelieving and rejected Israelites are here called "some," not, as before, to meet Jewish prejudice (see on Ro 3:3, and on "not all" in Ro 10:16), but with the opposite view of checking Gentile pride. and thou, being a wild olive, wert--"wast" grafted in among them--Though it is more usual to graft the superior…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 11:18

• Boasting
• Gentiles
• Grafting
• Humility
• Olive
• Pride
• Reprobacy
• Salvation

In the dictionaries

• Cast
• Church
• Conclude
• Dark
• Depth
• Election
• Emulation
• Grace
• Graft
• Judgment

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