New King James Version
Romans 11:21
21For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.
Romans 11:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
- New International Version (NIV)For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.
- New Living Translation (NLT)For if God did not spare the original branches, he won’t spare you either.
Context of Romans 11:21
19You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. 23And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
Read all of Romans 11Romans 11:21 word by word
εἰ γὰρ ὁ θεὸς τῶν κατὰ φύσιν κλάδων οὐκ ἐφείσατο, μή πως οὐδὲ σοῦ φείσεται.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·κατάkata · according toG2596
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- ifεἰei · ifG1487
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- sparedφείδομαιpheidomai · to spareG5339
- notοὐou · noG3756
- theκλάδοςklados · branchG2798
- naturalφύσιςphusis · natureG5449
- lestμήπωςmēpōs mē pōs · so thatG3381
- alsoοὐδέoude · norG3761
- theeσύsu · youG4771
Cross-references for Romans 11:21
- Romans 11:17And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree,
- Romans 8:32He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
- Jeremiah 25:29For behold, I begin to bring calamity on the city which is called by My name, and should you be utterly unpunished? You shall not be unpunished, for I will call for a sword on all the inhabitants of the earth,” says the Lord of hosts.’
- Jeremiah 49:12For thus says the Lord: “Behold, those whose judgment was not to drink of the cup have assuredly drunk. And are you the one who will altogether go unpunished? You shall not go unpunished, but you shall surely drink of it.
- 1 Corinthians 10:1Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea,
- 2 Peter 2:4For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;
- Jude 1:5But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
Commentaries on Romans 11:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21For if God spared not the natural branches - If He, in his infinite justice and holiness, could not tolerate sin in the people whom he foreknew, whom he had so long loved, cherished, miraculously preserved and blessed; take heed lest he also spare not thee. Be convinced that the same righteous principle in him will cause him to act towards you as he has acted towards them, if you sin after the similitude of their transgression; and to this…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21For if God - If God did not refrain from rejecting the Jews who became unbelievers, assuredly he will not refrain from rejecting you in the same circumstances. It may be supposed that he will be quite as ready to reject the ingrafted branches, as to cast off those which belonged to the parent stock. The situation of the Gentiles is not such as to give them any security over the condition of the rejected Jew.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. 17-24In Paul’s extended metaphor, God’s special olive tree represents the people of God. This image would have been familiar to his readers. The olive tree was the most common fruit tree in the Mediterranean region. It was also already used as a symbol for Israel in the Old Testament (Jeremiah 11:16; Hosea 14:5–6). Paul describes non-Jewish (gentile) Christians as branches from a wild olive tree because they were not originally part of God's people.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-2119-21. Thou wilt say then--as a plea for boasting. The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 11:21
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries