The Meaning of Romans 11:23 Explained

Romans 11:23

KJV: And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.

YLT: And those also, if they may not remain in unbelief, shall be graffed in, for God is able again to graff them in;

Darby: And they too, if they abide not in unbelief, shall be grafted in; for God is able again to graft them in.

ASV: And they also, if they continue not in their unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.

Discover Romans 11:23

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Romans 11:23?

MEANING: What does Romans 11:23 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Romans 11:23 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Romans 11:23?

What is the context of Romans 11:23?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.

What does Romans 11:23 Mean?

Study Notes

abide
See, Jeremiah 3:21-25 ; Jeremiah 50:4 ; Jeremiah 50:5 ; 2 Corinthians 3:16 .

Verse Meaning

Belief is what resulted in God grafting in believing Gentiles ( Romans 11:17), and belief could result in Him grafting in believing Jews in the future. In the illustration the whole trunk of the cultivated olive tree represents Israel and the natural branches are Jews.

Context Summary

Romans 11:13-24 - Others Grafted In By Faith

Paul never abandoned the hope that ultimately Israel would come back to God in Christ. He believed that God's promises pointed in that direction, and that, though centuries might pass, those sure guarantees would be abundantly fulfilled. Notice his expressions: how much more their fullness, Romans 11:12; what shall the receiving of them be, but from the dead? Romans 11:15; God is able to graft them in again, Romans 11:23; all Israel shall be saved, Romans 11:26; that He might have mercy upon all, Romans 11:32. He realized, however, that Israel must temporarily make way for the ingathering of the Church, in which there is neither Jew nor Greek; and that when the Church has been formed and gathered to its Lord, then the time for the ingathering of the Jewish people will have arrived.

Let us see to it that we Gentiles understand our position as being permitted to partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree, Romans 11:17. Christ was the root of that tree, and it is from His rich nature that all the freshness and fatness, all the quickening and energy, all the love and grace of the Hebrew Scriptures and heritage of promises were gained. Whatever Israel had, we may have. Let us go up and possess the land! [source]

Chapter Summary: Romans 11

¹ God has not cast off all Israel
⁷ Some were elected, though the rest were hardened
¹⁶ There is hope of their conversion
¹⁸ The Gentiles may not exult over them;
²⁶ for there is a promise of their salvation
³³ God's judgments are unsearchable

Greek Commentary for Romans 11:23

If they continue not in their unbelief [εαν μη επιμενωσι τηι απιστιαι]
Third class condition with the same verb used in Romans 11:22 of the Gentile. Locative case of απιστιαι apistiāi here (same form as the instrumental in Romans 11:20). [source]

For God is able [δυνατος γαρ εστιν ο τεος]
See this use of δυνατος εστιν dunatos estin in Romans 4:21 rather than δυναται dunatai This is the crux of the whole matter. God is able. [source]

Able [δυνατὸς]
See on Romans 4:21. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 11:23

Romans 6:1 Shall we continue [ἐπιμένωμεν]
The verb means primarily to remain or abide at or with, as 1 Corinthians 16:8; Philemon 1:24; and secondarily, to persevere, as Romans 11:23; Colossians 1:23. So better here, persist. [source]

Philippians 1:24 To abide in the flesh [ἐπιμένειν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ]
See on Colossians 1:23. To abide by the flesh. Compare Romans 6:1; Romans 11:22, Romans 11:23. [source]

Titus 1:9 The faithful word [του πιστου λογου]
See note on 1 Timothy 1:15; 1 Timothy 6:3; Romans 16:17. Some would see a reference here to Christ as the Personal Logos. That he may be able (ινα δυνατος ηι hina dunatos ēi). Final clause with present active subjunctive. Paul several times uses δυνατος ειμι dunatos eimi in the sense of δυναμαι dunamai with infinitive as here (Romans 4:21; Romans 11:23; 2 Timothy 1:12). The gainsayers Present active participle of αντιλεγω antilegō old word, to answer back, as in Romans 10:21. “The talkers back.” [source]

Titus 1:9 That he may be able [ινα δυνατος ηι]
Final clause with present active subjunctive. Paul several times uses δυνατος ειμι dunatos eimi in the sense of δυναμαι dunamai with infinitive as here (Romans 4:21; Romans 11:23; 2 Timothy 1:12). [source]

Titus 1:9 May be able by sound doctrine both to exhort [δυνατὸς ῇ καὶ παρακαλεῖν ἐν τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ τῇ ὐγιαινούσῃ]
Rend. “may be able both to exhort in the sound teaching.” For δυνατὸς ableor powerful, see on 2 Timothy 1:12. Used by Paul in the phrase εἰ δυνατόν ifit be possible, Romans 12:18; Galatians 4:15: τὸ δυνατόν thatwhich is possible, Romans 9:22: of God, Romans 4:21; Romans 11:23: of men, in the ethical sense, Romans 15:1; 2 Corinthians 12:10; 2 Corinthians 13:9. [source]

Hebrews 11:31 Them that believed not [τοῖς ἀπειθήσασιν]
Rend. “them that were disobedient.” Simple disbelief is expressed by ἀπιστεῖν, ἀπιστία :disbelief as it manifests itself in disobedience, by ἀπειθεῖν. Ἁπειθεῖν is ἀπιστεῖν on its active side. See on John 3:36, and comp. Hebrews 3:18; Hebrews 4:6, Hebrews 4:11; Romans 11:30, Romans 11:32, contrasting with Romans 11:20, Romans 11:23. Ἁπειθεῖν here describes the failure to be persuaded that God had given the land to the Israelites, and the consequent refusal to surrender Jericho. Rahab's faith is shown Joshua 2:9-11. [source]

James 1:21 Engrafted [ἔμφυτον]
Only here in New Testament. Better, and more literally, as Rev., implanted. It marks a characteristic of the word of truth (James 1:18). It is implanted; divinely given, in contrast with something acquired by study. Compare Matthew 13:19, “the word of the kingdom - sown in his heart.” Grafted or graffed is expressed by a peculiar word, employed by Paul only, ἐγκεντρίζω , from κέντρον , a sharp point, thus emphasizing the fact of the incision required in grafting. See Romans 11:17, Romans 11:19, Romans 11:23, Romans 11:24. [source]

What do the individual words in Romans 11:23 mean?

Even they now if not they continue - in unbelief will be grafted in able for is - God again to graft in them

κἀκεῖνοι δέ ἐὰν μὴ ἐπιμένωσιν τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ ἐνκεντρισθήσονται δυνατὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς πάλιν ἐνκεντρίσαι αὐτούς

κἀκεῖνοι	Even they
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Plural Root: κἀκεῖνος Sense: and he, he also.
δέ	now
Parse: Conjunction Root: δέ Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ἐπιμένωσιν	they continue
Parse: Verb, Present Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Plural Root: ἐπιμένω Sense: to stay at or with, to tarry still, still to abide, to continue, remain.
τῇ	-
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀπιστίᾳ	in unbelief
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular Root: ἀπιστία Sense: unfaithfulness, faithless.
ἐνκεντρισθήσονται	will be grafted in
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Plural Root: ἐγκεντρίζω Sense: to cut into for the sake of inserting a scion.
δυνατὸς	able
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: δυνατός Sense: able, powerful, mighty, strong.
ὁ	-
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεὸς	God
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: θεός Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
πάλιν	again
Parse: Adverb Root: πάλιν Sense: anew, again.
ἐνκεντρίσαι	to graft in
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active Root: ἐγκεντρίζω Sense: to cut into for the sake of inserting a scion.

What are the major concepts related to Romans 11:23?

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Similar Scriptures for Romans 11:23

		2 Corinthians 3:16 [5]
		Zechariah 12:10 [4]
		Matthew 23:39 [1]