Romans 11 · Verse 13

Romans 11:13

For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
Romans 11:13, King James Version

Romans 11:13 in other translations

BSBI am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry
WEBFor I speak to you who are Gentiles. Since then as I am an apostle to Gentiles, I glorify my ministry,
ASVBut I speak to you that are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I glorify my ministry;
YLTFor to you I speak--to the nations--inasmuch as I am indeed an apostle of nations, my ministration I do glorify;
DARBYFor I speak to you, the nations, inasmuch as I am apostle of nations, I glorify my ministry;
BBEBut I say to you, Gentiles, in so far as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles, I make much of my position:
WebsterFor I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify my office:

What does Romans 11:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 11:13-14
13-14. I speak--"am speaking" to you Gentiles--another proof that this Epistle was addressed to Gentile believers. (See on Ro 1:13). I magnify--"glorify" mine office--The clause beginning with "inasmuch" should be read as a parenthesis.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 13. For I speak to you Gentiles. What I am saying respecting the Jews, I say with reference to you who are Gentiles, to show you in what manner you have been admitted to the privileges of the people of God; to excite your gratitude; to warn you against abusing those mercies, etc. As Paul also was appointed to preach to them, he had a right to speak to them with authority.

I am the apostle of the Gentiles. The apostle of the Gentiles, not because other apostles did not preach to Gentiles, for they all did, except perhaps James; nor because Paul did not himself preach occasionally among the Jews; but because he was especially called to carry the gospel to the Gentiles, and that this was his original commission, (Acts 9:15) because he was principally employed in collecting and organizing churches in heathen lands; and because the charge of the Gentile churches was especially entrusted to him, while that of the Jewish churches was especially entrusted to Peter. See Gal 1:16, Eph 3:8, Gal 2:7,8. As Paul was especially appointed to this office, he claimed special authority to address, those who were gathered into the Christian church from heathen lands.

I magnify mine office. I honour (δοξαζω) my ministry; I esteem it of great importance; and by thus showing that the gospel is to be preached to the Gentiles, that the barrier between them and the Jews is to be broken down, that the gospel may be preached to all men, I show that the office which proclaims this is one of signal honour. A minister may not magnify himself, but he may magnify his office. He may esteem himself as less than the least of all saints, and unworthy to be called a servant of God, (Eph 3:8) yet he may feel that he is an ambassador of Christ, entrusted with a message of salvation, entitled to the respect due to an ambassador, and to the honour which is appropriate to a messenger of God. To unite these two things constitutes the dignity of the Christian ministry.

(n) "apostle of the Gentiles" Acts 9:15, Gal 1:16, Eph 3:8

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 This and the following verse should be read in a parenthesis. St. Paul, as the apostle of the Gentiles, wished to show them the high pitch of glory and blessedness to which they had been called, that they might have a due sense of God's mercy in calling them to such a state of salvation; and that they might be jealous over themselves, lest they should fall as the Jews had done before them: and he dwells particularly on the greatness of those privileges which the Gentiles had now received, that he might stir up the minds of his countrymen to emulation, and might be the means of saving some of them, as he states in the following verse. I magnify mine office - This is a very improper translation of την διακονιαν μου δοξαζω, which is, literally, I honor this my ministry. Dr. Taylor has justly observed that magnify, except when applied to the most High, carries with it, in our language, the idea of stretching beyond the bounds of truth; whereas the apostle simply means that he does justice to his ministry, by stating the glorious things which he was commissioned to preach among the Gentiles: blessings which the Jews by their obstinacy had forfeited.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 11:11-21

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…

Read the full comment on Romans 11:11-21 →

Romans 11:13 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὙμῖνHuminTo youG4771
δὲdenowG1161
λέγωlegōI am speakingG3004
τοῖςtois<the>G3588
ἔθνεσιν·ethnesinGentiles;G1484
ἐφ᾽eph᾽UponG1909
ὅσονhosonas much asG3745
μὲνmenindeedG3303
οὖνounthereforeG3767
εἰμιeimiamG1510
ἐγὼegōI myselfG1473
ἐθνῶνethnōnof [the] GentilesG1484
ἀπόστολος,apostolosapostle,G652
τὴνtēntheG3588
διακονίανdiakonianministryG1248
μουmouof mineG3165
δοξάζω,doxazōI magnify,G1392

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Romans 11:13

  • Acts 9:15

    But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

  • 2 Timothy 1:11-12

    Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

  • Romans 15:16-19

    That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God. For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

  • Galatians 1:16

    To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

  • 1 Timothy 2:7

    Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

  • Ephesians 3:8

    Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

  • Acts 22:21

    And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.

  • Galatians 2:2

    And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.

  • Acts 13:2

    As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

  • Acts 26:17-18

    Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

  • Galatians 2:7-9

    But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the apostle.
15:16-19; Ac 9:15; 13:2; 22:21; 26:17,18; Ga 1:16; 2:2,7-9; Eph 3:8
1Ti 2:7; 2Ti 1:11,12I magnify mine office. Rather, "I honour my ministry," [diakonia mou doxazo .]

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Romans 11:12

    Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?

  • Romans 11:13

    For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

  • Romans 11:14

    If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.

Read all of Romans 11

Romans 11:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque á vosotros hablo, Gentiles. Por cuanto pues, yo soy apóstol de los Gentiles, mi ministerio honro,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car je parle à vous, nations, en tant que moi je suis en effet apôtre des nations, je glorifie mon ministère,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn ich sage euch, den Nationen: Insofern ich nun der Nationen Apostel bin, ehre ich meinen Dienst,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Vobis enim dico gentibus: Quamdiu quidem ego sum gentium Apostolus, ministerium meum honorificabo,