Romans 11:15
For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
Romans 11:15 in other translations
| BSB | For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? |
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| WEB | For if the rejection of them is the reconciling of the world, what would their acceptance be, but life from the dead? |
| ASV | For if the casting away of them is the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? |
| YLT | for if the casting away of them is a reconciliation of the world, what the reception--if not life out of the dead? |
| DARBY | For if their casting away be the world's reconciliation, what their reception but life from among the dead? |
| BBE | For, if by their putting away, the rest of men have been made friends with God, what will their coming back again be, but life from the dead? |
| Webster | For if the rejection of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? |
What does Romans 11:15 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Barnes' Notes
Be the reconciling of the world. The word reconciliation (καταλλαγη) denotes, commonly, a pacification of contending parties; a removing the occasion of difference, so as again to be united. 1Cor 7:11, "Let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband." It is commonly applied to the reconciliation, or pacification, produced between man and God by the gospel. They are brought to union, to friendship, to peace, by the intervention of the Lord Jesus Christ, Rom 5:10, 2Cor 5:18,19, "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself." Hence the ministry is called the "ministry of reconciliation," 2Cor 5:18. And hence this word is used to express the atonement. Rom 5:11, "By whom we have now received the atonement," (the reconciliation.) In this place it means, that many of the Gentiles--the world --had become reconciled to God as the result of the casting off of the Jews. By their unbelief, the way had been opened to preach the gospel to the Gentiles; it was the occasion by which God sent it to the nations of the earth. Comp. Acts 13:46.
The receiving of them. The same as was denoted (Rom 11:12) by their fulness. If the casting them off--an event so little likely, apparently, to produce any good effect--was nevertheless overruled so as to produce important benefits in the spread of the gospel, how much more may we expect will be accomplished by their conversion and return--an event fitted in itself to produce an important influence on mankind. One would have supposed that their rejection of the Messiah would have been an important obstacle in the way of the gospel. It was overruled, however, to promote its increase. Their return will have a direct tendency to spread it. How much more, therefore, may we expect to be accomplished by that?
But life from the dead. This is an instance of the peculiar, glowing, and vigorous manner of the apostle Paul. His mind catches at the thought of what may be produced by the recovery of the Jews, and no ordinary language would convey his idea. He had already exhausted the usual forms of speech by saying that even their rejection had reconciled the world, and that it was the riches of the Gentiles. To say that their recovery--a striking and momentous event; an event so much better fitted to produce important results --would be attended by the conversion of the world, would be insipid and tame. He uses, therefore, a most bold and striking figure. The resurrection of the dead was an image of the most vast and wonderful event that could take place. This image, therefore, in the apostle's mind, was a striking illustration of the great change and reformation which should take place when the Jews should be restored, and the effect should be felt in the conversion also of the Gentile world. Some have supposed that the apostle here refers to a literal resurrection of the dead, as the conversion of the Jews. But there is not the slightest evidence of this. He refers to the recovery of the nations from the death of sin, which shall take place when the Jews shah be converted to the Christian faith. The prophet Ezekiel (Eze 37:1-14) has also used the same image of the resurrection of the dead to denote a great moral change among a people. It is clear here, that the apostle fixed his eye on a future conversion of the Yews to the gospel, and expected that their conversion would precede the universal conversion of the Gentiles to the Christian faith. There could be no event that would make so immediate and decided an impression on the pagan world as the conversion of the Jews. They are scattered everywhere; they have access to all people; they understand all languages; and their conversion would be like kindling up thousands of lights at once in the darkness of the pagan world.
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
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…
Romans 11:15 in the original Greek
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Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Romans 11:15
- Ephesians 1:10
That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
- Romans 5:10-11
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
- Luke 15:24
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
- Romans 11:11-12
I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. 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?
- 2 Corinthians 5:18-20
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
- Colossians 1:20-21
And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
- Luke 15:32
It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
- Revelation 11:11
And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
- Daniel 9:24
Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
- Ezekiel 37:1-14
The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest. Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. …
- Romans 11:1-2
I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 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,
- Revelation 20:4-6
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- Romans 11:14
If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
- Romans 11:15
For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
- Romans 11:16
For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
Romans 11:15 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Porque si el extrañamiento de ellos es la reconciliación del mundo, ¿qué será el recibimiento de ellos, sino vida de los muertos? |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Car si leur mise à l’écart est la réconciliation du monde, quelle sera leur réception, sinon la vie d’entre les morts. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Denn wenn ihre Verstoßung die Versöhnung der Welt ist, was wird die Annahme anders sein als Leben aus den Toten? |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Si enim amissio eorum, reconciliatio est mundi: quæ assumptio, nisi vita ex mortuis? |