Romans 11 · Verse 28

Romans 11:28

As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.

Romans 11:28, King James Version

Romans 11:28 in other translations

BSB	Regarding the gospel, they are enemies on your account; but regarding election, they are loved on account of the patriarchs.
WEB	Concerning the Good News, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake.
ASV	As touching the gospel, they are enemies for your sake: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake.
YLT	As regards, indeed, the good tidings, they are enemies on your account; and as regards the choice--beloved on account of the fathers;
DARBY	As regards the glad tidings, they are enemies on your account; but as regards election, beloved on account of the fathers.
BBE	As far as the good news is in question, they are cut off from God on account of you, but as far as the selection is in question, they are loved on account of the fathers.
Webster	As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as concerning the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes.

What does Romans 11:28 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 11:28-29

28-29. As concerning the Gospel they are enemies for your sakes--that is, they are regarded and treated as enemies (in a state of exclusion through unbelief, from the family of God) for the benefit of you Gentiles; in the sense of Ro 11:11, 15. but as touching, the election--of Abraham and his seed. they are beloved--even in their state of exclusion for the fathers' sakes.

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 28. As concerning the Gospel. So far as the gospel is concerned; or, in order to promote its extension and spread through the earth.

They are enemies. The word enemies here stands opposed to "beloved;" and as in one respect, to wit, on account of" election," they were still beloved, i.e. beloved by God; so in another respect they were his enemies, i.e. opposed to him, or cast off from him. The enemies of God denote all who are not his true friends, Col 1:21, Rom 5:10, comp. Rom 11:8. The word here is applied to the Jews because they had rejected the Messiah; had become opposed to God; and were therefore rejected by him.

For your sakes. For your advantage. Their rejection has become the occasion by which the gospel has been preached to you. Comp. Rom 11:11,19,20.

As touching the election. So far as the purpose of election is concerned. That is, the election of their fathers and of the nation to be the peculiar people of God.

They are beloved. God still regards them with interest; has purposes of mercy towards them; intends still to do them good. This does not mean that he approved of their conduct or character, or that he had for them the same kind of affection which he would have had if they had been obedient. God does not love a sinful character; but he may have still purposes of mercy, and regard men with deep interest on whom he intends yet to bestow mercy.

For the fathers' sakes. Comp. De 10:15. He had chosen their fathers to be his peculiar people. He had made many promises to Abraham respecting his seed, and extended these promises to his remotest posterity. Though salvation is by grace, and not from human merit, yet God has respect to his covenant made with the fathers, and will not forget his promises. It is not on account of any merit of the fathers or of ancient saints, but solely because God had made a covenant with them; and this purpose of election would be manifest to their children in the latest times. As those contemplated in the covenant made with Abraham, God retained for them feelings of peculiar interest; and designed their recovery to himself. It is clear here that the word election does not refer to external privileges; for Paul is not teaching the doctrine that they shall be restored to the external privileges of Jews, but that they shall be truly converted to God. Yet this should not be abused by others to lead them to security in sin. No man has any security of happiness, and of the favour of God, but he who complies with the terms of his mercy. His commands are explicit to repent and believe, nor can there be safety except in entire compliance with the terms on which he is willing to bestow eternal life.

(b) "for the father's sakes" De 10:15

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 28 As concerning the Gospel - The unbelieving Jews, with regard to the Gospel which they have rejected, are at present enemies to God, and aliens from his kingdom, under his Son Jesus Christ, on account of that extensive grace which has overturned their peculiarity, by admitting the Gentiles into his Church and family: but with regard to the original purpose of election, whereby they were chosen and separated from all the people of the earth to be the peculiar people of God, they are beloved for the fathers' sake; he has still favor in store for them on account of their forefathers the patriarchs.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 11:22-32

Of all judgments, spiritual judgments are the sorest; of these the apostle is here speaking. The restoration of the Jews is, in the course of things, far less improbable than the call of the Gentiles to be the children of Abraham; and though others now possess these privileges, it will not hinder their being admitted again. By rejecting the gospel, and by their indignation at its being preached to the Gentiles, the…

Read the full comment on Romans 11:22-32 →

Romans 11:28 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.

κατὰkataAs regardsG2596

μὲνmenindeedG3303

τὸtotheG3588

εὐαγγέλιονeuangeliongospelG2098

ἐχθροὶechthroi[they are] enemiesG2190

δι᾽di᾽on account ofG1223

ὑμᾶςhumasyouG4771

κατὰkataAs regardsG2596

δὲdehoweverG1161

τὴνtēntheG3588

ἐκλογὴνeklogēnelectionG1589

ἀγαπητοὶagapētoibelovedG27

διὰdiaon account ofG1223

τοὺςtoustheG3588

πατέρας·pateraspatriarchs;G3962

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

Cross references for Romans 11:28

Deuteronomy 10:15
Only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day.
Deuteronomy 7:7-8
The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
Matthew 21:43
Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
Romans 11:7
What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded
Romans 9:5
Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
Romans 11:11
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.
Acts 13:45-46
But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
Luke 1:68-75
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; …
Deuteronomy 4:31
(For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.
Deuteronomy 8:18
But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
1 Thessalonians 2:15-16
Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
Isaiah 41:8-9
But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

are enemies.
11,30; Mt 21:43; Ac 13:45,46; 14:2; 18:6; 1Th 2:15,16
but.
7; Isa 41:8,9
are beloved.
Ge 26:4; 28:14; Le 26:40-42; De 4:31; 7:7,8; 8:18; 9:5; 10:15
Ps 105:8-11; Jer 31:3; Mic 7:20; Lu 1:54,68-75

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

Context

Romans 11:27
For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
Romans 11:28
As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.
Romans 11:29
For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

Read all of Romans 11

Romans 11:28 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Así que, cuanto al evangelio, son enemigos por causa de vosotros: mas cuanto á la elección, son muy amados por causa de los padres.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	En ce qui concerne l’évangile, ils sont ennemis à cause de vous; mais en ce qui concerne l’élection, ils sont bien-aimés à cause des pères.
German Elberfelder 1871	Hinsichtlich des Evangeliums sind sie zwar Feinde, um euretwillen, hinsichtlich der Auswahl aber Geliebte, um der Väter willen.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Secundum Evangelium quidem, inimici propter vos: secundum electionem autem, carissimi propter patres.