Romans 11 · Verse 30

Romans 11:30

For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Romans 11:30, King James Version

Romans 11:30 in other translations

BSBJust as you who formerly disobeyed God have now received mercy through their disobedience,
WEBFor as you in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience,
ASVFor as ye in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience,
YLTfor as ye also once did not believe in God, and now did find kindness by the unbelief of these:
DARBYFor as indeed ye also once have not believed in God, but now have been objects of mercy through the unbelief of these;
BBEFor as you, in time past, were not under the rule of God, but now have got mercy through their turning away,
WebsterFor as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief;

What does Romans 11:30 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 11:30-31
30-31. For as ye in times past have not believed--or, "obeyed" God--that is, yielded not to God "the obedience of faith," while strangers to Christ. yet now have obtained mercy through--by occasion of their unbelief--(See on Ro 11:11; Ro 11:15; Ro 11:28).

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 30. For as ye. You who were Gentiles.

In times past. Before the gospel was preached. This refers to the former idolatrous and sinful state of the heathen world. Comp. Eph 2:2; Acts 14:16.

Have not believed God. Or have not obeyed God. This was the character of all the heathen nations.

Yet have now obtained mercy. Have been pardoned and admitted to the favour of God.

Through their unbelief. By means of the unbelief and rejection of the Jews. Rom 11:11.

(d) "Times past have not" Eph 2:2 (1) "believed" or, "obeyed"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 30 For as ye in times past - The apostle pursues his argument in favor of the restoration of the Jews. As ye, Gentiles, in times past - for many ages back. Have not believed - Were in a state of alienation from God, yet not so as to be totally and for ever excluded, Have now obtained mercy - For ye are now taken into the kingdom of the Messiah; through their unbelief - by that method which, in destroying the Jewish peculiarity, and fulfilling the Abrahamic covenant, has occasioned the unbelief and obstinate opposition of the Jews.

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 11:30 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.

ὥσπερhōsperJust asG5618
γὰρgarforG1063
ὑμεῖςhumeisyou yourselvesG4771
ποτεpoteonceG4218
ἠπειθήσατεēpeithēsatewere disobedientG544
τῷtō<the>G3588
θεῷtheōto GodG2316
νῦνnunnowG3568
δὲdehoweverG1161
ἠλεήθητεēleēthētewere shown mercyG1653
τῇtēato themG3588
τούτωνtoutōnthrough theirG3778
ἀπειθείᾳ,apeitheiadisobedience,G543

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

Cross references for Romans 11:30

  • Colossians 3:7

    In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

  • Ephesians 2:1-2

    And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

  • 1 Corinthians 7:25

    Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.

  • Romans 11:31

    Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

  • Titus 3:3-7

    For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; …

  • 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

    Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

  • 2 Corinthians 4:1

    Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;

  • Ephesians 2:19-21

    Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

  • Ephesians 2:12-13

    That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

  • 1 Peter 2:10

    Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

  • 1 Timothy 1:18

    This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
as ye.
1Co 6:9-11; Eph 2:1,2,12,13,19-21; Col 3:7; Tit 3:3-7
believed. or, obeyed. obtained.
31; 1Co 7:25; 2Co 4:1; 1Ti 1:18; 1Pe 2:10
through.
11-19

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

Context

  • Romans 11:29

    For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

  • Romans 11:30

    For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:

  • Romans 11:31

    Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

Read all of Romans 11

Romans 11:30 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque como también vosotros en algún tiempo no creísteis á Dios, mas ahora habéis alcanzado misericordia por la incredulidad de ellos;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car comme vous aussi vous avez été autrefois désobéissants à Dieu et que maintenant vous êtes devenus des objets de miséricorde par la désobéissance de ceux-ci,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn gleichwie auch ihr einst Gott nicht geglaubt habt, jetzt aber unter die Begnadigung gekommen seid durch den Unglauben dieser,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Sicut enim aliquando et vos non credidistis Deo, nunc autem misericordiam consecuti estis propter incredulitatem illorum: