Romans 11 · Verse 6

Romans 11:6

And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

Romans 11:6, King James Version

Romans 11:6 in other translations

BSB	And if it is by grace, then it is no longer by works. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace.
WEB	And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
ASV	But if it is by grace, it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.
YLT	and if by grace, no more of works, otherwise the grace becometh no more grace; and if of works, it is no more grace, otherwise the work is no more work.
DARBY	But if by grace, no longer of works: since otherwise grace is no more grace.
BBE	But if it is of grace, then it is no longer of works: or grace would not be grace.
Webster	And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

What does Romans 11:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

6. And, &c.--better, "Now if it (the election) be by grace, it is no more of works; for [then] grace becomes no more grace: but if it be of works," &c. (The authority of ancient manuscripts against this latter clause, as superfluous and not originally in the text, though strong, is not sufficient, we think, to justify its exclusion. Such seeming redundancies are not unusual with our apostle). The general position here laid down is of vital importance: That there are but two possible sources of salvation--men's works, and God's grace; and that these are so essentially distinct and opposite, that salvation cannot be of any combination or mixture of both, but must be wholly either of the one or of the other. (See on Ro 4:3, Note 3.)

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 6. And if by grace, etc. If the fact that any are reserved be by grace, or favour, then it cannot be as a reward of merit. Paul thus takes occasion incidently to combat a favourite notion of the Jews, that we are justified by obedience to the law. He reminds them, that in the time of Elijah it was because God had reserved them; that the same was the case now; and therefore their doctrine of merit could not be true. See Rom 4:4,5, Gall 5:4, Eph 2:8,9.

Otherwise grace, etc. If men are justified by their works, it could not be a matter of favour, but was a debt. If it could be that the doctrine of justification by grace could be held, and yet at the same time that the Jewish doctrine of merit was true, then it would follow that grace had changed its nature, or was a different thing from what the word properly signified. The idea of being saved by merit contradicts the very idea of grace. If a man owes me a debt, and pays it, it cannot be said to be done by favour, or by grace. I have a claim on him for it, and there is no favour in his paying his just dues.

But if it be of works, etc. Works here mean conformity to the law; and to be saved by works would be to be saved by such conformity as the meritorious cause. Of course there could be no grace or favour in giving what was due; if there was favour, or grace, then works would lose their essential characteristic, and cease to be the meritorious cause of procuring the blessings. What is paid as a debt is not conferred as a favour.

And from this it follows that salvation cannot be partly by grace and partly by works. It is not because men can advance any claims to the favour of God; but from his mere unmerited grace. He that is not willing to obtain eternal life in that way, cannot obtain it at all. The doctrines of election, and of salvation by mere grace, cannot be more explicitly stated than they are in this passage.

(g) "if by grace" Rom 4:5, Gall 5:4, Eph 2:8

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 6 And if by grace - And let this very remnant of pious Jews, who have believed in Christ Jesus, know that they are brought in, precisely in the same way as God has brought in the Gentiles; the one having no more worthiness to plead than the other; both being brought in, and continued in by God's free grace, and not by any observance of the Mosaic law. And this is done according to the election of grace, or the rule of choosing any persons to be the people of God upon the footing of grace; which takes in all that believe in his Son Jesus Christ: some of the Jewish people did so believe; therefore those believing Jews are a remnant according to the election of grace. They are saved in that way in which alone God will save mankind. And if by grace - Then let these very persons remember, that their election and interest in the covenant of God has no connection with their old Jewish works; for were it of works, grace would lose its proper nature, and cease to be what it is - a free undeserved gift. But if it be of works - On the other hand, could it be made to appear that they are invested in these privileges of the kingdom of Christ only by the observance of the law of Moses, then Grace would be quite set aside; and if it were not, work, or the merit of obedience, would lose its proper nature, which excludes favor and free gift. But it is not, and cannot be, of Works; for those very Jews who now believe, and are happy in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, are so according to the election of grace, which does not mean a particular act of God's sovereignty, which has singled out some of the Jews who deserved to have been cast off as well as the rest; but it is that general scheme of grace, according to which God purposed to take into his Church and kingdom any, among either Jews or Gentiles, who should believe on Christ. And the remnant here mentioned were not selected from their countrymen by such a sovereign act of God's grace as might have taken in the whole if it had so pleased; but they were admitted into and received the privileges of the Messiah's kingdom, because they believed on the Lord Jesus, and received him as their only Savior; and thus came into that scheme of election which God had appointed. And we may observe, farther, that out of this election they as well as the others would have been excluded, had they like the rest remained in unbelief; and into this election of grace all the Jews, to a man, notwithstanding they were all sinners, would have been taken, had they believed in Christ Jesus. This is the true notion of the election of grace. See Taylor.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 11:1-10

There was a chosen remnant of believing Jews, who had righteousness and life by faith in Jesus Christ. These were kept according to the election of grace. If then this election was of grace, it could not be of works, either performed or foreseen. Every truly good disposition in a fallen creature must be the effect, therefore it cannot be the cause, of the grace of God bestowed on him. Salvation from the first to the…

Read the full comment on Romans 11:1-10 →

Romans 11:6 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.

εἰeiIfG1487

δὲdenowG1161

χάριτιcharitiby graceG5485

οὐκέτιouketino longerG3756

ἐξexfromG1537

ἔργων,ergōnworks,G2041

ἐπεὶepeiotherwiseG1893

ἡhē<the>G3588

χάριςcharisgraceG5485

οὐκέτιouketino longerG3756

γίνεταιginetaiwould beG1096

χάριςcharisgraceG5485

εἰeiifG1487

δὲdenowG1161

ἐξexfromG1537

ἔργωνergōnworksG2041

οὐκέτιouketino longerG3756

ἐστὶνestinisG1510

χάριςcharisgraceG5485

ἐπεὶepeisinceG1893

τὸtotheG3588

ἔργονergonworkG2041

οὐκέτιouketino longerG3756

ἐστὶνestinisG1510

ἔργον.ergonwork.G2041

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

Cross references for Romans 11:6

Galatians 2:21
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
2 Timothy 1:9
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
Titus 3:5
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;
Romans 3:27-28
Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Romans 4:4-5
Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Galatians 5:4
Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
Ephesians 2:4-9
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. …
1 Corinthians 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
Deuteronomy 9:4-6
Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the Lord thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord doth drive them out from before thee. Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Understand therefore, that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiffnecked people.
Romans 5:20-21
Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

And if.
3:27,28; 4:4,5; 5:20,21; De 9:4-6; 1Co 15:10; Ga 2:21; 5:4; Eph 2:4-9
2Ti 1:9; Tit 3:5
otherwise work.That is, it loses its character, or nature,--that of claiming reward as a matter of right.

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

Context

Romans 11:5
Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
Romans 11:6
And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
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

Read all of Romans 11

Romans 11:6 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y si por gracia, luego no por las obras; de otra manera la gracia ya no es gracia. Y si por las obras, ya no es gracia; de otra manera la obra ya no es obra.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Or, si c’est par la grâce, ce n’est plus sur le principe des œuvres, puisque autrement la grâce n’est plus la grâce.
German Elberfelder 1871	Wenn aber durch Gnade, so nicht mehr aus Werken; sonst ist die Gnade nicht mehr Gnade.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Si autem gratia, jam non ex operibus: alioquin gratia jam non est gratia.