A Remnant Preserved and Israel's Hardening
Romans 11:1-10
Rom.11.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Λεγω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- ουν: CONJ
- μη: PART
- απωσατο: VERB,aor,act,imp,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- θεος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- λαον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- μη: PART
- γενοιτο·και: VERB,aor,opt,mid,3,sg
- γαρ: PART
- εγω: PRON,nom,sg,1
- Ισραηλιτης: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ειμι: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- εκ: PREP
- σπερματος: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- Αβρααμ: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- φυλης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- Βενιαμιν: NOUN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Psalm 94:14 (verbal): Direct verbal parallel—'The LORD will not cast off his people' echoes Paul's assertion that God has not rejected his people.
- Romans 9:6 (thematic): Same theological concern about Israel's standing before God; Romans 9 raises the question of whether God's promises to Israel have failed, which Paul answers in 11:1–2.
- 1 Kings 19:10,18 (quotation): Paul immediately alludes to and effectively cites the Elijah tradition (1 Kgs 19) in the following verses to show God preserved a remnant—responding to the worry that God had cast off Israel.
- Philippians 3:5 (verbal): Paul's self-identification as 'of the tribe of Benjamin' and an Israelite parallels his biographical claim in Romans 11:1 (used to underscore that he, as an Israelite, testifies that God has not rejected Israel).
Alternative generated candidates
- I ask then: Has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
- I ask then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
Rom.11.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ουκ: PART,neg
- απωσατο: VERB,aor,mid,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- θεος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- λαον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- ον: PART,pres,act,nom,sg,m
- προεγνω: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- ουκ: PART,neg
- οιδατε: VERB,perf,act,ind,2,pl
- εν: PREP
- Ηλια: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- τι: PRON,int,nom,sg,n
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- γραφη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- ως: ADV
- εντυγχανει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- θεω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- κατα: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- Ισραηλ: NOUN,voc,sg,m
Parallels
- 1 Kings 19:10,14 (quotation): Paul alludes to Elijah’s lament that he alone is left and that Israel has forsaken God; Romans 11:2 invokes this episode as the background for the discussion of God’s relation to Israel.
- 1 Kings 19:18 (quotation): God’s declaration that he will preserve a remnant of 7,000 in Israel is explicitly quoted later in Romans 11 to demonstrate that God has not rejected his people.
- Romans 8:29 (verbal): Uses the same concept/term of God’s 'foreknowledge' (προέγνω), linking election/foreknowledge with God’s continuing purposes for his people.
- Romans 11:1 (structural): Paul’s earlier rhetorical denial ('Has God rejected his people? By no means!') frames 11:2; the verse continues and substantiates that claim with the Elijah example.
- Isaiah 1:9 (thematic): The motif of a preserved remnant ('If the LORD had not left us a remnant...') echoes the theme Paul draws from Elijah—that God preserves a faithful remnant within Israel.
Alternative generated candidates
- God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah—that he pleads with God against Israel?
- God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?
Rom.11.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Κυριε: NOUN,voc,sg,m
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- προφητας: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- απεκτειναν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- θυσιαστηρια: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- κατεσκαψαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- καγω: CONJ+PRON,nom,sg,1
- υπελειφθην: VERB,aor,pass,ind,1,sg
- μονος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ζητουσιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- ψυχην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
Parallels
- 1 Kings 19:10 (quotation): Direct citation of Elijah's lament in which he complains that the prophets were killed and he alone is left; Romans 11:3 echoes this wording and complaint.
- 1 Kings 19:14 (verbal): A closely related rendering of Elijah's statement ('I alone am left; they seek my life'), providing the immediate Old Testament background Paul is drawing on.
- Acts 7:52 (thematic): Stephen accuses Israel of persecuting and killing the prophets — a thematic continuation of the motif that God's messengers are rejected and slain by the people.
- Matthew 23:34–35 (thematic): Jesus warns that prophets, wise men and scribes will be sent and persecuted, even killed, and speaks of the blood of prophets — a New Testament witness to the recurring tragedy of prophets being slain.
Alternative generated candidates
- He said, 'Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I alone am left, and they seek my life.'
- He said, 'Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I alone am left, and they seek my life.'
Rom.11.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- αλλα: CONJ
- τι: PRON,int,nom,sg,n
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- χρηματισμος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- Κατελιπον: VERB,aor,act,ind,1,sg
- εμαυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- επτακισχιλιους: NUM,acc,pl,m
- ανδρας: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- οιτινες: PRO,rel,nom,pl,m
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εκαμψαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- γονυ: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- Βααλ: NOUN,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- 1 Kings 19:18 (quotation): Direct quotation/background: Paul cites God's declaration to Elijah that He had left 7,000 in Israel who had not bowed the knee to Baal—the very line quoted in Rom 11:4.
- 1 Kings 19:10 (allusion): Contextual parallel: Elijah's complaint that 'I alone am left' and that Israel had forsaken the covenant (1 Kgs 19:10) is the situation Paul invokes in Rom 11:2–4, with God's reply providing the corrective.
- Romans 9:27 (verbal): Paulian parallel: elsewhere Paul uses the language of a preserved 'remnant' (quoting Isaiah) to make the same theological point—God preserves a faithful remnant by grace.
- Isaiah 10:20-22 (thematic): OT theme of the 'remnant': these verses (and related Isaiah passages) articulate the prophetic idea that only a remnant of Israel remains faithful—the theological background for Paul's appeal to the seven thousand.
Alternative generated candidates
- But what is God's answer to him? 'I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.'
- But what is God's answer to him? 'I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.'
Rom.11.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ουτως: ADV
- ουν: CONJ
- και: CONJ
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- νυν: ADV
- καιρω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- λειμμα: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- κατ᾽εκλογην: PREP
- χαριτος: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- γεγονεν·: VERB,perf,act,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- 1 Kings 19:18 (allusion): Elijah narrative of God preserving a faithful remnant (the 7,000); Paul echoes this example to illustrate that God has preserved a remnant in Israel.
- Isaiah 1:9 (quotation): Isaiah's line 'If the Lord of hosts had not left us a seed...' is the Old Testament precedent for the idea of a surviving remnant invoked by Paul.
- Isaiah 10:20-22 (thematic): Prophecy that a remnant of Israel will return and be called the holy seed; supplies the theological background for Paul's 'remnant' motif.
- Romans 9:27-29 (verbal): Paul directly cites Isaiah about a remnant that will be saved; these verses develop the same argument about a preserved remnant as Rom 11:5.
- Ephesians 2:8-9 (thematic): Affirms salvation as gift of God's grace rather than human merit, paralleling Rom 11:5's emphasis that the remnant exists 'by election of grace.'
Alternative generated candidates
- So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.
- So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.
Rom.11.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ει: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- δε: CONJ
- χαριτι: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- ουκετι: ADV
- εξ: PREP
- εργων: NOUN,gen,pl,n
- επει: CONJ
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- χαρις: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- ουκετι: ADV
- γινεται: VERB,pres,mp,ind,3,sg
- χαρις: NOUN,nom,sg,f
Parallels
- Ephesians 2:8-9 (verbal): Direct verbal and theological parallel: salvation is 'by grace' and 'not from works,' echoing the exact contrast between grace and works.
- Titus 3:5 (verbal): States salvation is not by 'works of righteousness' but by God's mercy—reiterates the same negation of works as the basis for salvation.
- Romans 4:4-5 (thematic): Paul's earlier argument that wages (works) are not counted as a gift, and that true acceptance is by faith/grace, parallels the logic in 11:6.
- Galatians 2:16 (thematic): Affirms that a person is not justified by works of the law but by faith in Christ, reflecting the same opposition of works versus grace/faith.
- James 2:24 (thematic): Presents a contrasting emphasis—'a person is justified by works'—serving as a counterpoint in the larger New Testament discussion about the relationship of faith, works, and justification.
Alternative generated candidates
- But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.
- But if it is by grace, it is no longer by works; if it were by works, then grace would no longer be grace—otherwise the work would no longer be work.
Rom.11.7 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Τι: PRON,nom,sg,neut
- ουν: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- επιζητει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- Ισραηλ: NOUN,voc,sg,m
- τουτο: PRON,nom,sg,n
- ουκ: PART,neg
- επετυχεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- δε: CONJ
- εκλογη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- επετυχεν·οι: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- δε: CONJ
- λοιποι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- επωρωθησαν: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,pl
Parallels
- Isaiah 29:10 (quotation): Speaks of God pouring out a spirit of stupor on Israel—text Isaiah 29:10 is cited (in Romans 11:8) as the basis for the hardening described in v.7.
- Isaiah 6:9-10 (quotation): Prophecy that people will hear but not understand and see but not perceive; this passage is the Old Testament foundation for the theme of judicial hardening.
- John 12:40 (quotation): John quotes Isaiah about eyes being blinded and hearts hardened—an NT parallel explaining Israel’s failure to obtain what it sought.
- Acts 28:25-27 (quotation): Paul cites Isaiah to account for Israel’s stubbornness and lack of faith—same explanatory move as Romans 11 on divine hardening.
- Romans 11:25-26 (structural): Within the same argument Paul clarifies that Israel’s hardening is partial and temporary until the fullness of the Gentiles, and that ultimately many Israelites will be saved.
Alternative generated candidates
- What then? Israel failed to obtain what it sought. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened.
- What then? What Israel sought, it did not obtain; the elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened.
Rom.11.8 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- καθως: CONJ
- γεγραπται·Εδωκεν: VERB,perf,pas,ind,3,sg;VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις: PRO,dat,pl,3
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- θεος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- πνευμα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- κατανυξεως: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- οφθαλμους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- μη: PART
- βλεπειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
- και: CONJ
- ωτα: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- μη: PART
- ακουειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
- εως: CONJ
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- σημερον: ADV
- ημερας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
Parallels
- Isaiah 29:10 (quotation): Paul here directly echoes Isaiah's oracle (especially as in the LXX): God gives a spirit of stupor and shuts eyes and ears—language matching Romans 11:8's 'spirit of stupor, eyes to not see, ears to not hear.'
- Isaiah 6:9-10 (quotation): The prophetic formula 'keep hearing but do not understand, keep seeing but do not perceive' is the underlying Isaiah tradition that NT writers (including Paul) invoke to explain persistent spiritual blindness.
- Matthew 13:14-15 (quotation): Jesus cites the Isaiah formula (quoting Isaiah 6:9-10) to explain why the crowd does not understand his parables—verbal and thematic parallel to Paul's use of the same prophetic language.
- Acts 28:26-27 (quotation): Luke records Paul himself (quoting Isaiah) applying the same oracle to Israel's unbelief in his speech at Rome, using the 'hear and not understand / see and not perceive' motif found in Romans 11:8.
Alternative generated candidates
- As it is written: 'God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, to this very day.'
- As it is written: 'God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, to this very day.'
Rom.11.9 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- Δαυιδ: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- λεγει·Γενηθητω: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg + VERB,aor,pass,imp,3,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- τραπεζα: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- εις: PREP
- παγιδα: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- εις: PREP
- θηραν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- εις: PREP
- σκανδαλον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- και: CONJ
- εις: PREP
- ανταποδομα: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- αυτοις: PRO,dat,pl,3
Parallels
- Psalm 69:22-23 (quotation): Paul here directly quotes David's imprecatory language (Psalm 69:22–23 in many traditions): 'Let their table become a snare… let their eyes be darkened,' applying the Psalm to Israel's present unbelief.
- Psalm 35:8 (verbal): Uses similar imagery of a hidden net/snare turned back on the evildoer ('let his net that he hid catch himself'), echoing the 'table… snare and trap' motif of retributive judgment.
- Isaiah 8:14 (allusion): Speaks of a 'stone of stumbling' and 'rock of offense' that causes people to stumble—paralleling the 'stumbling block' language and the theme of Israel's offense leading to judgment in Romans 11.
- Psalm 109:6-8 (thematic): Another imprecatory passage calling for adversaries and recompense; thematically related to Paul’s use of Old Testament curses/vengeance language to describe consequences for persistent unbelief.
Alternative generated candidates
- And David says, 'Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a recompense to them.'
- And David says, 'Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a recompense to them.'
Rom.11.10 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- σκοτισθητωσαν: VERB,aor,pass,subj,3,pl
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- οφθαλμοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- μη: PART
- βλεπειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
- και: CONJ
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- νωτον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- δια: PREP
- παντος: ADJ,gen,sg,masc
- συγκαμψον: VERB,aor,pass,part,acc,sg,m
Parallels
- Psalm 69:22-23 (quotation): Romans 11:10 closely echoes/quotes these lines (LXX/Hebrew) about eyes being darkened so they cannot see and their backs being permanently bent; Paul explicitly draws on this Psalm's curses.
- Isaiah 29:10 (allusion): Speaks of God sending a spirit of stupor so that eyes do not see and ears do not hear—background motif for divine judicial hardening that Paul invokes in Romans 11.
- John 12:40 (verbal): Uses very similar language—'He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart'—applying Isaiah's hardening motif to those who do not believe, paralleling Paul's depiction of darkened eyes.
- Romans 11:8 (structural): Earlier in the same passage Paul speaks of God giving them a 'spirit of stupor' and eyes that do not see; 11:10 reiterates and draws on that same hardening framework.
- Acts 28:25-27 (quotation): Paul (in Acts) cites Isaiah about people whose eyes are closed and hearts hardened—another New Testament use of the Isaiah/Psalm hardening motif closely related to Romans 11's argument.
Alternative generated candidates
- 'Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever.'
- 'Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs continually.'
I ask then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?
He said, 'Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I alone am left, and they seek my life.' But what is God's answer to him? 'I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.' So at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. And if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.
What then? Israel did not obtain what it sought; the elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened.
As it is written, 'God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, to this very day.' And David says, 'Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and retribution for them.'
'Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and let their backs be bent continually.'