King James Version
What Does Romans 11:23 Mean?
“And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.”
Context
21
For if God spared not the natural branches , take heed lest he also spare not thee.
22
Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell , severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
23
And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
24
For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?
25
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. blindness: or, hardness
Commentary
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary**9. For I was alive without the law once--**"In the days of my ignorance, when, in this sense, a stranger to the law, I deemed myself a righteous man, and, as such, entitled to life at the hand of God."
**but when the commandment came--**forbidding all irregular desire; for the apostle sees in this the spirit of the whole law.
**sin revived--**"came to life"; in its malignity and strength it unexpectedly revealed itself, as if sprung from the dead.
**and I died--**"saw myself, in the eye of a law never kept and not to be kept, a dead man."
Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset, David Brown. Public Domain.
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of Romans. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
Romans 11:23 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.
Cross-References
Verses related to Romans 11:23
Cross-references from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge