Romans 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From Paul, ¹  a slave ²  of Christ Jesus, ³  called to be an apostle, ⁴  set apart for the gospel of God. ⁵ 

Romans 5:1-21

The Expectation of Justification

5:1 ⁶ Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have ⁷  peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 5:2 through whom we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice ⁸  in the hope of God’s glory. 5:3 Not ⁹  only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 5:4 and endurance, character, and character, hope. 5:5 And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God ¹⁰  has been poured out ¹¹  in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

5:6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 5:7 (For rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person perhaps someone might possibly dare to die.) ¹²  5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 5:9 Much more then, because we have now been declared righteous ¹³  by his blood, ¹⁴  we will be saved through him from God’s wrath. ¹⁵  5:10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, since we have been reconciled, will we be saved by his life? 5:11 Not ¹⁶  only this, but we also rejoice ¹⁷  in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation.

The Amplification of Justification

5:12 So then, just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all people ¹⁸  because ¹⁹  all sinned – 5:13 for before the law was given, ²⁰  sin was in the world, but there is no accounting for sin ²¹  when there is no law. 5:14 Yet death reigned from Adam until Moses even over those who did not sin in the same way that Adam (who is a type ²²  of the coming one) transgressed. ²³  5:15 But the gracious gift is not like the transgression. ²⁴  For if the many died through the transgression of the one man, ²⁵  how much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man Jesus Christ multiply to the many! 5:16 And the gift is not like the one who sinned. ²⁶  For judgment, resulting from the one transgression, ²⁷  led to condemnation, but ²⁸  the gracious gift from the many failures ²⁹  led to justification. 5:17 For if, by the transgression of the one man, ³⁰  death reigned through the one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ!

5:18 Consequently, ³¹  just as condemnation ³²  for all people ³³  came ³⁴  through one transgression, ³⁵  so too through the one righteous act ³⁶  came righteousness leading to life ³⁷  for all people. 5:19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man ³⁸  many ³⁹  were made sinners, so also through the obedience of one man ⁴⁰  many ⁴¹  will be made righteous. 5:20 Now the law came in ⁴²  so that the transgression ⁴³  may increase, but where sin increased, grace multiplied all the more, 5:21 so that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 10:1--11:36

10:1 Brothers and sisters, ⁴⁴  my heart’s desire and prayer to God on behalf of my fellow Israelites ⁴⁵  is for their salvation. 10:2 For I can testify that they are zealous for God, ⁴⁶  but their zeal is not in line with the truth. ⁴⁷  10:3 For ignoring the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking instead to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law, with the result that there is righteousness for everyone who believes.

10:5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is by the law: “The one who does these things will live by them.” ⁴⁸  10:6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ⁴⁹  ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” ⁵⁰  (that is, to bring Christ down) 10:7 or “Who will descend into the abyss?” ⁵¹  (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 10:8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” ⁵²  (that is, the word of faith that we preach), 10:9 because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord ⁵³  and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10:10 For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness ⁵⁴  and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation. ⁵⁵  10:11 For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” ⁵⁶  10:12 For there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who richly blesses all who call on him. 10:13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. ⁵⁷ 

10:14 How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them ⁵⁸ ? 10:15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How timely ⁵⁹  is the arrival ⁶⁰  of those who proclaim the good news.” ⁶¹  10:16 But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” ⁶²  10:17 Consequently faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word ⁶³  of Christ. ⁶⁴ 

10:18 But I ask, have they ⁶⁵  not heard? ⁶⁶  Yes, they have: ⁶⁷  Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. ⁶⁸  10:19 But again I ask, didn’t Israel understand? ⁶⁹  First Moses says, “I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation; with a senseless nation I will provoke you to anger.” ⁷⁰  10:20 And Isaiah is even bold enough to say, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I became well known to those who did not ask for me.” ⁷¹  10:21 But about Israel he says, “All day long I held out my hands to this disobedient and stubborn people!” ⁷² 

Israel’s Rejection not Complete nor Final

11:1 So I ask, God has not rejected his people, has he? Absolutely not! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 11:2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew! Do you not know what the scripture says about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? 11:3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone am left and they are seeking my life!” ⁷³  11:4 But what was the divine response ⁷⁴  to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand people ⁷⁵  who have not bent the knee to Baal.” ⁷⁶ 

11:5 So in the same way at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 11:6 And if it is by grace, it is no longer by works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace. 11:7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was diligently seeking, but the elect obtained it. The ⁷⁷  rest were hardened, 11:8 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.” ⁷⁸ 

11:9 And David says,

“Let their table become a snare and trap,

a stumbling block and a retribution for them;

11:10 let their eyes be darkened so that they may not see,

and make their backs bend continually.” ⁷⁹ 

11:11 I ask then, they did not stumble into an irrevocable fall, ⁸⁰  did they? Absolutely not! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Israel ⁸¹  jealous. 11:12 Now if their transgression means riches for the world and their defeat means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full restoration ⁸²  bring?

11:13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Seeing that I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 11:14 if somehow I could provoke my people to jealousy and save some of them. 11:15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 11:16 If the first portion ⁸³  of the dough offered is holy, then the whole batch is holy, and if the root is holy, so too are the branches. ⁸⁴ 

11:17 Now if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them and participated in ⁸⁵  the richness of the olive root, 11:18 do not boast over the branches. But if you boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 11:19 Then you will say, “The branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 11:20 Granted! ⁸⁶  They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but fear! 11:21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, perhaps he will not spare you. 11:22 Notice therefore the kindness and harshness of God – harshness toward those who have fallen, but ⁸⁷  God’s kindness toward you, provided you continue in his kindness; ⁸⁸  otherwise you also will be cut off. 11:23 And even they – if they do not continue in their unbelief – will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 11:24 For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree?

11:25 For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, ⁸⁹  so that you may not be conceited: A partial hardening has happened to Israel ⁹⁰  until the full number ⁹¹  of the Gentiles has come in. 11:26 And so ⁹²  all Israel will be saved, as it is written:

“The Deliverer will come out of Zion;

he will remove ungodliness from Jacob.

11:27 And this is my covenant with them, ⁹³ 

when I take away their sins.” ⁹⁴ 

11:28 In regard to the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but in regard to election they are dearly loved for the sake of the fathers. 11:29 For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. 11:30 Just as you were formerly disobedient to God, but have now received mercy due to their disobedience, 11:31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now ⁹⁵  receive mercy. 11:32 For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all. ⁹⁶ 

11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how fathomless his ways!

11:34 For who has known the mind of the Lord,

or who has been his counselor? ⁹⁷ 

11:35 Or who has first given to God, ⁹⁸ 

that God ⁹⁹  needs to repay him? ¹⁰⁰ 

11:36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen.

[1:1]  ¹ tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

[1:1]  ² tn Traditionally, “servant.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

[1:1]  ³ tc Many important mss, as well as several others (̲⁶ א A G Ψ 33 1739 1881 Ï), have a reversed order of these words and read “Jesus Christ” rather than “Christ Jesus” (̹⁰ B 81 pc). The meaning is not affected in either case, but the reading “Christ Jesus” is preferred as slightly more difficult and thus more likely the original (a scribe who found it would be prone to change it to the more common expression). At the same time, Paul is fond of the order “Christ Jesus,” especially in certain letters such as Romans, Galatians, and Philippians. As well, the later Pauline letters almost uniformly use this order in the salutations. A decision is difficult, but “Christ Jesus” is slightly preferred.

[1:1]  ⁴ tn Grk “a called apostle.”

[1:1]  ⁵ tn The genitive in the phrase εὐαγγέλιον θεοῦ (euangelion qeou, “the gospel of God”) could be translated as (1) a subjective genitive (“the gospel which God brings”) or (2) an objective genitive (“the gospel about God”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek, §§36-39). If so, an interplay between the two concepts is intended: The gospel which God brings is in fact the gospel about himself. However, in view of God’s action in v. 2 concerning this gospel, a subjective genitive notion (“the gospel which God brings”) is slightly preferred.

[5:1]  ⁶ sn Many interpreters see Rom 5:1 as beginning the second major division of the letter.

[5:1]  ⁷ tc A number of important witnesses have the subjunctive ἔχωμεν (ecwmen, “let us have”) instead of ἔχομεν (ecomen, “we have”) in v. 1. Included in the subjunctive’s support are א* A B* C D K L 33 81 630 1175 1739* pm lat bo. But the indicative is not without its supporters: א¹ B² F G P Ψ 0220^vid 104 365 1241 1505 1506 1739^c 1881 2464 pm. If the problem were to be solved on an external basis only, the subjunctive would be preferred. Because of this, the “A” rating on behalf of the indicative in the UBS⁴ appears overly confident. Nevertheless, the indicative is probably correct. First, the earliest witness to Rom 5:1 has the indicative (0220^vid, third century). Second, the first set of correctors is sometimes, if not often, of equal importance with the original hand. Hence, א¹ might be given equal value with א*. Third, there is a good cross-section of witnesses for the indicative: Alexandrian (in 0220^vid, probably א¹ 1241 1506 1881 al), Western (in F G), and Byzantine (noted in NA²⁷ as pm). Thus, although the external evidence is strongly in favor of the subjunctive, the indicative is represented well enough that its ancestry could easily go back to the original. Turning to the internal evidence, the indicative gains much ground. (1) The variant may have been produced via an error of hearing (since omicron and omega were pronounced alike in ancient Greek). This, of course, does not indicate which reading was original – just that an error of hearing may have produced one of them. In light of the indecisiveness of the transcriptional evidence, intrinsic evidence could play a much larger role. This is indeed the case here. (2) The indicative fits well with the overall argument of the book to this point. Up until now, Paul has been establishing the “indicatives of the faith.” There is only one imperative (used rhetorically) and only one hortatory subjunctive (and this in a quotation within a diatribe) up till this point, while from ch. 6 on there are sixty-one imperatives and seven hortatory subjunctives. Clearly, an exhortation would be out of place in ch. 5. (3) Paul presupposes that the audience has peace with God (via reconciliation) in 5:10. This seems to assume the indicative in v. 1. (4) As C. E. B. Cranfield notes, “it would surely be strange for Paul, in such a carefully argued writing as this, to exhort his readers to enjoy or to guard a peace which he has not yet explicitly shown to be possessed by them” (Romans [ICC], 1:257). (5) The notion that εἰρήνην ἔχωμεν (eirhnhn ecwmen) can even naturally mean “enjoy peace” is problematic (ExSyn 464), yet those who embrace the subjunctive have to give the verb some such force. Thus, although the external evidence is stronger in support of the subjunctive, the internal evidence points to the indicative. Although a decision is difficult, ἔχομεν appears to be the authentic reading.

[5:2]  ¹¹ tn Or “exult, boast.”

[5:3]  ¹⁶ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[5:5]  ²¹ tn The phrase ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ (Jh agaph tou qeou, “the love of God”) could be interpreted as either an objective genitive (“our love for God”), subjective genitive (“God’s love for us”), or both (M. Zerwick’s “general” genitive [Biblical Greek, §§36-39]; D. B. Wallace’s “plenary” genitive [ExSyn 119-21]). The immediate context, which discusses what God has done for believers, favors a subjective genitive, but the fact that this love is poured out within the hearts of believers implies that it may be the source for believers’ love for God; consequently an objective genitive cannot be ruled out. It is possible that both these ideas are meant in the text and that this is a plenary genitive: “The love that comes from God and that produces our love for God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (ExSyn 121).

[5:5]  ²² sn On the OT background of the Spirit being poured out, see Isa 32:15; Joel 2:28-29.

[5:7]  ²⁶ sn Verse 7 forms something of a parenthetical comment in Paul’s argument.

[5:9]  ³¹ tn Grk “having now been declared righteous.” The participle δικαιωθέντες (dikaiwqente") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[5:9]  ³² tn Or, according to BDF §219.3, “at the price of his blood.”

[5:9]  ³³ tn Grk “the wrath,” referring to God’s wrath as v. 10 shows.

[5:11]  ³⁶ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[5:11]  ³⁷ tn Or “exult, boast.”

[5:12]  ⁴¹ tn Here ἀνθρώπους (anqrwpou") has been translated as a generic (“people”) since both men and women are clearly intended in this context.

[5:12]  ⁴² tn The translation of the phrase ἐφ᾿ ᾧ (ef Jw) has been heavily debated. For a discussion of all the possibilities, see C. E. B. Cranfield, “On Some of the Problems in the Interpretation of Romans 5.12,” SJT 22 (1969): 324-41. Only a few of the major options can be mentioned here: (1) the phrase can be taken as a relative clause in which the pronoun refers to Adam, “death spread to all people in whom [Adam] all sinned.” (2) The phrase can be taken with consecutive (resultative) force, meaning “death spread to all people with the result that all sinned.” (3) Others take the phrase as causal in force: “death spread to all people because all sinned.”

[5:13]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “for before the law.”

[5:13]  ⁴⁷ tn Or “sin is not reckoned.”

[5:14]  ⁵¹ tn Or “pattern.”

[5:14]  ⁵² tn Or “disobeyed”; Grk “in the likeness of Adam’s transgression.”

[5:15]  ⁵⁶ tn Grk “but not as the transgression, so also [is] the gracious gift.”

[5:15]  ⁵⁷ sn Here the one man refers to Adam (cf. 5:14).

[5:16]  ⁶¹ tn Grk “and not as through the one who sinned [is] the gift.”

[5:16]  ⁶² tn The word “transgression” is not in the Greek text at this point, but has been supplied for clarity.

[5:16]  ⁶³ tn Greek emphasizes the contrast between these two clauses more than can be easily expressed in English.

[5:16]  ⁶⁴ tn Or “falls, trespasses,” the same word used in vv. 15, 17, 18, 20.

[5:17]  ⁶⁶ sn Here the one man refers to Adam (cf. 5:14).

[5:18]  ⁷¹ tn There is a double connective here that cannot be easily preserved in English: “consequently therefore,” emphasizing the conclusion of what he has been arguing.

[5:18]  ⁷² tn Grk “[it is] unto condemnation for all people.”

[5:18]  ⁷³ tn Here ἀνθρώπους (anqrwpou") has been translated as a generic (“people”) since both men and women are clearly intended in this context.

[5:18]  ⁷⁴ tn There are no verbs in the Greek text of v. 18, forcing translators to supply phrases like “came through one transgression,” “resulted from one transgression,” etc.

[5:18]  ⁷⁵ sn One transgression refers to the sin of Adam in Gen 3:1-24.

[5:18]  ⁷⁶ sn The one righteous act refers to Jesus’ death on the cross.

[5:18]  ⁷⁷ tn Grk “righteousness of life.”

[5:19]  ⁷⁶ sn Here the one man refers to Adam (cf. 5:14).

[5:19]  ⁷⁷ tn Grk “the many.”

[5:19]  ⁷⁸ sn One man refers here to Jesus Christ.

[5:19]  ⁷⁹ tn Grk “the many.”

[5:20]  ⁸¹ tn Grk “slipped in.”

[5:20]  ⁸² tn Or “trespass.”

[10:1]  ⁸⁶ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:13.

[10:1]  ⁸⁷ tn Grk “on behalf of them”; the referent (Paul’s fellow Israelites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:2]  ⁹¹ tn Grk “they have a zeal for God.”

[10:2]  ⁹² tn Grk “in accord with knowledge.”

[10:5]  ⁹⁶ sn A quotation from Lev 18:5.

[10:6]  ¹⁰¹ sn A quotation from Deut 9:4.

[10:6]  ¹⁰² sn A quotation from Deut 30:12.

[10:7]  ¹⁰⁶ sn A quotation from Deut 30:13.

[10:8]  ¹¹¹ sn A quotation from Deut 30:14.

[10:9]  ¹¹⁶ tn Or “the Lord.” The Greek construction, along with the quotation from Joel 2:32 in v. 13 (in which the same “Lord” seems to be in view) suggests that κύριον (kurion) is to be taken as “the Lord,” that is, Yahweh. Cf. D. B. Wallace, “The Semantics and Exegetical Significance of the Object-Complement Construction in the New Testament,” GTJ 6 (1985): 91-112.

[10:10]  ¹²¹ tn Grk “believes to righteousness.”

[10:10]  ¹²² tn Grk “confesses to salvation.”

[10:11]  ¹²⁶ sn A quotation from Isa 28:16.

[10:13]  ¹³¹ sn A quotation from Joel 2:32.

[10:14]  ¹³⁶ tn Grk “preaching”; the words “to them” are supplied for clarification.

[10:15]  ¹⁴¹ tn The word in this context seems to mean “coming at the right or opportune time” (see BDAG 1103 s.v. ὡραῖος 1); it may also mean “beautiful, attractive, welcome.”

[10:15]  ¹⁴² tn Grk “the feet.” The metaphorical nuance of “beautiful feet” is that such represent timely news.

[10:15]  ¹⁴³ sn A quotation from Isa 52:7; Nah 1:15.

[10:16]  ¹⁴⁶ sn A quotation from Isa 53:1.

[10:17]  ¹⁵¹ tn The Greek term here is ῥῆμα (rJhma), which often (but not exclusively) focuses on the spoken word.

[10:17]  ¹⁵² tc Most mss (א¹ A D¹ Ψ 33 1881 Ï sy) have θεοῦ (qeou) here rather than Χριστοῦ (Cristou; found in Ì^46vid א* B C D* 6 81 629 1506 1739 pc lat co). External evidence strongly favors the reading “Christ” here. Internal evidence is also on its side, for the expression ῥῆμα Χριστοῦ (rJhma Cristou) occurs nowhere else in the NT; thus scribes would be prone to change it to a known expression.

[10:18]  ¹⁵⁶ tn That is, Israel (see the following verse).

[10:18]  ¹⁵⁷ tn Grk “they have not ‘not heard,’ have they?” This question is difficult to render in English. The basic question is a negative sentence (“Have they not heard?”), but it is preceded by the particle μή (mh) which expects a negative response. The end result in English is a double negative (“They have not ‘not heard,’ have they?”). This has been changed to a positive question in the translation for clarity. See BDAG 646 s.v. μή 3.a.; D. Moo, Romans (NICNT), 666, fn. 32; and C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans (ICC), 537, for discussion.

[10:18]  ¹⁵⁸ tn Here the particle μενοῦνγε (menounge) is correcting the negative response expected by the particle μή (mh) in the preceding question. Since the question has been translated positively, the translation was changed here to reflect that rendering.

[10:18]  ¹⁵⁹ sn A quotation from Ps 19:4.

[10:19]  ¹⁶¹ tn Grk “Israel did not ‘not know,’ did he?” The double negative in Greek has been translated as a positive affirmation for clarity (see v. 18 above for a similar situation).

[10:19]  ¹⁶² sn A quotation from Deut 32:21.

[10:20]  ¹⁶⁶ sn A quotation from Isa 65:1.

[10:21]  ¹⁷¹ sn A quotation from Isa 65:2.

[11:3]  ¹⁷⁶ sn A quotation from 1 Kgs 19:10, 14.

[11:4]  ¹⁸¹ tn Grk “the revelation,” “the oracle.”

[11:4]  ¹⁸² tn The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which only exceptionally is used in a generic sense of both males and females. In this context, it appears to be a generic usage (“people”) since when Paul speaks of a remnant of faithful Israelites (“the elect,” v. 7), he is not referring to males only. It can also be argued, however, that it refers only to adult males here (“men”), perhaps as representative of all the faithful left in Israel.

[11:4]  ¹⁸³ sn A quotation from 1 Kgs 19:18.

[11:7]  ¹⁸⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[11:8]  ¹⁹¹ sn A quotation from Deut 29:4; Isa 29:10.

[11:10]  ¹⁹⁶ sn A quotation from Ps 69:22-23.

[11:11]  ²⁰¹ tn Grk “that they might fall.”

[11:11]  ²⁰² tn Grk “them”; the referent (Israel, cf. 11:7) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:12]  ²⁰⁶ tn Or “full inclusion”; Grk “their fullness.”

[11:16]  ²¹¹ tn Grk “firstfruits,” a term for the first part of something that has been set aside and offered to God before the remainder can be used.

[11:16]  ²¹² sn Most interpreters see Paul as making use of a long-standing metaphor of the olive tree (the root…the branches) as a symbol for Israel. See, in this regard, Jer 11:16, 19. A. T. Hanson, Studies in Paul’s Technique and Theology, 121-24, cites rabbinic use of the figure of the olive tree, and goes so far as to argue that Rom 11:17-24 is a midrash on Jer 11:16-19.

[11:17]  ²¹⁶ tn Grk “became a participant of.”

[11:20]  ²²¹ tn Grk “well!”, an adverb used to affirm a statement. It means “very well,” “you are correct.”

[11:22]  ²²⁶ tn Greek emphasizes the contrast between these two clauses more than can be easily expressed in English.

[11:22]  ²²⁷ tn Grk “if you continue in (the) kindness.”

[11:25]  ²³¹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:13.

[11:25]  ²³² tn Or “Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.”

[11:25]  ²³³ tn Grk “fullness.”

[11:26]  ²³⁶ tn It is not clear whether the phrase καὶ οὕτως (kai Joutws, “and so”) is to be understood in a modal sense (“and in this way”) or in a temporal sense (“and in the end”). Neither interpretation is conclusive from a grammatical standpoint, and in fact the two may not be mutually exclusive. Some, like H. Hübner, who argue strongly against the temporal reading, nevertheless continue to give the phrase a temporal significance, saying that God will save all Israel in the end (Gottes Ich und Israel [FRLANT], 118).

[11:27]  ²⁴¹ sn A quotation from Isa 59:20-21.

[11:27]  ²⁴² sn A quotation from Isa 27:9; Jer 31:33-34.

[11:31]  ²⁴⁶ tc Some important Alexandrian and Western mss (א B D*^,c 1506 pc bo) read νῦν (nun, “now”) here. A few other mss (33 365 pc sa) have ὕστερον (Justeron, “finally”). mss that lack the word are Ì⁴⁶ A D² F G Ψ 1739 1881 Ï latt. External evidence slightly favors omission with good representatives from the major texttypes, and because of the alliance of Alexandrian and Byzantine mss (with the Byzantine going against its normal tendency to embrace the longer reading). Internally, scribes could have added νῦν here to give balance to the preceding clause (οὗτοι νῦν ἠπείθησαν…αὐτοὶ νῦν ἐλεηθῶσιν [|outoi nun hpeiqhsan…autoi nun elehqwsin; “they have now been disobedient…they may now receive mercy”]). However, it seems much more likely that they would have deleted it because of its seeming inappropriateness in this context. That some witnesses have ὕστερον presupposes the presence of νῦν in their ancestors. A decision is difficult, but νῦν is slightly preferred, since it is the more difficult reading and is adequately represented in the mss.

[11:32]  ²⁵¹ tn Grk “to all”; “them” has been supplied for stylistic reasons.

[11:34]  ²⁵⁶ sn A quotation from Isa 40:13.

[11:35]  ²⁶¹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:35]  ²⁶² tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:35]  ²⁶³ sn A quotation from Job 41:11.