Romans 11:3 kjv
Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
Romans 11:3 nkjv
"LORD, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life"?
Romans 11:3 niv
"Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me"?
Romans 11:3 esv
"Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life."
Romans 11:3 nlt
"LORD, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too."
Romans 11 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ki 19:10 | "I have been very zealous for the Lord...for the Israelites have forsaken..." | Original source of Elijah's complaint to God. |
| 1 Ki 19:14 | "I have been very zealous for the Lord...for the Israelites have forsaken..." | Elijah's repeated complaint. |
| Rom 11:4 | "But what was God's answer to him? 'I have reserved for Myself seven thousand..." | God's direct response to Elijah's lament. |
| Neh 9:26 | "But they were disobedient...killed Your prophets..." | Israel's historical pattern of killing prophets. |
| Mt 23:37 | "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you..." | Jesus' lament over Jerusalem's rejection of prophets. |
| Lk 11:47-48 | "...you are witnesses that you agree with what your ancestors did..." | Jesus rebukes for ancestral persecution of prophets. |
| Acts 7:52 | "Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute?..." | Stephen's accusation regarding the murder of prophets. |
| Heb 11:36-38 | "Others faced jeers and flogging...they were sawn in two..." | Suffering endured by Old Testament faithful, including prophets. |
| 2 Ch 36:15-16 | "...the Lord sent word to them again and again...but they mocked Godās messengers..." | God's persistent sending of prophets and Israel's rejection. |
| Jer 26:20-23 | Example of Uriah, a prophet killed under King Jehoiakim. | Specific prophet killed by authorities. |
| Isa 1:8-9 | "If the Lord of Armies had not left us a few survivors..." | Concept of a divine remnant. |
| Isa 6:13 | "And if a tenth remains in the land...a holy seed." | Remnant theme and its holiness. |
| Zeph 3:12-13 | "But I will leave in your midst a people humble and lowly." | Remnant characterized by humility. |
| Mt 7:15-20 | "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheepās clothing..." | Warnings about prophets, highlighting discernment. |
| Jer 11:15-17 | "What has My beloved to do in My house, having worked lewd deeds with many..." | Israel's defilement of altars and temple worship. |
| Ez 6:3-6 | "Thus says the Lord GOD to the mountains, the hills, the ravines, and the valleys..." | Prophecy against altars of idolatry. |
| 2 Ki 10:25-27 | Jehu destroying the altar of Baal after overthrowing Jezebel. | Example of altars being torn down (idolatrous ones). |
| Ps 102:6-7 | "I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am like an owl of the desert..." | Feeling of deep isolation similar to Elijah's. |
| 1 Sa 22:18-19 | Saul's slaughter of the priests of Nob, feeling alone in his loyalty to David. | Another instance of extreme religious persecution. |
| Num 16:30-33 | Earth swallowing those who rejected God's appointed leaders. | Rebellion against divine authority. |
| Rev 11:3-7 | Two witnesses persecuted and killed in their prophetic ministry. | Future persecution of God's prophetic witnesses. |
| Rom 11:5-6 | "So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace." | Direct connection to Paul's conclusion on the remnant. |
Romans 11 verses
Romans 11 3 Meaning
Romans 11:3 is a direct quotation from Elijah's lament in 1 Kings 19:10 and 19:14. It expresses profound despair over Israel's pervasive apostasy and persecution of God's faithful. In Paul's context, it serves to highlight Israel's historical rejection of God's messengers and worship, thereby setting the stage for his argument about God's faithfulness in preserving a remnant, even amidst widespread unfaithfulness. The verse captures a moment of intense isolation and perceived desolation experienced by a loyal servant of God.
Romans 11 3 Context
Romans chapter 11 directly addresses the profound question Paul raised in 11:1: "Has God rejected his people, Israel?" Paul emphatically declares "By no means!" To support this, he cites his own Jewish identity and then provides a critical example from Israel's historyāElijah's experience. This specific verse (11:3) recounts Elijah's complaint to God during a period of widespread apostasy in Israel under Ahab and Jezebel, when Elijah perceived himself to be the sole faithful prophet. This historical backdrop, characterized by deep national spiritual failure and persecution, sets the stage for Paul to illustrate that even in such dire circumstances, God remains faithful and always preserves a "remnant chosen by grace" (Rom 11:5). Paul uses Elijah's lament as a scriptural analogy to contemporary Jewish rejection of Jesus, emphasizing that Israel's failure is not total, and God's promises remain in effect for a chosen few, echoing God's preserving power in the past. This provides a polemic against the idea that God has completely forsaken His original covenant people.
Romans 11 3 Word analysis
- Lord: (Greek: Kyrie) - An address to God, denoting reverence, submission, and often an appeal. Here, it is an exclamation of despair directed to the divine authority, seeking intervention or understanding. It emphasizes the ultimate recourse for one feeling utterly alone.
- they: Refers collectively to "the children of Israel" as contextually derived from Elijah's original lament (1 Ki 19:10, 14) and Paul's overarching argument regarding the Jewish people. This highlights a national pattern of rebellion.
- have killed: (Greek: apokteino) - Indicates a past completed action of taking life. Signifies extreme persecution and rejection of divine messengers, illustrating a historical pattern of violence against prophets who delivered God's challenging word.
- your prophets: Messengers sent directly by God, bearing divine revelation and challenging the nation's spiritual direction. Their killing represents rejection of God's very voice and authority among His covenant people.
- and torn down: (Greek: kataskapto) - To demolish, dismantle, or destroy completely. A forceful action signifying intentional defilement and rejection of legitimate worship, aiming to erase God's presence.
- your altars: Sanctuaries where sacrifices were offered to YHWH, symbols of legitimate worship and the covenant relationship. Their destruction indicated rampant idolatry, disrespect for sacred space, and abandonment of the true God. In Elijah's time, these were replaced by Baal altars.
- I alone: An expression of extreme isolation and despair. Elijah perceived himself as the last faithful worshipper or prophet in Israel. This conveys a profound sense of loneliness in faithfulness.
- am left: (Greek: hupoleipo) - To remain or be left behind. Refers to the survival of a sole individual against overwhelming opposition, reinforcing Elijah's feeling of being the last vestige of true faith.
- and they: Again refers to the hostile majority of the people of Israel who have fallen into apostasy.
- are seeking: (Greek: zeteo) - To search for, pursue, or demand. Implies an active and ongoing pursuit with hostile intent, indicative of a direct threat.
- my life: The very existence or soul of Elijah. Their seeking his life means an active attempt to kill him, showcasing the intense danger faced by God's faithful in times of national rebellion.
Words-group analysis
- Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars: This phrase encapsulates Israel's twin failures: the active suppression of divine revelation through killing prophets, and the systemic defilement and abandonment of true worship through destroying God's altars. This double indictment emphasizes the depth of the nation's apostasy.
- I alone am left, and they are seeking my life: This highlights the perilous position of the remnant and loyal servants of God. It conveys a deep sense of despair and isolation, underscoring the severity of the persecution and the seeming desolation of God's work. Paul uses this perceived abandonment to contrast with God's actual preservation of a faithful few.
Romans 11 3 Bonus section
The Hebrew word behind "zealous" in 1 Kings 19:10, from which Paul quotes here, is qana (×§× ×), implying an ardent, often fervent or jealous passion. Elijah's zealousness for Yahweh fuels his lament; it is not merely observation but deep anguish born of loyalty. Paul's use of this lament also underscores the rhetorical technique of prosopopeia or ethopoeia, giving voice to Elijah's character, enabling Paul to draw a direct historical parallel. It implicitly challenges the despair of those who might think God has entirely abandoned His chosen people, revealing a divine counter-narrative of enduring grace and selection that has been consistent throughout history.
Romans 11 3 Commentary
Romans 11:3 is a pivotal quotation in Paul's defense of God's continued faithfulness to Israel, even in light of their rejection of the Messiah. Paul strategically places Elijah's desperate lament within his broader theological argument. Elijah's experience, believing himself to be the sole faithful prophet surviving a wholesale national apostasy where altars were desecrated and prophets slain, perfectly mirrors the perception some might have had of Israel's current spiritual state in Paul's timeāa people seemingly utterly forsaken.
Yet, this verse functions as a setup for the divine response that follows (11:4), where God assures Elijah of a preserved remnant of "seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal." The profound desolation expressed in Elijah's words (Rom 11:3) highlights the human perception of utter failure, which God's subsequent answer rectifies. It shows that even when human eyes see complete spiritual ruin and isolated faithfulness, God always maintains a remnant chosen by His grace. This underpins Paul's argument that God has not fully rejected Israel but has always worked through a preserved, faithful minority. It provides hope that God's plan is not thwarted by human unfaithfulness, demonstrating His sovereign election and covenant keeping. Practically, it encourages believers who might feel isolated or in a minority, reminding them that God's work continues, often unseen, through His faithful few.