Romans 11:4 kjv
But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
Romans 11:4 nkjv
But what does the divine response say to him? "I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal."
Romans 11:4 niv
And what was God's answer to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal."
Romans 11:4 esv
But what is God's reply to him? "I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal."
Romans 11:4 nlt
And do you remember God's reply? He said, "No, I have 7,000 others who have never bowed down to Baal!"
Romans 11 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rom 11:2 | God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. | Directly states the theme. |
| 1 Sam 12:22 | For the LORD will not abandon His people on account of His great name... | O.T. assurance of God's faithfulness. |
| Psa 94:14 | For the LORD will not reject His people... | O.T. reaffirmation of God's promise. |
| Jer 31:37 | Thus says the LORD: “If the heavens above can be measured... | O.T. prophetic confirmation of continuity. |
| Isa 49:15-16 | “Can a woman forget her nursing child... See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands... | O.T. imagery of indelible commitment. |
| Ezek 36:22-23 | It is for my own sake, and for the sake of my holy name... | O.T. emphasis on God's glory in election. |
| Zech 1:16 | “Therefore thus says the LORD: I will return to Zion with mercy; my house shall be built in it... | O.T. promise of future restoration. |
| John 1:11 | He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. | Fulfillment of Israel's rejection of Jesus. |
| John 10:34-36 | Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I have said, "You are gods"'?... | Jesus referencing God's faithfulness to His chosen. |
| Rom 3:3 | What if some were unfaithful? Will their faithfulness nullify the faithfulness of God? | Paul addressing faithfulness and unfaithfulness. |
| Rom 9:4 | They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the Law, the worship, and the promises. | Listing Israel's unique privileges. |
| Rom 9:6 | But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel... | Distinguishing ethnic Israel from true Israel. |
| Rom 11:1 | I ask then, did God reject his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. | Paul's personal connection to Israel. |
| Rom 11:5 | So in the present also there is a remnant, according to the election of grace. | Introducing the concept of the remnant. |
| Rom 11:28-29 | As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of the forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. | The basis for God's ongoing faithfulness. |
| Acts 2:36 | Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” | Peter's proclamation of Jesus' Messiahship to Israel. |
| Acts 13:46 | And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. | Israel's rejection of the Gospel. |
| 1 Cor 1:28 | and by nature lowly and despised God chose, and the things that are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, | God's sovereign choices. |
| Gal 3:16 | Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” as referring to many, but, as referring to one, “And to your offspring,” that is, Christ. | The seed promises focusing on Christ. |
| Heb 6:13 | For when God gave Noah, He swore by Himself... | God's unbreakable oaths. |
| Heb 13:8 | Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. | The unchanging nature of Christ, reflecting God's faithfulness. |
Romans 11 verses
Romans 11 4 Meaning
God has not rejected His people, Israel. This statement confirms that despite their stumbling and rejection of Christ, God's ultimate purpose and covenant faithfulness remain towards them.
Romans 11 4 Context
Romans 11 continues Paul's discussion on God's faithfulness to Israel, particularly in light of their rejection of Jesus as the Messiah. Chapter 11 is a crucial part of Paul's theological argument. He first establishes that God has not ultimately rejected Israel, citing himself as an example of a believing Israelite and mentioning the remnant principle found in Elijah's time (v. 1-5). The current chapter section (v. 1-10) demonstrates that the Gentiles' inclusion in God's salvation does not negate God's purposes for Israel. Israel's stumbling (referring to their widespread rejection of Christ) has actually opened the door for Gentile salvation, creating a "scarcity" for some and "richness" for others. However, this present exclusion is not final. Paul asserts that their very stumbling has led to salvation for the Gentiles, which in turn is meant to provoke Israel to jealousy and eventual salvation.
Romans 11 4 Word Analysis
- ἀποῤῥίπτω (aporriptō): To cast away, reject, throw aside. This verb signifies a definitive discarding or disowning. Paul emphatically denies that God has done this to His people.
- ἐξουδενόω (exoudenoō): To count as nothing, nullify, treat as insignificant. This word describes the attitude Israel took towards God's prophetic word and eventually Christ. Paul uses it to say God has not made them nothing.
- λαός (laos): People. This term often refers to God's covenant people. Here it specifically denotes Israel.
- ὅς (hos): Relative pronoun, "who" or "which." Refers back to Israel.
- πρόγνωσις (prognōsis): Foreknowledge. God's eternal knowledge and His purpose concerning His people, Israel. This is the foundation for His enduring faithfulness to them, not based on their merits but on His eternal counsel.
Group Analysis:
- "God has not rejected His people..." (Οὐκ ἀπώσατο ὁ θεὸς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ): This is a strong negative statement affirming God's continued election and relationship with Israel. The present state of rejection by many Jews of Jesus does not represent a total, permanent casting aside by God. It signifies that His sovereign purpose concerning them is not void.
- "...whom He foreknew." (ὃν προέγνω): The qualifier "whom He foreknew" is critical. It grounds God's persistent faithfulness not in Israel's performance but in His prior knowledge and divine choice. This foreknowledge implies not just foreseeing but predestining and setting apart.
Romans 11 4 Bonus Section
The concept of God's foreknowledge here is not a passive observation but an active divine selection and decree, similar to what is seen in passages like Hosea 11:1 ("Out of Egypt I called my son") which, though initially referring to Israel's Exodus, is applied to Jesus' return from Egypt in Matthew 2:15. God’s foreknowledge ensures His people are set apart according to His plans, making His calling and gifts irrevocable (Rom 11:29). This assurance also extends to the New Testament believers, Jews and Gentiles alike, as they are part of God's people through Christ.
Romans 11 4 Commentary
Paul preemptively addresses a potential misconception arising from the success of the gospel among Gentiles while many Jews rejected Jesus. He makes it unequivocally clear: God has not irrevocably cast off the nation of Israel. The reason is His eternal foreknowledge, meaning His choosing and purpose concerning them, which predates their actions. This doesn't negate Israel's rejection of Christ, nor does it imply all ethnic Israelites will be saved unconditionally. Instead, it guarantees that God's covenant with Israel is not nullified and that He has an ongoing, future plan for them, based on His unchanging character and prior commitment. His election is not based on human merit but on His sovereign, eternal purposes.