Romans 11:14

14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them.

Romans 11:14 in Other Translations

14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.

14 in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them.

14 for I want somehow to make the people of Israel jealous of what you Gentiles have, so I might save some of them.

14 when I'm among my Israelite kin, the so-called insiders, hoping they'll realize what they're missing and want to get in on what God is doing.

14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy [them that are] my flesh, and may save some of them.

14 Perhaps I can make my people jealous and save some of them.

14 if I can somehow make my own people jealous and save some of them.

14 I hope somehow to stir up my own people to want what you have. Perhaps I can save some of them.

Romans 11:14 Meaning and Commentary

Romans 11:14

If by any means I may provoke to emulation
What he had in view, even in discharging his office among the Gentiles with so much labour, assiduity, and indefatigableness, was, that if possible he might stir up the Jews to emulate and imitate the Gentiles, in seeking after Christ; for these he means when he says,

them which are my flesh;
they being his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh, for it was common with the eastern nations to call such persons their flesh; see ( Genesis 29:14 ) ( 37:27 ) ( Isaiah 58:7 ) ; and carries in it a reason why he was so solicitous for their welfare, because of the relation of them to him, and the natural affection he bore towards them; and his hope was, that they seeing the nations of the earth blessed in the promised seed, through his preaching the Gospel to them, great gatherings of the people to Shiloh, and the Gentiles seeking to the root of Jesse, set up for an ensign to the people, might be provoked to an emulation of them; and likewise seek the Lord their God, and David their King, and thereby have his end he so much wished for and desired:

and might save some of them;
he says "some", not all, for he knew the bulk of the people was rejected, only a seed was left among them, a remnant according to the election of grace that should be saved, and which did obtain righteousness and life, while the rest were blinded. The ministers of the Gospel may be said to save souls, not efficiently, for the author or efficient cause of salvation is God only; the Father has chose unto it, the Son has effected it, and the Spirit applies it; but instrumentally, as the word preached by them is the means of regeneration, faith, and conversion, with which salvation is connected: and as they show unto men the way of salvation, and encourage souls to believe in Christ, in whom alone it is. Now the apostle argues from his office, and the usefulness of it, to some among the Jews, to saving purposes, to prove that their rejection was not total.

Romans 11:14 In-Context

12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!

13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry

14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them.

15 For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

16 If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

Cross References

• 1. ver 11; Romans 10:19; 1 Corinthians 10:33; 1 Thessalonians 2:16
• 2. S Matthew 1:21; S Luke 2:11; S John 3:17; Acts 4:12; Acts 16:31; 1 Corinthians 1:21; 1 Timothy 2:4; Titus 3:5