Romans 11:2
New International Version
God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel:

New Living Translation
No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning. Do you realize what the Scriptures say about this? Elijah the prophet complained to God about the people of Israel and said,

English Standard Version
God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?

Berean Standard Bible
God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah, how he appealed to God against Israel:

Berean Literal Bible
God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel:

King James Bible
God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,

New King James Version
God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying,

New American Standard Bible
God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?

NASB 1995
God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?

NASB 1977
God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?

Legacy Standard Bible
GOD HAS NOT REJECTED HIS PEOPLE whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?

Amplified Bible
God has not rejected His [chosen] people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?

Christian Standard Bible
God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Or don’t you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he pleads with God against Israel?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or don’t you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he pleads with God against Israel?

American Standard Version
God did not cast off his people which he foreknew. Or know ye not what the scripture saith of Elijah? how he pleadeth with God against Israel:

Contemporary English Version
God did not turn his back on his chosen people. Don't you remember reading in the Scriptures how Elijah complained to God about the people of Israel?

English Revised Version
God did not cast off his people which he foreknew. Or wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elijah? how he pleadeth with God against Israel,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
God has not rejected his people whom he knew long ago. Don't you know what Elijah says in the Scripture passage when he complains to God about Israel? He says,

Good News Translation
God has not rejected his people, whom he chose from the beginning. You know what the scripture says in the passage where Elijah pleads with God against Israel:

International Standard Version
God has not rejected his people whom he chose long ago. Do you not know what the Scripture says in the story about Elijah, when he pleads with God against Israel?

Majority Standard Bible
God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah, how he appealed to God against Israel:

NET Bible
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?

New Heart English Bible
God did not reject his people, which he foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel:

Webster's Bible Translation
God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Know ye not what the scripture saith of Elijah? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,

Weymouth New Testament
God has not cast off His People whom He knew beforehand. Or are you ignorant of what Scripture says in speaking of Elijah--how he pleaded with God against Israel, saying,

World English Bible
God didn’t reject his people, whom he foreknew. Or don’t you know what the Scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel:
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
God did not cast away His people whom He knew before; have you not known—in Elijah—what the Writing says? How he pleads with God concerning Israel, saying,

Berean Literal Bible
God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel:

Young's Literal Translation
God did not cast away His people whom He knew before; have ye not known -- in Elijah -- what the Writing saith? how he doth plead with God concerning Israel, saying,

Smith's Literal Translation
God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Or know ye not in Elias, what says the writing? how he addresses God against Israel, saying,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
God hath not cast away his people, which he foreknew. Know you not what the scripture saith of Elias; how he calleth on God against Israel?

Catholic Public Domain Version
God has not driven away his people, whom he foreknew. And do you not know what Scripture says in Elijah, how he calls upon God against Israel?

New American Bible
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?

New Revised Standard Version
God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
God has not rejected his people which he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah? How he complained to God against Israel, saying,

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
God has not thrust away his people, who were known to him from the first, or do you not know the Scriptures in which Elijah spoke when he complained to God about Israel and he said:
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Know you not what the scripture says, in regard to Elijah? how he intercedes with God against Israel, saying:

Godbey New Testament
God did not cast away his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says in Elijah, how he makes intercession to God against Israel?

Haweis New Testament
God hath not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Know ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession with God against Israel, saying,

Mace New Testament
God hath not discarded his people whom he formerly approv'd, don't you know what the scripture says of Elias? how he complain'd to God against Israel,

Weymouth New Testament
God has not cast off His People whom He knew beforehand. Or are you ignorant of what Scripture says in speaking of Elijah--how he pleaded with God against Israel, saying,

Worrell New Testament
God did not cast off His people whom He foreknew. Or know ye not what the Scripture says of Elijah? how he pleads with God against Israel:

Worsley New Testament
God hath not cast off his people, whom He foreknew. Do ye not know what the scripture saith of Elias? how he complains to God against Israel,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Remnant of Israel
1I ask then, did God reject His people? Certainly not! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah, how he appealed to God against Israel: 3“Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well”?…

Cross References
1 Samuel 12:22
Indeed, for the sake of His great name, the LORD will not abandon His people, because He was pleased to make you His own.

1 Kings 19:10-18
“I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.” / Then the LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Behold, the LORD is about to pass by.” And a great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. / After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still, small voice. ...

Psalm 94:14
For the LORD will not forsake His people; He will never abandon His heritage.

Jeremiah 31:37
This is what the LORD says: “Only if the heavens above could be measured and the foundations of the earth below searched out would I reject all of Israel’s descendants because of all they have done,” declares the LORD.

2 Kings 13:23
But the LORD was gracious to Israel and had compassion on them, and He turned toward them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And to this day, the LORD has been unwilling to destroy them or cast them from His presence.

Isaiah 41:8-9
“But you, O Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham My friend— / I brought you from the ends of the earth and called you from its farthest corners. I said, ‘You are My servant.’ I have chosen and not rejected you.

Jeremiah 33:24-26
“Have you not noticed what these people are saying: ‘The LORD has rejected the two families He had chosen’? So they despise My people and no longer regard them as a nation. / This is what the LORD says: If I have not established My covenant with the day and the night and the fixed order of heaven and earth, / then I would also reject the descendants of Jacob and of My servant David, so as not to take from his descendants rulers over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will restore them from captivity and will have compassion on them.”

1 Samuel 10:1
Then Samuel took a flask of oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over His inheritance?

1 Samuel 15:28-29
So Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you. / Moreover, the Glory of Israel does not lie or change His mind, for He is not a man, that He should change His mind.”

2 Samuel 7:24
For You have established Your people Israel as Your very own forever, and You, O LORD, have become their God.

Deuteronomy 7:6-8
For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all peoples on the face of the earth. / The LORD did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than the other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. / But because the LORD loved you and kept the oath He swore to your fathers, He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Deuteronomy 9:5-6
It is not because of your righteousness or uprightness of heart that you are going in to possess their land, but it is because of their wickedness that the LORD your God is driving out these nations before you, to keep the promise He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. / Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.

Matthew 24:22
If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.

John 15:16
You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will remain—so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.

Acts 13:17
The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers. He made them into a great people during their stay in Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out of that land.


Treasury of Scripture

God has not cast away his people which he foreknew. Know you not what the scripture said of Elias? how he makes intercession to God against Israel saying,

which he foreknew.

Romans 8:29,30
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren…

Romans 9:6,23
Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: …

Acts 13:48
And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

Wot.

Genesis 44:15
And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?

Exodus 32:1
And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

Acts 3:17
And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.

of Elias? Gr.

See

Nehemiah 9:30
Yet many years didst thou forbear them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands.

Luke 4:1
And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

1 Corinthians 6:2
Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

how he maketh.

1 Corinthians 15:15
Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.

Numbers 16:15
And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.

Jeremiah 18:19-23
Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me…

John 4:1-3,11
When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, …

Jump to Previous
Beforehand Cast Elias Elijah Foreknew Holy Ignorant Intercession Israel Maketh Passage Pleaded Pleadeth Pleads Reject Scripture Selection Speaking Wot
Jump to Next
Beforehand Cast Elias Elijah Foreknew Holy Ignorant Intercession Israel Maketh Passage Pleaded Pleadeth Pleads Reject Scripture Selection Speaking Wot
Romans 11
1. God has not cast off all Israel.
7. Some were elected, though the rest were hardened.
16. There is hope of their conversion.
18. The Gentiles may not exult over them;
26. for there is a promise of their salvation.
33. God's judgments are unsearchable.














God did not reject
This phrase emphasizes the faithfulness and unchanging nature of God. The Greek word for "reject" is "apōtheō," which means to thrust away or cast off. In the context of Romans 11, Paul is addressing concerns about whether God has abandoned His people, Israel. Historically, this reassures believers that God's promises are irrevocable. The covenantal relationship established with Israel remains intact, reflecting God's steadfast love and commitment.

His people
The term "His people" refers specifically to the Israelites, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This phrase underscores the special relationship between God and Israel, chosen as His covenant people. Throughout the Old Testament, Israel is depicted as God's treasured possession, a nation set apart to demonstrate His glory to the world. This relationship is foundational to understanding the narrative of redemption that unfolds in the Bible.

whom He foreknew
The word "foreknew" comes from the Greek "proginōskō," meaning to know beforehand. This indicates God's omniscience and sovereign plan. In a theological context, it suggests that God's choice of Israel was not arbitrary but part of His divine purpose. This foreknowledge is not merely awareness but implies a relational knowing, indicating God's intimate involvement with His people from the beginning.

Do you not know
This rhetorical question is a common device used by Paul to engage his readers and provoke thought. It serves to remind the audience of truths they should already be aware of, reinforcing the continuity of God's plan. This phrase invites believers to reflect on their understanding of Scripture and God's dealings with humanity.

what the Scripture says
Here, Paul appeals to the authority of Scripture, which for his audience would primarily be the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament. This phrase underscores the importance of Scripture as the ultimate source of truth and guidance. It reflects the conservative Christian view that the Bible is divinely inspired and authoritative in matters of faith and practice.

in the passage about Elijah
Paul references the account of Elijah, found in 1 Kings 19, to illustrate God's faithfulness. Elijah, feeling isolated and despondent, believed he was the only faithful one left in Israel. However, God revealed that He had preserved a remnant. This historical account serves as a powerful reminder that God always maintains a faithful remnant, even in times of widespread unbelief or apostasy.

(2) Which he foreknew.--This must not be pressed too far, as implying an absolute indefectibility of the divine favour. God, having in His eternal counsels set His choice upon Israel as His peculiar people, will not readily disown them. Nor is their case really so bad as it may seem. Now, as in the days of Elijah, there are a select few who have not shared in the general depravity.

Of Elias.--Literally, in Elias--i.e., in the section which contains the history of Elias. So in Mark 12:26; Luke 20:37; "in the bush" and "at the bush," mean, in the paragraph relating to the bush.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
God
Θεὸς (Theos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

did not reject
ἀπώσατο (apōsato)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 683: Or apothomai ap-o'-thom-ahee from apo and the middle voice of otheo or otho; to push off, figuratively, to reject.

His
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

people,
λαὸν (laon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2992: Apparently a primary word; a people.

whom
ὃν (hon)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

He foreknew.
προέγνω (proegnō)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4267: To know beforehand, foreknow. From pro and ginosko; to know beforehand, i.e. Foresee.

Do you not know
οἴδατε (oidate)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1492: To know, remember, appreciate.

what
τί (ti)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

the
(hē)
Article - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Scripture
γραφή (graphē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1124: (a) a writing, (b) a passage of scripture; plur: the scriptures. A document, i.e. Holy Writ.

says
λέγει (legei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

about
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

Elijah,
Ἠλίᾳ (Ēlia)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2243: Elijah, the prophet. Of Hebrew origin; Helias, an Israelite.

how
ὡς (hōs)
Adverb
Strong's 5613: Probably adverb of comparative from hos; which how, i.e. In that manner.

he appealed
ἐντυγχάνει (entynchanei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1793: From en and tugchano; to chance upon, i.e. confer with; by extension to entreat.

to God
Θεῷ (Theō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

against
κατὰ (kata)
Preposition
Strong's 2596: A primary particle; down, in varied relations (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined).

Israel:
Ἰσραήλ (Israēl)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2474: Of Hebrew origin; Israel, the adopted name of Jacob, including his descendants.


Links
Romans 11:2 NIV
Romans 11:2 NLT
Romans 11:2 ESV
Romans 11:2 NASB
Romans 11:2 KJV

Romans 11:2 BibleApps.com
Romans 11:2 Biblia Paralela
Romans 11:2 Chinese Bible
Romans 11:2 French Bible
Romans 11:2 Catholic Bible

NT Letters: Romans 11:2 God didn't reject his people which he (Rom. Ro)
Romans 11:1
Top of Page
Top of Page