Romans 11:24
New International Version
After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

New Living Translation
You, by nature, were a branch cut from a wild olive tree. So if God was willing to do something contrary to nature by grafting you into his cultivated tree, he will be far more eager to graft the original branches back into the tree where they belong.

English Standard Version
For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.

Berean Standard Bible
For if you were cut from a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into one that is cultivated, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

Berean Literal Bible
For if you were cut off out of the naturally wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural, be grafted into the own olive tree!

King James Bible
For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?

New King James Version
For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

New American Standard Bible
For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?

NASB 1995
For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?

NASB 1977
For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more shall these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?

Legacy Standard Bible
For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?

Amplified Bible
For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and against nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much easier will it be to graft these who are the natural branches back into [the original parent stock of] their own olive tree?

Christian Standard Bible
For if you were cut off from your native wild olive tree and against nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these—the natural branches—be grafted into their own olive tree?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For if you were cut off from your native wild olive and against nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these—the natural branches—be grafted into their own olive tree?

American Standard Version
For if thou wast cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and wast grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree; how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Contemporary English Version
After all, it wasn't natural for branches to be cut from a wild olive tree and to be made part of a cultivated olive tree. So it is much more likely that God will join the natural branches back to the cultivated olive tree.

English Revised Version
For if thou wast cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and wast grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
In spite of the fact that you have been cut from a wild olive tree, you have been grafted onto a cultivated one. So wouldn't it be easier for these natural branches to be grafted onto the olive tree they belong to?

Good News Translation
You Gentiles are like the branch of a wild olive tree that is broken off and then, contrary to nature, is joined to a cultivated olive tree. The Jews are like this cultivated tree; and it will be much easier for God to join these broken-off branches to their own tree again.

International Standard Version
After all, if you were cut off from what is naturally a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much easier it will be for these natural branches to be grafted back into their own olive tree!

Majority Standard Bible
For if you were cut from a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into one that is cultivated, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

NET Bible
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?

New Heart English Bible
For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Webster's Bible Translation
For if thou wast cut out of the olive-tree which is wild by nature, and wast ingrafted contrary to nature into a good olive-tree; how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive-tree?

Weymouth New Testament
and if you were cut from that which by nature is a wild olive and contrary to nature were grafted into the good olive tree, how much more certainly will these natural branches be grafted on their own olive tree?

World English Bible
For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
for if you, out of the olive tree, wild by nature, were cut out, and contrary to nature, were grafted into a good olive tree, how much rather will they, who [are] according to nature, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Berean Literal Bible
For if you were cut off out of the naturally wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural, be grafted into the own olive tree!

Young's Literal Translation
for if thou, out of the olive tree, wild by nature, wast cut out, and, contrary to nature, wast graffed into a good olive tree, how much rather shall they, who are according to nature, be graffed into their own olive tree?

Smith's Literal Translation
For if thou according to nature wert cut out of the wild olive tree, and against nature wert grafted into the cultivated olive tree: how much more these, according to nature, shall be grafted into their own olive tree.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For if thou wert cut out of the wild olive tree, which is natural to thee; and, contrary to nature, were grafted into the good olive tree; how much more shall they that are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Catholic Public Domain Version
So if you have been cut off from the wild olive tree, which is natural to you, and, contrary to nature, you are grafted on to the good olive tree, how much more shall those who are the natural branches be grafted on to their own olive tree?

New American Bible
For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated one, how much more will they who belong to it by nature be grafted back into their own olive tree.

New Revised Standard Version
For if you have been cut 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.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For if you who have been cut from the wild olive tree, which is natural to you, and grafted contrary to your nature to become a good olive tree: how much more fruitful would they be, if they were grafted into their natural olive tree?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For if you who are from a wild olive tree, which is your natural condition, were cut off and are grafted into the good olive tree apart from your natural condition, how much more will those surely be grafted into the olive tree of their own nature?
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
For if you were cut out from an olive-tree that is wild by nature, and were grafted, against nature, into a good olive, how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive?

Godbey New Testament
For if you, having been cut off the olive tree which is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into the good olive tree: how much more shall these, who are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Haweis New Testament
For if thou hast been cut out of the naturally wild olive, and contrary to nature hast been grafted into the good olive: how much more shall these, which are native branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Mace New Testament
for if you were taken from the wild olive, which was natural to you, to be grafted into a good olive-stock of a different nature, with how much greater reason shall these who are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive-tree?

Weymouth New Testament
and if you were cut from that which by nature is a wild olive and contrary to nature were grafted into the good olive tree, how much more certainly will these natural branches be grafted on their own olive tree?

Worrell New Testament
For, if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted, contrary to nature, into a good olive tree; how much more shall these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Worsley New Testament
For if thou wert cut out of the wild olive, which was natural to thee, and contrary to nature were grafted into a good olive; how much more shall these who are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive-tree?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Ingrafting of the Gentiles
23And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24For if you were cut from a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into one that is cultivated, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree! 25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.…

Cross References
John 15:1-6
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the keeper of the vineyard. / He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful. / You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ...

Ephesians 2:11-13
Therefore remember that formerly you who are Gentiles in the flesh and called uncircumcised by the so-called circumcision (that done in the body by human hands)— / remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. / But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

Jeremiah 11:16-17
The LORD once called you a flourishing olive tree, beautiful with well-formed fruit. But with a mighty roar He will set it on fire, and its branches will be consumed. / The LORD of Hosts, who planted you, has decreed disaster against you on account of the evil that the house of Israel and the house of Judah have brought upon themselves, provoking Me to anger by burning incense to Baal.”

Isaiah 5:1-7
I will sing for my beloved a song of his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. / He dug it up and cleared the stones and planted the finest vines. He built a watchtower in the middle and dug out a winepress as well. He waited for the vineyard to yield good grapes, but the fruit it produced was sour! / “And now, O dwellers of Jerusalem and men of Judah, I exhort you to judge between Me and My vineyard. ...

Ezekiel 15:1-8
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, / “Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any other branch among the trees in the forest? / Can wood be taken from it to make something useful? Or can one make from it a peg on which to hang utensils? ...

Matthew 21:33-43
Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey. / When the harvest time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit. / But the tenants seized his servants. They beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. ...

Hosea 14:4-8
I will heal their apostasy; I will freely love them, for My anger has turned away from them. / I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily and take root like the cedars of Lebanon. / His shoots will sprout, and his splendor will be like the olive tree, his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon. ...

Isaiah 27:6
In the days to come, Jacob will take root. Israel will bud and blossom and fill the whole world with fruit.

Psalm 80:8-16
You uprooted a vine from Egypt; You drove out the nations and transplanted it. / You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land. / The mountains were covered by its shade, and the mighty cedars with its branches. ...

1 Corinthians 12:13
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free, and we were all given one Spirit to drink.

Galatians 3:28-29
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. / And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.

Colossians 1:21-22
Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds, engaging in evil deeds. / But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence—

Ephesians 3:6
This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus.

Acts 15:14-17
Simon has told us how God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people to be His own. / The words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written: / ‘After this I will return and rebuild the fallen tent of David. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, ...

Isaiah 60:3
Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.


Treasury of Scripture

For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Romans 11:17,18,30
And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; …

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Branches Contrary Cut Field Good Graffed Grafted Ingrafted Natural Nature Olive Olive-Tree Readily Theirs Tree United Use Wast Wert Wild
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Branches Contrary Cut Field Good Graffed Grafted Ingrafted Natural Nature Olive Olive-Tree Readily Theirs Tree United Use Wast Wert Wild
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.














For if you were cut from a wild olive tree
The imagery of the "wild olive tree" is rich with meaning. In the ancient world, wild olive trees were known for their hardiness and resilience, yet they bore less fruit compared to cultivated ones. The Greek word for "wild" (ἀγριέλαιος, agrielaios) suggests something untamed or uncultivated. This phrase refers to Gentiles, who were not originally part of God's chosen people, Israel. Historically, Gentiles were seen as outsiders to the covenants and promises given to Israel. The act of being "cut" signifies a divine intervention, a purposeful act by God to include the Gentiles into His redemptive plan.

and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree
The phrase "contrary to nature" (παρὰ φύσιν, para phusin) highlights the miraculous and unexpected nature of God's grace. In horticulture, it is unusual to graft a wild branch into a cultivated tree; typically, the reverse is done to improve the quality of the fruit. This illustrates the extraordinary nature of God's inclusion of the Gentiles into the blessings and promises originally given to Israel. The "cultivated olive tree" represents Israel, God's chosen people, who have been nurtured and prepared through the covenants, the Law, and the prophets. This grafting process symbolizes the unity and inclusion of all believers into the family of God, transcending ethnic and cultural boundaries.

how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
The "natural branches" refer to the Jewish people, who are the original recipients of God's promises. The Greek word for "natural" (φύσις, phusis) implies something inherent or innate. Paul is emphasizing the ease and appropriateness of the Jewish people being restored to their rightful place in God's plan. The rhetorical question underscores the hope and assurance that God has not abandoned His people, Israel. Historically, this reflects the belief that God's covenant with Israel is irrevocable and that there is a future restoration for the Jewish people. The "own olive tree" signifies the deep-rooted connection and heritage that the Jewish people have with God's promises. This serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness and the ultimate unity of all believers in Christ.

Verse 24. - For if thou wast cut out of that which was by nature a wild olive tree (ἀγριελαίου), and wast grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree (καλλιελαίου): how much rather shall these, which be branches by nature, be grafted into their own olive tree? In what follows next the eventual coming of the Jewish nation into the Church is not only anticipated as possible or probable, but foretold prophetically. St. Paul announces it as a "mystery," which his readers may be ignorant of, but which he wishes them to know. By the word μυστήριον, as used by St. Paul, is meant something hidden from man in the Divine counsels till made known by revelation (see 1 Corinthians 2:7, 10; 1 Corinthians 15:51; and, in this Epistle, Romans 16:25, 26 - a passage which expresses clearly the apostle's meaning in his use of the word). In the LXX. it denotes any Divine secret, which may or may not be made known to man (cf. Daniel 2:18, 19, etc.; Job 11:6; Wisd. 2:22; Ecclus. 22:22 Ecclus. 27:16). So also in the Gospels (Matthew 13:11; Mark 4:11; Luke 8:10) it is said to be given to the disciples to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to others in parables. In classical Greek μυστήρια were Divine secrets (as in the Eleusinian Mysteries) which were revealed to the initiated alone. St. Paul uses the word with the same essential meaning; only he speaks of mysteries which had already been revealed to himself and others by the Spirit, and has ever in view the Divine purposes, previously unknown, for the salvation of mankind. Thus in Ephesians 1:9, seq.; and Ephesians 3:3, seq., he speaks of the Divine purpose to "gather in one all things in Christ," and that "the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs," etc., as a mystery, "not made known in other ages unto the sons of men," but now revealed to the "holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit." (The other passages in which St. Paul uses the word are 1 Corinthians 4:1; 1 Corinthians 13:2; Ephesians 5:32; Ephesians 6:19; Colossians 1:26, 27; Colossians 2:2; Colossians 4:3; 1 Timothy 3:9, 16; 2 Thessalonians 2:7.) Here he announces the Divine purpose to save "all Israel" at last through the calling of the Gentiles as a mystery which has been revealed to himself and others, and which he desires the Gentile Christians to be aware of, lest they should be "wise in their own conceits," i.e. presume on their present position of privilege through ignorance of what is in store for Israel.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
For
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

if
εἰ (ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

you
σὺ (sy)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

were cut
ἐξεκόπης (exekopēs)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 1581: To cut out (off, away), remove, prevent. From ek and kopto; to exscind; figuratively, to frustrate.

from
ἐκ (ek)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

a wild olive tree,
ἀγριελαίου (agrielaiou)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 65: A wild olive tree, oleaster. From agrios and elaia; an oleaster.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

contrary to
παρὰ (para)
Preposition
Strong's 3844: Gen: from; dat: beside, in the presence of; acc: alongside of.

nature
φύσιν (physin)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5449: From phuo; growth, i.e. natural production; by extension, a genus or sort; figuratively, native disposition, constitution or usage.

were grafted
ἐνεκεντρίσθης (enekentristhēs)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 1461: To graft in, ingraft. From en and a derivative of kentron; to prick in, i.e. Ingraft.

into
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

[one that is] cultivated,
καλλιέλαιον (kallielaion)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2565: A cultivated olive tree. From the base of kallion and elaia; a cultivated olive tree, i.e. A domesticated or improved one.

how much
πόσῳ (posō)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4214: How much, how great, how many. From an absolute pos and hos; interrogative pronoun how much (plural) many).

more [ readily ]
μᾶλλον (mallon)
Adverb
Strong's 3123: More, rather. Neuter of the comparative of the same as malista; more) or rather.

{will} these,
οὗτοι (houtoi)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

the
οἱ (hoi)
Article - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

natural [branches],
φύσιν (physin)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5449: From phuo; growth, i.e. natural production; by extension, a genus or sort; figuratively, native disposition, constitution or usage.

be grafted into
ἐνκεντρισθήσονται (enkentristhēsontai)
Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1461: To graft in, ingraft. From en and a derivative of kentron; to prick in, i.e. Ingraft.

[their]
τῇ (tē)
Article - Dative 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.

own
ἰδίᾳ (idia)
Adjective - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2398: Pertaining to self, i.e. One's own; by implication, private or separate.

olive tree!
ἐλαίᾳ (elaia)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1636: An olive tree; the Mount of Olives. Feminine of a presumed derivative from an obsolete primary; an olive.


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