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Romans 11:16

“And if the firstfruits are holy, so is the lump; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.”

Romans 11:16 · direct translation from the Greek
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With the Greek beneath

16

Allusion · Numbers 15:17-21

Go to Numbers 15:17-21

Both texts join “firstfruits” and “lump”: Numbers 15:20-21 commands setting apart for YHWH a cake from the firstfruits of the dough.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

  • ἀπαρχὴaparchēG536רֵאשִׁיתreshitH7225“firstfruits”
  • φύραμαphyramaG5445עֲרִסֹתֵarisoteH6182“lump, dough”

Romans 11:16, word by word

the firstfruitsἀπαρχὴaparchē

firstfruits

Firstfruits: the first part of the harvest, offered to God as a pledge of the whole.

Where else “aparchē” appears
holyἁγίαhagia

holy place

Places and things set apart for God.

Where else “hagia” appears
the lumpφύραμαphyrama

lump, batch

A lump of dough or clay; a batch.

Where else “phyrama” appears
the rootῥίζαrhiza

source

The source of something: "the root of all evil".

Where else “rhiza” appears
the branchesκλάδοιkladoi

branch

Branch.

Where else “kladoi” appears

Translation note

Compare Numbers 15:17-21, where a cake from the firstfruits of the dough is to be set apart for YHWH.

The context

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

16 · This verse (above)

17But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them and became a sharer in the root of the richness of the olive tree,

Read all of Romans 11

To study Romans 11 in a group

  1. 1. What it says

    What image of the olive tree does Paul use, and what happens to the branches? (vv. 17-24)

  2. 2. What it means

    Why does Paul warn the grafted-in branches not to boast? (vv. 18-21)

  3. 3. How I live it

    Paul calls for humility and gratitude. What have you received that you did not earn, and how can you give thanks today?

How to use it