in the hope that I may provoke my own people to jealousy and save some of them.
Parallel translations
- WEB if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh, and may save some of them.
- KJV If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
- NKJV if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them.
- NASB if somehow I may move my own people to jealousy and save some of them.
- NLT for I want somehow to make the people of Israel jealous of what you Gentiles have, so I might save some of them.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul hopes that his Gentile ministry will make his fellow Jews jealous and lead some of them to be saved.
Overview
Paul's labor among Gentiles has an eye toward his own people ('my flesh'), longing that seeing Gentile blessing in Christ would draw Jews to faith. His modest aim, to 'save some,' reflects realism and genuine evangelistic love rather than presumption. It shows the apostle's heart aligned with God's purpose to show mercy to Israel.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- 1 Cor 7:16How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
- 1 Tim 4:16Pay close attention to your life and to your teaching. Persevere in these things, for by so doing you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
- Rom 9:3For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my own flesh and blood,
- Titus 3:5He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
- Rom 11:11I ask then, did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Certainly not! However, because of their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous.
- 1 Cor 9:20–22To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), to win those under the law.
- 1 Cor 1:21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
- 2 Tim 2:10For this reason I endure all things for the sake of the elect, so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
- 1 Tim 2:4who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
- Phlm 1:12I am sending back to you him who is my very heart.
- Jas 5:20consider this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Paul unfolds the gospel in full: Christ our righteousness received by faith, the second Adam in whom many are made righteous, in whose death and resurrection we are buried and raised.
How Romans 11:14 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.