If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might 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.
- BSB in the hope that I may provoke my own people to jealousy and 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 7:16For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
- 1 Tim 4:16Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
- Rom 9:3For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
- Titus 3:5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
- Rom 11:11I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
- 1 Cor 9:20–22And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
- 1 Cor 1:21For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
- 2 Tim 2:10Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
- 1 Tim 2:4Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
- Phlm 1:12Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:
- Jas 5:20Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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.