11:31a–b
so they too have now disobeyed, in order that they too may now receive mercy through the mercy shown to you: There are two ways to interpret how to connect the phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as through the mercy shown to you to the rest of the verse.
(1) It connects to they also may now receive mercy. For example:
so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you (New International Version)
(Berean Standard Bible, English Standard Version, Revised Standard Version, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition, New American Standard Bible, King James Version, God’s Word, NET Bible)
(2) It connects to they too have now been disobedient. For example:
In the same way, because of the mercy that you have received, the Jews now disobey God, in order that they also may now receive God’s mercy (Good News Translation)
(Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, New Century Version)
Many English versions follow interpretation (1). However, many scholars (for example, Moo and Dunn) make a strong case for interpretation (2). You should follow whatever interpretation the major language version does. If you follow interpretation (2), see also note on through the mercy shown to you below.
11:31a
so: The Greek word here means “in the same way.” It does not mean “therefore” here. Here are other ways to translate this word:
In the same way (Good News Translation)
-or-
Thus also
they too have now disobeyed: Here Paul spoke in summary about the disobedience of the Jews. Here are other ways to translate this clause:
they are disobedient now (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
the Jews now disobey God (Good News Translation)
now: Here this word refers generally to this new period of time where the gospel of Jesus is proclaimed.
11:31b
now: There is a textual issue here:
(1) Some Greek manuscripts have the word now in the middle of this phrase. For example:
they also may now receive mercy (English Standard Version)
(Berean Standard Bible, English Standard Version, New International Version, Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, NET Bible)
(2) Some manuscripts do not have this word.
(Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, King James Version, God’s Word, New Living Translation (2004), Contemporary English Version, New Century Version)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because the UBS Handbook Greek NT 5 supports it, although they had difficulty in deciding.
through the mercy shown to you: The Greek is literally “for the (thing) to you mercy.” If you followed interpretation (1) up in 11:31a–b, the meaning of “to/with/for” probably indicates that God’s mercy to the Gentiles helped accomplish the mercy to the Jews. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
for mercy to you
-or-
for God showing mercy to you
If you followed interpretation (2) up in 11:31a–b, the meaning of “to/with/for” probably indicates that the Jews disobeying helped accomplish God’s mercy to the Gentiles. For example:
for the sake of mercy for you
-or-
because God showed mercy to you (New Century Version)
mercy: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as mercy refers to being concerned for someone in a bad situation and helping him in some way, including even forgiving him for something bad he did. See how you translated this word in 9:15.
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