complete verse (Romans 11:19)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 11:19:

  • Uma: “And don’t say/think in your hearts: ‘ It’s us (excl.) [emphatic] that God likes, because he discarded some of the Jews so that we (excl.) could take their place.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Perhaps you (pl.) say, ‘That is true, but they have been cut off by God and we (excl.), the not Yahudi, were joined to substitute for them.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And it’s possible that someone will say, ‘As for us who are not Jews, we are greater because God has put us in place of the Jews.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Now there may perhaps be someone among you who will answer-back saying, ‘Yes, OK, but some of the branches were cut-off so that we (excl.) could take-their-place.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Do you suppose that you are better than the Jews? Do you suppose the branches of the good tree were broken off so that you could be joined to the good tree? No, not that.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Romans 11:19

Once again Paul takes up the form of a philosophical argument in which he imagines the objections that his opponents can raise against him (see 2.1).

To make room for me translates the same expression rendered been joined to in verse 17. The word actually means “to graft,” that is, to cut a branch from one tree and to join it to another so that it becomes a part of that tree. In order to retain the figure of speech of the original text, one may translate as “in order to be joined to the tree as a part of it.”

The immediately preceding section is in the second person singular in the Greek text. However, in order to make it broadly applicable to all the Gentiles to whom Paul is addressing this letter to the Romans, it is often necessary to employ the second person plural. Similarly, in introducing verse 19 one would tend to use the second person plural. However, this will not fit with the use of the first person singular me in the direct discourse. Therefore, one must either change you to “one of you” or change me to “us.”

Because of the hypothetical nature of the direct discourse (that is to say, it is not something which has already taken place or is sure to take place), in some languages one must employ a conditional or potential form of the verb rather than merely a future—for example, “some of you may argue,” “one of you might say,” or “you could respond by saying.”

To make room for may be rendered in some languages as “so that I (or we) might have a place,” “so that we might take their places,” or “so that we might be where they were formerly.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Romans. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1973. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Romans 11:19

11:19a

You: The word You is singular in the Greek. This letter is addressed to the whole church in Rome. So, here the singular You refers to someone in a general way and does not accuse the whole church in Rome of saying what Paul quoted in 11:19b–c. Some languages must translate differently for the correct meaning. For example:

one of you (plur.)
-or-
someone among you (plur.)

will say: Paul anticipated what an incorrectly proud Gentile believer might say (a possibility), so that he could respond here in this letter. He is not predicting with a prophecy (a certainty). Some languages use different grammar or word for those two kinds of statements. If that is true in your language, use the one that indicates a probable future statement.

then: The word then probably introduces what someone might say in response to what Paul said in 11:17–18.

11:19b

Branches were broken off: This clause is passive. 11:20–21 indicates that God broke them off. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

⌊God⌋ broke off branches

Branches: In English, not using “the” here indicates that some branches were broken off. But the word here refers to the same branches as in 11:17, so it may be more clear in your language to add “those” here. For example:

⌊Those⌋ branches

11:19c

so that I could be grafted in: The Berean Standard Bible uses the word could to go with so that to indicate that this is a purpose clause. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

so that I might be grafted in (English Standard Version)
-or-
for me to be grafted in (New Jerusalem Bible)

This purpose has already been accomplished. In some languages a purpose clause always indicates an unfulfilled purpose. If that is true in your language, use a result clause. For example:

and so I was grafted in

I could be grafted in: This clause is passive. In some languages an active clause must be used. For example:

⌊God⌋ might graft me in

grafted in: This phrase refers to taking part of one plant and connecting it to another plant so that the new piece will continue to live and grow. See how you translated this phrase in 11:17.

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