Romans 11:12

Romans 11:12

Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?

a. NLT:  Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it.

b. NIV: But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!

c. YLT: And if the fall of them is the riches of a world, and the diminution of them the riches of nations, how much more the fulness of them?

d. Amplified Bible Classic: Now if their stumbling (their lapse, their transgression) has so enriched the world [at large], and if [Israel’s] failure means such riches for the Gentiles, think what an enrichment and greater advantage will follow their full reinstatement!

e. Worrell Translation: Now, if their trespass I the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the gentiles, how much more their fullness?

f. Wuest Translation: But since their fall is the enrichment of the world, and their defeat and loss the enrichment of the Gentiles, how much more their fulness?

1. “Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world…”

a. Now [Strong: 1161 de deh a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

b. if [Strong: 1487 ei i a primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.:--forasmuch as, if, that, (al-)though, whether.]

c. the [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

d. fall [Strong: 3900 paraptoma par-ap'-to-mah from 3895; a side-slip (lapse or deviation), i.e. (unintentional) error or (wilful) transgression:--fall, fault, offence, sin, trespass.]

e. of them [Strong: 846 autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

f. [be the] riches [Strong: 4149 ploutos ploo'-tos from the base of 4130; wealth (as fulness), i.e. (literally) money, possessions, or (figuratively) abundance, richness, (specially), valuable bestowment:--riches.]

g. of the world [Strong: 2889 kosmos kos'-mos probably from the base of 2865; orderly arrangement, i.e. decoration; by implication, the world (in a wide or narrow sense, including its inhabitants, literally or figuratively (morally)):--adorning, world.]

 2. “…and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles…”

a. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. the [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

c. diminishing [Strong: 2275 hettema hayt'-tay-mah from 2274; a deterioration, i.e. (objectively) failure or (subjectively) loss:--diminishing, fault.]

d. of them [Strong: 846 autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

e. the riches [Strong: 4149 ploutos ploo'-tos from the base of 4130; wealth (as fulness), i.e. (literally) money, possessions, or (figuratively) abundance, richness, (specially), valuable bestowment:--riches.]

f. [of the] Gentiles [Strong: 1484 ethnos eth'-nos probably from 1486; a race (as of the same habit), i.e. a tribe; specially, a foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually, by implication, pagan):--Gentile, heathen, nation, people.]

3. “…how much more their fulness?”

a. how much [Strong: 4214 posos pos'-os from an absolute pos (who, what) and 3739; interrogative pronoun (of amount) how much (large, long or (plural) many):--how great (long, many), what.]

b. more [Strong: 3123 mallon mal'-lon neuter of the comparative of the same as 3122; (adverbially) more (in a greater degree)) or rather:--+ better, X far, (the) more (and more), (so) much (the more), rather.]

c. their [Strong: 846 autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

d. fullness [Strong: 4138 pleroma play'-ro-mah from 4137; repletion or completion, i.e. (subjectively) what fills (as contents, supplement, copiousness, multitude), or (objectively) what is filled (as container, performance, period):--which is put in to fill up, piece that filled up, fulfilling, full, fulness.]

1). Ellicott Commentary:  The Apostle seems to have in view not only the supersession of the Jews by the Gentiles, but also, under the figure of a defeat in battle, the reduction of their numbers to a small remnant. And, on the other hand, he looks forward to their full and complete restoration, when every Jew shall be a member of the Messianic kingdom, and there shall not be one missing. The full “complement,” as it were, of the nation is what is meant by “fulness;” its temporary reduction and degradation is expressed by “diminishing.”

2).  Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary: If an event so untoward as Israel's fall was the occasion of such unspeakable good to the Gentile world, of how much greater good may we expect an event so blessed as their full recovery to be productive?

3). It is clear that Paul is contrasting Israel’s fall with their eventual restoration and declaring that Israel’s most glorious days are ahead and also the world’s most glorious days as a result of Israel’s restoration. A similar contrast along with a prophetic promise is made three verses further.

a). Romans 11:15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?