1461. egkentrizo
Lexical Summary
egkentrizo: To graft in

Original Word: ἐγκεντρίζω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: egkentrizo
Pronunciation: eng-ken-tree'-zo
Phonetic Spelling: (eng-ken-trid'-zo)
KJV: graff in(-to)
Word Origin: [from G1722 (ἔν - among) and a derivative of G2759 (κέντρον - sting)]

1. to prick in, i.e. ingraft

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
graft into.

From en and a derivative of kentron; to prick in, i.e. Ingraft -- graff in(-to).

see GREEK en

see GREEK kentron

HELPS Word-studies

1461 egkentrízō (from 1722 /en, "in" and kentrizō, "to prick, puncture") – properly, to engraft (insert) by making a puncture to graft a living shoot into another living plant (tree).

In the NT, 1461 (egkentrízō) always refers to God combining His two redeemed ethnic groups (OT, NT believers) into one people (Heb ʽam, Gk laos). 1461 (egkentrízō) occurs six times, all in Ro 11:17-24.

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 1461: ἐγκεντρίζω

ἐγκεντρίζω (T WH ἐνκεντρίζω, see ἐν, III. 3): 1 aorist ἐνεκεντρισα; passive, 1 aorist ἐνεκεντρίσθην; 1 future ἐγκεντρισθήσομαι; to cut into for the sake of inserting a scion; to inoculate, ingraft, graft in, (Aristotle quoted in Athen. 14, 68 (p. 653 d.); Theophrastus, h., p. 2, 2, 5; Antoninus 11, 8): τινα, Romans 11:17, 19, 23, 24 (cf. Winers Grammar, § 52, 4, 5); in these passages Paul likens the heathen who by becoming Christians have been admitted into fellowship with the people for whom the Messianic salvation is destined, to scions from wild trees inserted into a cultivated stock; (cf. Beet on verse 24; B. D. under the word ).

Topical Lexicon
Agricultural Background

Grafting was a familiar horticultural practice in the ancient Mediterranean. A branch (scion) is inserted into the stock of another tree so that the two grow as one, enabling the scion to share the life-giving sap of the root. Ordinarily a cultivated branch is grafted into a wild stock to improve fruit quality; Paul reverses the norm—“contrary to nature” (Romans 11:24)—by picturing a wild branch receiving life from a cultivated root. His listeners knew the impossibility of a wild olive producing edible fruit without such intervention, making the metaphor striking and memorable.

Biblical Usage in Romans 11

The verb occurs six times, all within Romans 11:17–24, where Paul addresses the spiritual relationship between Israel and the Gentiles.

Romans 11:17: “Now if some of the branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishing sap from the olive root…”

Romans 11:19: “You will say then, ‘Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.’”

Romans 11:23: “And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.”

Romans 11:24: “For if you were cut from a wild olive tree and, contrary to nature, grafted into a cultivated one, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!”

Here “grafting” illustrates God’s sovereign activity: unbelieving Israelites are broken off; believing Gentiles are inserted; and repentant Israelites can be restored. The action is God’s alone—“God is able to graft them in again.”

Theological Themes

1. Union with the covenant root

The “olive root” represents the patriarchal promises first entrusted to Israel (Romans 11:16). Grafting depicts the transfer of life and blessing from that root to every believer, highlighting continuity rather than replacement.

2. Grace that overcomes nature

The Gentile branch is “wild,” unable to bear cultivated fruit on its own. Its new life is entirely a product of divine grace, not inherent worth (Romans 11:24). Salvation is therefore by faith, not ethnicity or works.

3. Humility and holy fear

Because grafting is reversible (Romans 11:22), Gentiles are warned against arrogance. Perseverance in faith keeps the branch united; pride and unbelief invite removal.

4. Hope for Israel

The same verb promises Israel’s future restoration: “they will be grafted in.” The metaphor safeguards God’s faithfulness to His ancient people while affirming the present inclusion of the nations.

Relation to Old Testament Promises

Prophecies of Gentile inclusion (Isaiah 11:10; Hosea 2:23) and Israel’s future renewal (Jeremiah 31:31-34) converge in this image. The Abrahamic covenant—“all nations will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3)—is realized by grafting outsiders into the covenant tree. Yet the natural branches retain a rightful place that God will honor “when the full number of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25).

Implications for the Church

1. Unity in diversity

One tree, many branches: Jewish and Gentile believers share one root and one sap. Ethnic distinctions are not erased but harmonized under Christ.

2. Missional balance

The Church is called both to evangelize the nations and to provoke Israel to jealousy (Romans 11:14), anticipating her regrafting.

3. Persevering faith

Continuing reliance on the root is essential. Doctrine, worship, and life must remain rooted in the apostolic gospel or risk spiritual severance.

Pastoral and Missional Application

• Cultivate humility: Every believer rests on a root he did not plant.
• Guard against anti-Semitism: The natural branches are loved “on account of the patriarchs” (Romans 11:28).
• Encourage evangelism: God’s power to graft in “contrary to nature” emboldens outreach to the hardest hearts.
• Promote discipleship: As sap flows, the graft gradually bears cultivated fruit—an image of sanctification.

Eschatological Outlook

The repeated future tense—“will be grafted in” (Romans 11:23-24)—anticipates a climactic regathering of Israel, leading to “life from the dead” (Romans 11:15). The present grafting of Gentiles foreshadows that consummation, assuring believers of God’s unfailing purpose to unite all things in Christ.

Related Concepts

Vine and branches (John 15:1-8); being “in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3-14); the “one new man” (Ephesians 2:11-22); fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

Forms and Transliterations
εγκείσθητι εγκεντρίσαι ἐγκεντρίσαι εγκεντρισθήσονται ἐγκεντρισθήσονται εγκεντρισθώ ἐγκεντρισθῶ εγκισσήσαι εγκισσήσωσι εγκλείσαι εγκλεισθήναι ενεκεντρισθης ενεκεντρίσθης ἐνεκεντρίσθης ενεκίσσων ενκεντρισαι ἐνκεντρίσαι ενκεντρισθησονται ἐνκεντρισθήσονται ενκεντρισθω ἐνκεντρισθῶ enekentristhes enekentristhēs enekentrísthes enekentrísthēs enkentrisai en'kentrísai enkentristhesontai enkentristhēsontai en'kentristhḗsontai enkentristho en'kentristhô enkentristhō en'kentristhō̂
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Englishman's Concordance
Romans 11:17 V-AIP-2S
GRK: ἀγριέλαιος ὢν ἐνεκεντρίσθης ἐν αὐτοῖς
NAS: a wild olive, were grafted in among
KJV: a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among
INT: a wild olive tree being were grafted in among them

Romans 11:19 V-ASP-1S
GRK: ἵνα ἐγὼ ἐνκεντρισθῶ
NAS: so that I might be grafted in.
KJV: that I might be graffed in.
INT: that I might be grafted in

Romans 11:23 V-FIP-3P
GRK: τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ ἐνκεντρισθήσονται δυνατὸς γάρ
NAS: in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God
KJV: still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for
INT: in unbelief will be grafted in able indeed

Romans 11:23 V-ANA
GRK: θεὸς πάλιν ἐνκεντρίσαι αὐτούς
NAS: is able to graft them in again.
KJV: to graff them in again.
INT: God again to graft in them

Romans 11:24 V-AIP-2S
GRK: παρὰ φύσιν ἐνεκεντρίσθης εἰς καλλιέλαιον
NAS: a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary
KJV: and wert graffed contrary to
INT: contrary to nature were grafted in to a cultivated olive tree

Romans 11:24 V-FIP-3P
GRK: κατὰ φύσιν ἐνκεντρισθήσονται τῇ ἰδίᾳ
NAS: are the natural [branches] be grafted into their own
KJV: which be the natural [branches], be graffed into their own
INT: according to nature [are] will be grafted into into the own

Strong's Greek 1461
6 Occurrences


ἐνεκεντρίσθης — 2 Occ.
ἐνκεντρίσαι — 1 Occ.
ἐνκεντρισθήσονται — 2 Occ.
ἐνκεντρισθῶ — 1 Occ.

1460
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