Romans 11:16
New International Version
If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

New Living Translation
And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their descendants will also be holy—just as the entire batch of dough is holy because the portion given as an offering is holy. For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too.

English Standard Version
If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

Berean Standard Bible
If the first part of the dough is holy, so is the whole batch; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

Berean Literal Bible
Now if the firstfruit is holy, also the lump; and if the root is holy, also the branches.

King James Bible
For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

New King James Version
For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

New American Standard Bible
If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are as well.

NASB 1995
If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are too.

NASB 1977
And if the first piece of dough be holy, the lump is also; and if the root be holy, the branches are too.

Legacy Standard Bible
And if the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are too.

Amplified Bible
If the first portion [of dough offered as the first fruits] is holy, so is the whole batch; and if the root (Abraham, the patriarchs) is holy, so are the branches (the Israelites).

Christian Standard Bible
Now if the firstfruits are holy, so is the whole batch. And if the root is holy, so are the branches.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Now if the firstfruits offered up are holy, so is the whole batch. And if the root is holy, so are the branches.

American Standard Version
And if the firstfruit is holy, so is the lump: and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

Contemporary English Version
If part of a batch of dough is made holy by being offered to God, then all of the dough is holy. If the roots of a tree are holy, the rest of the tree is holy too.

English Revised Version
And if the firstfruit is holy, so is the lump: and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
If the first handful of dough is holy, the whole batch of dough is holy. If the root is holy, the branches are holy.

Good News Translation
If the first piece of bread is given to God, then the whole loaf is his also; and if the roots of a tree are offered to God, the branches are his also.

International Standard Version
If the first part of the dough is holy, so is the whole batch. If the root is holy, so are the branches.

Majority Standard Bible
If the first part of the dough is holy, so is the whole batch; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

NET Bible
If the first portion of the dough offered is holy, then the whole batch is holy, and if the root is holy, so too are the branches.

New Heart English Bible
If the first part is holy, so is the whole batch. If the root is holy, so are the branches.

Webster's Bible Translation
For if the first fruit is holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

Weymouth New Testament
Now if the firstfruits of the dough are holy, so also is the whole mass; and if the root of a tree is holy, so also are the branches.

World English Bible
If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy, so are the branches.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And if the first-fruit [is] holy, the lump also; and if the root [is] holy, the branches also.

Berean Literal Bible
Now if the firstfruit is holy, also the lump; and if the root is holy, also the branches.

Young's Literal Translation
and if the first-fruit is holy, the lump also; and if the root is holy, the branches also.

Smith's Literal Translation
And if the first fruit holy, also the mixture: and if the root holy, also the young shoots.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For if the firstfruit be holy, so is the lump also: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For if the first-fruit has been sanctified, so also has the whole. And if the root is holy, so also are the branches.

New American Bible
If the firstfruits are holy, so is the whole batch of dough; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

New Revised Standard Version
If the part of the dough offered as first fruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; and if the root is holy, then the branches also are holy.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For if the first fruit is holy, the rest of the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But if the first fruits are holy, so is the substance. And if the root is holy, so are the branches.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
Now, if the first fruit is holy, the mass is holy also: and if the root is holy, the branches are holy also.

Godbey New Testament
But if the first fruit was holy, the lump is also: if the root was holy, the branches are also.

Haweis New Testament
Now if the first fruits be holy, so is the mass: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

Mace New Testament
Now if the first-fruits be holy, so is the whole product: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

Weymouth New Testament
Now if the firstfruits of the dough are holy, so also is the whole mass; and if the root of a tree is holy, so also are the branches.

Worrell New Testament
And, if the first-fruit is holy, so also is the lump; and, if the root is holy, so also are the branches.

Worsley New Testament
Now if the first-fruits be holy, so is the whole heap: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Ingrafting of the Gentiles
15For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16 If the first part of the dough is holy, so is the whole batch; if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17Now if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root,…

Cross References
Numbers 15:18-21
“Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When you enter the land to which I am bringing you / and you eat the food of the land, you shall lift up an offering to the LORD. / From the first of your dough, you are to lift up a cake as a contribution; offer it just like an offering from the threshing floor. ...

Leviticus 23:10-14
“Speak to the Israelites and say, ‘When you enter the land that I am giving you and you reap its harvest, you are to bring to the priest a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest. / And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD so that it may be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath. / On the day you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a year-old lamb without blemish as a burnt offering to the LORD, ...

Ezekiel 44:30
The best of all the firstfruits and of every contribution from all your offerings will belong to the priests. You are to give your first batch of dough to the priest, so that a blessing may rest upon your homes.

Nehemiah 10:37
Moreover, we will bring to the priests at the storerooms of the house of our God the firstfruits of our dough, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees, and of our new wine and oil. A tenth of our produce belongs to the Levites, so that they shall receive tithes in all the towns where we labor.

Proverbs 3:9
Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your crops;

Genesis 17:7
I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.

Jeremiah 2:3
Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of His harvest. All who devoured her were found guilty; disaster came upon them,’” declares the LORD.

Exodus 23:19
Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God. You must not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.

1 Corinthians 15:20
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

James 1:18
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation.

Matthew 13:33
He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into three measures of flour, until all of it was leavened.”

John 15:5
I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.

1 Corinthians 5:6-7
Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven works through the whole batch of dough? / Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

Galatians 5:9
A little leaven works through the whole batch of dough.

Hebrews 6:7-8
For land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is tended receives the blessing of God. / But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless, and its curse is imminent. In the end it will be burned.


Treasury of Scripture

For if the first fruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

if the first-fruit.

Exodus 22:29
Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.

Exodus 23:16,19
And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field…

Leviticus 23:10
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:

and if.

Romans 11:17
And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

Genesis 17:7
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

Jeremiah 2:21
Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?

Jump to Previous
Batch Branches Dough First Firstfruit First-Fruit Firstfruits Fruit Fruits Holy Lump Mass Offered Part Piece Root Tree Whole
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Batch Branches Dough First Firstfruit First-Fruit Firstfruits Fruit Fruits Holy Lump Mass Offered Part Piece Root Tree Whole
Romans 11
1. God has not cast off all Israel.
7. Some were elected, though the rest were hardened.
16. There is hope of their conversion.
18. The Gentiles may not exult over them;
26. for there is a promise of their salvation.
33. God's judgments are unsearchable.














If the first part of the dough is holy
The phrase "first part of the dough" refers to the practice of offering the firstfruits to God, a concept rooted in Jewish tradition (Numbers 15:20-21). The Greek word for "first part" is "aparchē," which signifies the initial portion set aside for God, symbolizing the sanctification of the entire offering. This concept underscores the principle that what is dedicated to God imparts holiness to the whole. In a broader sense, this can be seen as a metaphor for the patriarchs of Israel, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, whose faith and covenant relationship with God set apart the entire nation of Israel as holy.

so is the whole batch
The "whole batch" refers to the entirety of the dough, symbolizing the nation of Israel. The Greek word "phurama" is used here, meaning a lump or mass of dough. The holiness of the firstfruits extends to the entire batch, illustrating how the faithfulness of the patriarchs extends to their descendants. This reflects the continuity of God's promises and the enduring nature of His covenant with Israel. It serves as a reminder of the collective identity and purpose of God's people, rooted in the faith of their forebears.

if the root is holy
The "root" symbolizes the foundational elements of faith and covenant, often interpreted as the patriarchs or the promises made to them. The Greek word "rhiza" is used, which denotes the source or origin. The holiness of the root signifies the purity and divine selection of the covenantal promises given to the patriarchs. This imagery emphasizes the importance of a strong, holy foundation in sustaining the life and growth of the branches, representing the people of God.

so are the branches
The "branches" represent the descendants of the patriarchs, the people of Israel, and by extension, all who are grafted into the faith through Christ. The Greek word "klados" is used, meaning a branch or shoot. This metaphor highlights the organic connection between the root and the branches, illustrating how the holiness and promises of the root extend to the branches. It serves as a powerful reminder of the unity and continuity of God's people, both Jew and Gentile, in the redemptive plan of God. The branches draw their life and sustenance from the root, emphasizing the importance of remaining connected to the source of holiness and life.

(16) And we have the strongest reason for believing in this reconversion of the Jews. Their forefathers were the first recipients of the promise, and what they were it is only natural to hope that their descendants will be. When a piece of dough is taken from the lump to make a consecrated cake, the consecration of the part extends over the whole; and the character which is inherent in the root of a tree shows itself also in the branches. So we may believe that the latter end of Israel will be like its beginning. The consecration that was imparted to it in the founders of the race we may expect to see resumed by their descendants, even though it is for a time interrupted.

The firstfruit . . . the lump.--The allusion here is to the custom, described in Numbers 15:19-21, of dedicating a portion of the dough to God. The portion thus taken was to be a "heave-offering"--i.e., it was to be "waved," or "heaved," before the Lord, and was then given to the priest.

Verse 16. - And if the firstfruit be holy, so also is the lump; and if the root be holy, so also are the branches. By the firstfruit and the root is signified the original stock of Israel, the patriarchs; by the lump and the branches, the subsequent nation through all time. The word ἀπαρχή, being here connected with φύραμα, may be understood as referring to Numbers 15:19-22. The people are there enjoined to take of the first dough (φύραμα) kneaded after harvest a cake for a heave offering, called ἀπαρχή φυράματος (LXX.). This consecrated ἀπαρχή sanctified the whole φύραμα.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
If
εἰ (ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

the
(hē)
Article - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

first part [of the dough]
ἀπαρχὴ (aparchē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 536: From a compound of apo and archomai; a beginning of sacrifice, i.e. The first-fruit.

[is] holy,
ἁγία (hagia)
Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 40: Set apart by (or for) God, holy, sacred. From hagos; sacred.

so [is]
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

the
τὸ (to)
Article - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

whole batch;
φύραμα (phyrama)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5445: A mass or lump, as of bread dough. From a prolonged form of phuro, mean to knead; a mass of dough.

if
εἰ (ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

the
(hē)
Article - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

root
ῥίζα (rhiza)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4491: A root, shoot, source; that which comes from the root, a descendent. Apparently a primary word; a 'root'.

[is] holy,
ἁγία (hagia)
Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 40: Set apart by (or for) God, holy, sacred. From hagos; sacred.

so [are]
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

the
οἱ (hoi)
Article - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

branches.
κλάδοι (kladoi)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2798: A young tender shoot, then: a branch; met: of descendants. From klao; a twig or bough.


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NT Letters: Romans 11:16 If the first fruit is holy so (Rom. Ro)
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