Romans 9:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.

NIV: For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race,

NASB: For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my countrymen, my kinsmen according to the flesh,

CSB: For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the benefit of my brothers and sisters, my own flesh and blood.

NLT: for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed — cut off from Christ! — if that would save them.

KJV: For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

NKJV: For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh,

With great declarations about his honesty and sincerity, Paul has stated that he is deeply and continually heartbroken about his people, the Jews. Though Paul was a Roman citizen, he was born to Jewish parents, studied the law, and became a Pharisee, as his father had been (Acts 23:6), before being converted to Christianity on the road to Damascus (Acts 9).

Paul is so heartbroken about the Jews' rejection of Christ that he makes what sounds like a rash statement. It is certainly a bold one. He could wish that he himself could be accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of his Jewish brothers by birth. Paul does not appear to be actually asking God to make this happen. After all, as one who is in Christ, not even a prayer like that could separate him from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:39).

Rather, Paul seems to be saying he would wish for such a thing if it was permissible. He feels so strongly that he would trade his own eternal place in God's family through faith in Christ to have his Israelite kinsmen believe in Jesus. Paul is not only referring to his immediate family, though he may be thinking of some of them, as well. He is speaking of all God's chosen people Israel. His heart breaks for all of them to trust in Christ and be permanently justified before God.

Romans 9:1–18 finds Paul heartbroken over the rejection of Christ by his people the Jews. They have been given so much as God's chosen people, and Paul insists that God will keep His promises to Israel. Not everyone born to Israel is truly Israel, though, Paul writes. Specific examples are given to show that God does, in fact, choose those who will receive His blessings. The following passage tackles whether this choice, by God, is fair.

Romans 9 begins with Paul describing his anguish for his people Israel in their rejection of Christ. After describing all the privileges God has given to the Jewish people as a nation, Paul insists that God will keep those promises. However, not every person born to Israel belongs to Israel, he writes. God reserves the right to show mercy to some and not others, as Paul demonstrates from Scripture. God is like a potter who creates some vessels for destruction and others for glory. God has called out His people from both the Gentiles and the Jews to faith in Christ, the stumbling stone.

Romans 8 ended with Paul's grand declaration that nothing can separate those who are in Christ Jesus from the love of God. Romans 9 turns a sharp corner and finds Paul heartbroken that his people, the Jews, have rejected Christ. He insists that God will keep His promises to Israel, but that not everyone born to Israel is truly Israel. God will show mercy to whomever He wishes, calling out His people from both the Jews and the Gentiles to faith in Christ. Romans 10 will find Paul discussing how Jewish people can be saved.

The book of Romans is the New Testament's longest, most structured, and most detailed description of Christian theology. Paul lays out the core of the gospel message: salvation by grace alone through faith alone. His intent is to explain the good news of Jesus Christ in accurate and clear terms. As part of this effort, Paul addresses the conflicts between law and grace, between Jews and Gentiles, and between sin and righteousness. As is common in his writing, Paul closes out his letter with a series of practical applications.