Romans 11:3
What does Romans 11:3 mean?
A plain-English look at Romans 11:3 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Romans 11:3 means
Elijah’s lament captures the depth of Israel’s apostasy in his day: prophets murdered, altars torn down, and the prophet himself hunted. He feels utterly alone—convinced that covenant faithfulness has vanished from the land. Paul quotes this to mirror his own grief over Israel’s hard-heartedness. Yet Elijah’s perspective, though honest, was incomplete. The verse reminds us that appearances can suggest total ruin, but our sight is limited. God’s assessment and provision reach beyond human despair. Israel’s sins are not minimized, but the lesson is that even at the lowest ebb, God’s purposes are not defeated by the nation’s rebellion or by the prophet’s discouragement.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Lord, they have killed thy prophets, they have digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Lord, they have killed thy prophets, they have digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Lord, they have put your prophets to death, and made waste your altars, and now I am the last, and they are searching for me to take away my life.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`Lord, Thy prophets they did kill, and Thy altars they dug down, and I was left alone, and they seek my life;'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Lord, they have slain thy prophets, they have dug down thy altars. And I am left alone: and they seek my life.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Lord, they have killed thy prophets, they have dug down thine altars; and I have been left alone, and they seek my life.
Context
This verse continues Paul’s citation of the Elijah narrative, emphasizing how bleak things looked to a faithful prophet. It heightens the tension before God’s surprising answer in verse 4, where the Lord reveals a preserved remnant. The structure—complaint followed by divine response—sets the pattern for Paul’s argument: Israel’s general rejection is real, but not total, and not final. The move from verse 3 to verse 4 leads from human perception to divine preservation, preparing for Paul’s present application in verse 5.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 1 Kings 18:30
And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me; and all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of Jehovah that was thrown down.
- Nehemiah 9:26
Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their back, and slew thy prophets that testified against them to turn them again unto thee, and they wrought great provocations.
- 1 Kings 18:4
for it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of Jehovah, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)
- Jeremiah 2:30
In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.
- 1 Kings 18:13
Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of Jehovah, how I hid a hundred men of Jehovah’s prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
- 1 Kings 19:10
And he said, I have been very jealous for Jehovah, the God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword: and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
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