What Does Romans 11:31 Mean in the King James?
Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Mercy crosses the divide: the mercy that reaches you becomes the channel through which it reaches another.
THE MEANING
The verse presents the mercy reaching you as a passage through which another person can receive mercy. Even a present refusal to trust does not have to be the last word; mercy can still reach the one who resists.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie this undoes is that another person’s present resistance means mercy has reached its limit.
THE ROOT
ἔλεος
eleos
GROWS FROM
ἐλε-
Mercy or compassionate regard; the Greek word family includes both mercy as a noun and showing mercy as an action.
The Greek pairs the noun for “your mercy” with a verb from the same family for “may obtain mercy.” Mercy moves from what reaches you to the action by which it reaches them.
ALSO GROWS
eleos: mercy, compassion
ἔλεος
This noun appears in “through your mercy,” naming the mercy that serves as the passage.
eleeō: to show mercy
ἐλεέω
This verb underlies “may obtain mercy”; here it describes mercy reaching the other group.
ἠπείθησαν
ēpeithēsan
GROWS FROM
πειθ-
Persuade, win over, or bring to reliance.
“not believed” in this verse is ēpeithēsan. The Greek verb can mean refusing to be persuaded, and so carries a shade of resistance or disobedience beyond an inward opinion. The verse places that resistance beside mercy that remains able to reach the resistant person.
ALSO GROWS
peithō: to persuade, convince, or win over
πείθω
The root beneath “not believed” points to resistance to being persuaded.
pepoithēsis: confidence, reliance
πεποίθησις
This related word shows the trust and reliance that stand on the other side of resistance.
THE PATTERN
Mercy begins as God’s character, passes from the received to another, and outlasts judgment.
And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.THE THREAD
For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:The Greek uses the same mercy verb family in both verses: here you receive mercy through their unbelief; in verse 31, they may receive mercy through yours. Mercy moves between them in both directions.
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