Romans 11:18

King James Version

Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.

Parallel Translations

English Standard Version
do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Boast not thy selfe against the branches: and if thou boast thy selfe, thou bearest not the roote, but the roote thee.

Christian Standard Bible®
do not boast that you are better than those branches. But if you do boast—you do not sustain the root, but the root sustains you.

Hebrew Names Version
don't boast over the branches. But if you boast, it is not you who bear the root, but the root you.

Darby Translation
boast not against the branches; but if thou boast, [it is] not *thou* bearest the root, but the root thee.

Easy-to-Read Version
But don't act as if you are better than those branches that were broken off. You have no reason to be proud of yourself, because you don't give life to the root. The root gives life to you.

Amplified Bible
do not boast over the [broken] branches and exalt yourself at their expense. If you do boast and feel superior, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root that supports you.

American Standard Version
glory not over the branches: but if thou gloriest, it is not thou that bearest the root, but the root thee.

Berean Standard Bible
do not boast over those branches. If you do, remember this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.

Contemporary English Version
But don't think you are better than the branches that were cut away. Just remember that you are not supporting the roots of that tree. Its roots are supporting you.

Complete Jewish Bible
then don't boast as if you were better than the branches! However, if you do boast, remember that you are not supporting the root, the root is supporting you.

International Standard Version
do not boast about being better thanbeing better than">[fn] the otherother">[fn] branches. If you boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.1 Corinthians 10:12;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
boast not against the branches: but if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root beareth thee.

Murdock Translation
do not glory over the branches. For if thou gloriest, thou sustainest not the root, but the root sustaineth thee.

King James Version (1611)
Boast not against the branches: but if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Boast not thy selfe agaynst the braunches. For yf thou boast thy selfe, thou bearest not the roote, but the roote thee.

English Revised Version
glory not over the branches: but if thou gloriest, it is not thou that bearest the root, but the root thee.

Lexham English Bible
do not boast against the branches. But if you boast against them, you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

Literal Translation
do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, it is not you that bears the root, but the root bears you.

New Century Version
So do not brag about those branches that were broken off. If you brag, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

New English Translation
do not boast over the branches. But if you boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

New King James Version
do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

New Living Translation
But you must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. You are just a branch, not the root.

New Revised Standard
do not boast over the branches. If you do boast, remember that it is not you that support the root, but the root that supports you.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Be not boasting over the branches! Howbeit, if thou boast, it is not, thou, that bearest the root, but the root, thee!

Douay-Rheims Bible
Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root: but the root thee.

George Lamsa Translation
Do not boast over the branches. For if you boast, it is not you who sustains the root, but the root sustains you.

Good News Translation
So then, you must not despise those who were broken off like branches. How can you be proud? You are just a branch; you don't support the roots—the roots support you.

Webster's Bible Translation
Boast not against the branches. But if thou boastest, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Boast not against the branches, but if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.

Weymouth's New Testament
beware of glorying over the natural branches. Or if you are so glorying, do not forget that it is not you who uphold the root: the root upholds you.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
nyle thou haue glorie ayens the braunchis. For if thou gloriest, thou berist not the roote, but the roote thee.

World English Bible
don't boast over the branches. But if you boast, it is not you who bear the root, but the root you.

Revised Standard Version
do not boast over the branches. If you do boast, remember it is not you that support the root, but the root that supports you.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
bost not thy selfe agaynst the brauches. For yf thou bost thy selfe remember that thou bearest not the rote but the rote the.

Update Bible Version
do not glory over the branches: but if you glory, it is not you that bear the root, but the root you.

Young's Literal Translation
do not boast against the branches; and if thou dost boast, thou dost not bear the root, but the root thee!

Bible in Basic English
Do not be uplifted in pride over the branches: because it is not you who are the support of the root, but it is by the root that you are supported.

New American Standard Bible
do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
boost not thy selfe agaynst the braunches. Yf thou boost thy selfe agaynst them, then bearest not thou the rote, but the rote beareth the.

Mace New Testament (1729)
don't triumph over the branches: or if you do, remember the root is not dependent upon you, but you upon the root.

New Life Bible
Do not be proud. Do not think you are better than the branches that were broken off. If you are proud, remember that you do not hold the root. It is the root that holds you.

Simplified Cowboy Version
But don't go spoutin' off at the mouth. You're a grafted branch, not the roots of the tree.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.

Legacy Standard Bible
do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast against them, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.

Contextual Overview

¹ I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. ² God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying, ³ Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. ⁴ But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. ⁵ Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. ⁶ And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. ⁷ What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded. ⁸ (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. ⁹ And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: ¹⁰ Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Boast not: Romans 11:20, Romans 3:27, 1 Kings 20:11, Proverbs 16:18, Matthew 26:33, Luke 18:9-11, 1 Corinthians 10:12

thou bearest: Romans 4:16, Zechariah 8:20-23, John 10:16, Galatians 3:29, Ephesians 2:19, Ephesians 2:20

Reciprocal: Judges 7:2 - Israel Isaiah 32:15 - wilderness Acts 26:20 - and then Romans 11:24 - General Colossians 2:7 - Rooted 2 Timothy 3:2 - boasters

Cross-References

Luke 3:35
Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Boast not against the branches,.... Those that were broken off: the apostle would not have them vaunt it over them, despise them, and trample upon them; but pity them, and pray for and be abundantly thankful and humbled before God, under a sense of Ida sovereign and distinguishing grace, who had settled them in a Gospel church state, who were before comparable to a wild olive tree; and much less should they glory over the believing Jews, among whom they were, there being no difference between them, for they were all one in Christ Jesus:

but if thou boast; but if such a vain temper of mind should prevail, he suggests they would do well to sit down and consider what little reason they had on their side to glory; and if such glorying and boasting, one against another was lawful, the Jews had the greatest reason for it; for, adds the apostle,

thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. The Jews received no advantages from the Gentiles, but on the contrary the Gentiles from the Jews, to whom were committed the oracles of God, and by whom they were faithfully kept and transmitted to the Gentiles; the Gospel itself came out first from among them; the first preachers of it were Jews, who carried it into the Gentile world, where it was greatly succeeded to the conversion of many, who by this means were brought into a Gospel church state, and so enjoyed all the privileges they did: yea, Christ himself, according to the flesh, came of them, was sent unto them, was the minister of them, lived and died among them, and wrought out the great salvation for his people; hence "salvation" itself is said to be "of the Jews", John 4:22, so that the root and foundation of all their enjoyments were from the Jews, and not those of the Jews from them; hence there was no room, nor reason, for boasting against them, and vaunting it over them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Boast not ... - The tendency of people is to triumph over one that is fallen and rejected. The danger of pride and boasting on account of privileges is not less in the church than elsewhere. Paul saw that some of the Gentiles might be in danger of exultation over the fallen Jews, and therefore cautions them against it. The ingrafted shoot, deriving all its vigor and fruitfulness from the stock of another tree, ought not to boast against the branches.

But if thou boast - If thou art so inconsiderate and wicked, so devoid of humility, and lifted up with pride, as to boast, yet know that there is no occasion for it. If there were occasion for boasting, it would rather be in the root or stock which sustains the branches; least of all can it be in those which were grafted in, having been before wholly unfruitful.

Thou bearest not the root - The source of all your blessings is in the ancient stock. It is clear from this, that the apostle regarded the church as one; and that the Christian economy was only a prolongation of the ancient dispensation. The tree, even with a part of the branches removed. and others ingrafted, retains its identity, and is never regarded as a different tree.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 18. Boast not against the branches. — While you are ready to acknowledge that you were included in the covenant made with Abraham, and are now partakers of the same blessings with him, do not exult over, much less insult, the branches, his present descendants, whose place you now fill up, according to the election of grace: for remember, ye are not the root, nor do ye bear the root, but the root bears you. You have not been the means of deriving any blessing on the Jewish people; but through that very people, which you may be tempted to despise, all the blessing and excellencies which you enjoy have been communicated to you.