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Romans 9

Rom. 9:3 KJV (With Strong’s)

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3
For
ho (Greek #3588)
the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
KJV usage: the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.
Pronounce: ho
Origin: ἡ (hay), and the neuter τό (to) in all their inflections
gar (Greek #1063)
properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles)
KJV usage: and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.
Pronounce: gar
Origin: a primary particle
I
ego (Greek #1473)
a primary pronoun of the first person I (only expressed when emphatic)
KJV usage: I, me. For the other cases and the plural see 1691, 1698, 1700, 2248, 2249, 2254, 2257, etc.
Pronounce: eg-o'
b could wish that
euchomai (Greek #2172)
to wish; by implication, to pray to God
KJV usage: pray, will, wish.
Pronounce: yoo'-khom-ahee
Origin: middle voice of a primary verb
myself
autos (Greek #846)
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
KJV usage: her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which. Compare 848.
Pronounce: ow-tos'
Origin: from the particle αὖ (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward)
were
einai (Greek #1511)
to exist
KJV usage: am, was. come, is, X lust after, X please well, there is, to be, was.
Pronounce: i'-nahee
Origin: present infinitive from 1510
βaccursed
anathema (Greek #331)
a (religious) ban or (concretely) excommunicated (thing or person)
KJV usage: accused, anathema, curse, X great.
Pronounce: an-ath'-em-ah
Origin: from 394
from
apo (Greek #575)
"off," i.e. away (from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literal or figurative)
KJV usage: (X here-)after, ago, at, because of, before, by (the space of), for(-th), from, in, (out) of, off, (up-)on(-ce), since, with. In composition (as a prefix) it usually denotes separation, departure, cessation, completion, reversal, etc.
Pronounce: apo'
Origin: a primary particle
Christ
ho (Greek #3588)
the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
KJV usage: the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.
Pronounce: ho
Origin: ἡ (hay), and the neuter τό (to) in all their inflections
Christos (Greek #5547)
anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus
KJV usage: Christ.
Pronounce: khris-tos'
Origin: from 5548
for
huper (Greek #5228)
"over", i.e. (with the genitive case) of place, above, beyond, across, or causal, for the sake of, instead, regarding; with the accusative case superior to, more than
KJV usage: (+ exceeding, abundantly) above, in (on) behalf of, beyond, by, + very chiefest, concerning, exceeding (above, -ly), for, + very highly, more (than), of, over, on the part of, for sake of, in stead, than, to(-ward), very. In the comparative, it retains many of the above applications.
Pronounce: hoop-er'
Origin: a primary preposition
my
mou (Greek #3450)
of me
KJV usage: I, me, mine (own), my.
Pronounce: moo
Origin: the simpler form of 1700
brethren
ho (Greek #3588)
the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
KJV usage: the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.
Pronounce: ho
Origin: ἡ (hay), and the neuter τό (to) in all their inflections
adephos (Greek #80)
a brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote (much like 1)
KJV usage: brother.
Pronounce: ad-el-fos'
Origin: from 1 (as a connective particle) and δελφύς (the womb)
, my
mou (Greek #3450)
of me
KJV usage: I, me, mine (own), my.
Pronounce: moo
Origin: the simpler form of 1700
kinsmen
suggenes (Greek #4773)
a relative (by blood); by extension, a fellow countryman
KJV usage: cousin, kin(-sfolk, -sman).
Pronounce: soong-ghen-ace'
Origin: from 4862 and 1085
according to
kata (Greek #2596)
(prepositionally) down (in place or time), in varied relations (according to the case (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined)
KJV usage: about, according as (to), after, against, (when they were) X alone, among, and, X apart, (even, like) as (concerning, pertaining to touching), X aside, at, before, beyond, by, to the charge of, (charita-)bly, concerning, + covered, (dai-)ly, down, every, (+ far more) exceeding, X more excellent, for, from ... to, godly, in(-asmuch, divers, every, -to, respect of), ... by, after the manner of, + by any means, beyond (out of) measure, X mightily, more, X natural, of (up-)on (X part), out (of every), over against, (+ your) X own, + particularly, so, through(-oughout, -oughout every), thus, (un-)to(-gether, -ward), X uttermost, where(-by), with. In composition it retains many of these applications, and frequently denotes opposition, distribution, or intensity.
Pronounce: kat-ah'
Origin: a primary particle
the flesh
sarx (Greek #4561)
flesh (as stripped of the skin), i.e. (strictly) the meat of an animal (as food), or (by extension) the body (as opposed to the soul (or spirit), or as the symbol of what is external, or as the means of kindred), or (by implication) human nature (with its frailties (physically or morally) and passions), or (specially), a human being (as such)
KJV usage: carnal(-ly, + -ly minded), flesh(-ly).
Pronounce: sarx
Origin: probably from the base of 4563
:
b
Ex. 32:32• 32Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. (Ex. 32:32)
β
or, separated.

More on:

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Accursed,
Brethren,
Christ,
Flesh,
Kinsman

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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I could.
Ex. 32:32• 32Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. (Ex. 32:32)
were.
Deut. 21:23• 23His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. (Deut. 21:23)
;
Josh. 6:17‑18• 17And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the Lord: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
 18And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. (Josh. 6:17‑18)
;
1 Sam. 14:24,44• 24And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.
 44And Saul answered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan. (1 Sam. 14:24,44)
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Gal. 1:8• 8But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. (Gal. 1:8)
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Gal. 3:10,13• 10For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
 13Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: (Gal. 3:10,13)
accursed.
or, separated.
my kinsmen.
Rom. 11:1• 1I 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. (Rom. 11:1)
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Gen. 29:14• 14And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month. (Gen. 29:14)
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Esther 8:6• 6For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred? (Esther 8:6)
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Acts 7:23‑26• 23And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.
 24And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:
 25For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.
 26And the next day he showed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another? (Acts 7:23‑26)
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Acts 13:26• 26Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent. (Acts 13:26)
• Far from despising them, he loved them as much as Moses had done. (“Romans 9” by J.N. Darby)
• Read, “I have wished.” Moses, in his anguish, had said, “Blot me out of thy book.” Paul had not been behind him in his love. (“Romans 9” by J.N. Darby)
• This is an incredible statement, paralleled only by Moses himself (Ex. 32:31-32). This was a clear proof that the Jews had mistaken ideas about Paul; he truly loved them and respected Judaism. (“The Sovereignty of God Israel's Past Election: Romans 9” by B. Anstey)

J. N. Darby Translation

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3
for I have wished, I myself, to be a curse from the Christ for my brethrenb, my kinsmen, according to flesh;

JND Translation Notes

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b
I apprehend, in the apostle's mind the phrase "for my brethren" is connected with both "pain in my heart" and "a curse from Christ"; he parenthetically states how far his heart had gone for Israel, and then continues the phrase. This want of strict continuation of grammatical structure is very common with the apostle from the ardour of his style, and only adds force to what he says. He had loved them as much as Moses. (Ex. 32.32.) His pain was continuous. but the wish, "to be a curse," was like that of Moses, a moment's earnest appeal, as beside himself.

W. Kelly Translation

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3
for I could wisha, I myself, to be a curse from Christ, for my brethren, my kinsmen according to flesh,

WK Translation Notes

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a
There is no doubt that the imperfect will bear the idiomatic sense given, "I could wish." (Comp. {vi 27819}{/vi}; {vi 29152}{/vi}.) The question is whether the apostle does not go farther here and affirm that he had actually so wished, not soberly, but still as a fact, not that he did or could so wish as a fixed principle. Though the tense is past and in the indicative mood, it is perfectly proper, as far as grammar is concerned, to render "ēuchomēn" "I could wish." The true rendering is a question of the context, and not merely of grammar. The meaning is, that Paul loved his brethren in the flesh quite as much as Moses, and that he esteemed their privileges most highly, whatever the Jew might think or say to the contrary.