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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul's profound love for his fellow Jews reaches its peak here; he's willing to be utterly cursed and separated from Christ—a fate worse than death—if it means their salvation. This isn't a simple hypothetical, but an expression of his willingness to endure any suffering, even eternal separation from God, for their sake, highlighting the immense value he places on their redemption.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is deeply grieved by his countrymen's rejection of Jesus. He begins by swearing his sincerity and the depth of his sorrow over their spiritual state. To emphasize this profound love and anguish, he declares he would even be willing to be eternally separated from Christ himself if it meant their salvation.
Paul's desire to be 'accursed and cut off from Christ' is one of the most striking expressions of love in all of Scripture. What does this extreme statement truly mean?
Paul uses the word 'anathema,' a term carrying the weight of utter destruction or being devoted to ruin, often associated with the Hebrew concept of 'cherem.' He is expressing a willingness to be completely devoted to destruction, to be utterly separated, if it meant his countrymen, the Jewish people, could be saved from their impending spiritual doom.
Paul emphasizes his deep connection to the Jewish people, calling them 'my kinsmen according to the flesh.' What does this phrase reveal about his heart and their shared heritage?
The phrase 'according to the flesh' is crucial. It highlights that Paul's anguish stems from a deep, natural, and ancestral bond with the Jewish people. This isn't just a spiritual connection; it's rooted in shared bloodline and heritage.
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Understand the original words
anathema · Greek Adjective
To be set apart for destruction or divine judgment; to be excluded from the blessing and presence of God.
Paul's profound anguish and willingness to be 'cut off' stems from his deep love for his Jewish kinsmen, even as their nation faces impending destruction for rejecting the Messiah. This expression of love unfolds against the backdrop of the escalating separation between Judaism and Christianity and the ultimate catastrophic fall of Jerusalem.
c. 34 AD
Paul's Conversion on the Road to Damascus
Saul of Tarsus, a zealous persecutor of early Christians, experiences a dramatic encounter with the resurrected Jesus. This event transforms him into Paul, a devoted apostle to the Gentiles.
c. 48-49 AD
Council of Jerusalem
A pivotal meeting where the early church grappled with the inclusion of Gentiles. The decision was made that Gentiles did not need to adhere to Jewish law, a significant step towards the separation of Christianity from Judaism.
c. 50-52 AD
Paul's Ministry in Corinth
During his time in Corinth, Paul writes his first letter to the Thessalonians, addressing issues of Christian living and the return of Christ. This period reflects the growing gentile mission.
c. 56-58 AD— this verse
Writing of the Epistle to the Romans
Paul writes his most comprehensive theological work from Corinth or Ephesus, addressing the church in Rome. He seeks to explain the gospel of God's righteousness and its implications for both Jews and Gentiles.
c. 64 AD
Great Fire of Rome and subsequent persecution
Following the fire, Emperor Nero initiates severe persecution of Christians in Rome, falsely blaming them for the disaster. This event highlights the precarious position of Christians.
c. 70 AD
Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem
The Roman army destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, marking a catastrophic end to Jewish independence and a profound trauma for the Jewish people. This event fulfills many of the dire warnings concerning the nation's rejection of God's final offer of salvation through Christ.
This passage parallels Paul's sentiment, as Moses also expresses a willingness to be 'blotted out' of God's book for the sake of his people Israel, highlighting a profound sacrificial love for the nation.
Deuteronomy 7:6-8This passage emphasizes God's sovereign choice and deep love for Israel, providing the backdrop for Paul's distress over the nation's rejection of the very Savior who descended from them.
Jeremiah 31:9This prophetic passage speaks of God's fatherly love and pity for Israel (' Ephraim is my firstborn'), underscoring Paul's grief as he witnesses the spiritual 'son' turning away from the Father.
John 15:13Jesus' statement that 'greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends' directly illuminates the depth of Paul's willingness to be 'accursed' for his kinsmen.
Galatians 1:8-9This passage describes the gravity of 'anathema' (a curse or being devoted to destruction) in the context of deviating from the true gospel, echoing the severity of what Paul is willing to endure.
bensonRomans 9:3: "For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:"
Romans 9:3 . For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ ( The word αναθεμα , here rendered accursed, answers to the Hebrew word חרם , cherem, which signifies what is devoted to destruction. And, as the Jewish nation was now an anathema, destined to destruction, Mr. Locke supposes that Paul, to express his affection for them, here says that he could wish, provided…
pooleRomans 9:3: "For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:"
I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ; or, separated from Christ. This verse hath greatly vexed interpreters. Some read it, I did wish myself accursed from Christ: q.d. Before my conversion, I was willing to be accursed from Christ, to be a violent persecutor of the Christians, and so to be held of them as accursed for my brethren’s sake. The vulgar Latin, and ma…
Paul's profound love for his fellow Jews reaches its peak here; he's willing to be utterly cursed and separated from Christ—a fate worse than death—if it means their salvation. This isn't a simple hypothetical, but an expression of his willingness to endure any suffering, even eternal separation from God, for their sake, highlighting the immense value he places on their redemption.
Paul is deeply grieved by his countrymen's rejection of Jesus. He begins by swearing his sincerity and the depth of his sorrow over their spiritual state. To emphasize this profound love and anguish, he declares he would even be willing to be eternally separated from Christ himself if it meant their salvation.
Paul is deeply grieved by his countrymen's rejection of Jesus. He begins by swearing his sincerity and the depth of his sorrow over their spiritual state. To emphasize this profound love and anguish, he declares he would even be willing to be eternally separated from Christ himself if it meant their salvation.
"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." — Paul's profound love for his fellow Jews reaches its peak here; he's willing to be utterly cursed and separated from Christ—a fate worse than death—if it means their salvation. This isn't a simple hy…
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Last reviewed October 2026