11
1 I
ask then, did
God reject his
people? May it
never be! For
I also am
an Israelite, a
descendant of Abraham,
of the tribe
of Benjamin.
2 God didn’t
reject his people,
whom he foreknew.
Or don’t you
know what the
Scripture says
about Elijah? How
he pleads with
God against Israel:
3 “Lord,
they have killed
your prophets.
They have broken
down your altars.
I am left
alone, and they
seek my life.”
4 But
how does God answer
him? “I have
reserved for
myself seven
thousand men who
have not bowed
the knee
to Baal.”
5 Even
so too at
this present time
also there is
a remnant
according to the
election of grace.
6 And
if by grace,
then it is
no longer of
works; otherwise
grace is no
longer grace. But
if it is
of works, it
is no longer
grace; otherwise
work is no
longer work.
7 What
then? That which
Israel seeks for,
that he didn’t
obtain, but the
chosen ones obtained
it, and the
rest were hardened.
8 According
as it is
written, “God gave
them a spirit
of stupor, eyes
that they should
not see, and ears
that they should
not hear, to this
very day.”
9 David
says,
“Let their table
be made a
snare, a trap,
a stumbling block,
and a retribution
to them.
10 Let
their eyes be
darkened, that
they may not see.
Always keep their
backs bent.”
11 I
ask then, did
they stumble that
they might fall?
May it never
be! But by
their fall
salvation has come
to the Gentiles,
to provoke them
to jealousy.
12 Now
if their fall
is the riches
of the world,
and their loss the
riches of the
Gentiles, how much
more their
fullness!
13 For
I speak to
you who are
Gentiles. Since
then as I
am an apostle to
Gentiles, I
glorify my
ministry,
14 if
by any means
I may provoke
to jealousy those
who are my
flesh, and may
save some of
them.
15 For
if the rejection
of them is
the reconciling of
the world, what
would their
acceptance be, but
life from the
dead?
16 If
the first fruit
is holy, so is
the lump. If
the root is holy,
so are the
branches.
17 But
if some of
the branches were
broken off, and
you, being a
wild olive, were
grafted in among
them and became
partaker with them
of the root
and of the richness
of the olive
tree,
18 don’t
boast over the
branches. But if
you boast, remember
that it is
not you who support
the root, but
the root supports
you.
19 You
will say then, “Branches
were broken off,
that I might
be grafted in.”
20 True;
by their unbelief
they were broken
off, and you
stand by your
faith. Don’t be
conceited, but
fear;
21 for
if God didn’t
spare the natural
branches, neither
will he spare
you.
22 See
then the goodness
and severity of
God. Toward those
who fell, severity;
but toward you,
goodness, if you
continue in his
goodness; otherwise
you also will
be cut off.
23 They
also, if
they don’t
continue in
their unbelief, will
be grafted in,
for God is
able to graft
them in again.
24 For
if you were
cut out of
that which is
by nature a
wild olive tree,
and were grafted
contrary to nature
into a good
olive tree, how
much more will
these, which are
the natural branches,
be grafted into
their own olive
tree?
25 For
I don’t desire
you to be
ignorant, brothers,
of this mystery,
so that you won’t
be wise in
your own conceits,
that a partial
hardening has
happened to Israel,
until the fullness
of the Gentiles
has come in,
26 and
so all Israel
will be saved.
Even as it
is written,
“There will come
out of Zion
the Deliverer,
and he will turn
away ungodliness from Jacob.
27 This
is my covenant
with them,
when I will
take away their sins.”
28 Concerning
the Good News,
they are enemies
for your sake.
But concerning the
election, they
are beloved for
the fathers’ sake.
29 For
the gifts and
the calling of
God are irrevocable.
30 For
as you in
time past
were disobedient to
God, but now
have obtained
mercy by
their disobedience,
31 even
so these also
have now
been disobedient, that
by the mercy
shown to you
they may
also obtain mercy.
32 For
God has bound all
to disobedience, that
he might have
mercy on all.
33 Oh
the depth of the
riches both of
the wisdom and
the knowledge of
God! How unsearchable
are his judgments,
and his ways past
tracing out!
34 “For
who has known
the mind of
the Lord?
Or who has
been his
counselor?”
35 “Or
who has first
given to him,
and it will
be repaid to him
again?”
36 For
of him and
through him and
to him are
all things. To
him be the
glory for ever!
Amen.