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, which 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; and 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 then 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
elect 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, and a trap,
A stumbling block, and a retribution to them.
10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see.
Bow down their back always.”
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, 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, brothers,*1 to have you ignorant 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 to them,
When I will take away their sins.”
28 Concerning the gospel, 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 shut up 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.
1 The word for “brothers” here and where context
allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or
“siblings.”
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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